# Chinese Mantis Hasn't eaten for 4 days!



## sbugir (Aug 17, 2009)

Hey all,

My baby hasnt eaten for 4 days now and i'm really concerned. Im assuming shes about to molt because she has that greyish cloudy look to her and beats away from prey. I've sprayed her and she is drinking water. Im keeping humidity up just so there isnt a mismolt. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and i have tried feeding her via tweezers. Is it possible that there isnt enough variety?

Steve


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## PhilinYuma (Aug 17, 2009)

Looks as though you have everything covered. I wouldn't leave any crix in with her while she is molting, since they can disturb a molt, and don't bother trying to feed her with forceps. She'll eat when she's ready, after the molt.


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## Katnapper (Aug 18, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Looks as though you have everything covered. I wouldn't leave any crix in with her while she is molting, since they can disturb a molt, and don't bother trying to feed her with forceps. She'll eat when she's ready, after the molt.


+1

She won't starve or blow away. Mantids can live for about up to 2 weeks without food (not saying you should wait this long between feedings!). But try not to worry.... she will eat when ready, and will likely be fine.


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## sbugir (Aug 18, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Looks as though you have everything covered. I wouldn't leave any crix in with her while she is molting, since they can disturb a molt, and don't bother trying to feed her with forceps. She'll eat when she's ready, after the molt.


Alright thanks! But your sure shes ready to molt? Her abdomen is bloated and seems to be "breathing" heavily. I mean i've watched her molt before but it wasn't anything this drastic. But ill make sure all crickets are out. Thanks for the info.


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## sbugir (Aug 18, 2009)

Katnapper said:


> +1She won't starve or blow away. Mantids can live for about up to 2 weeks without food (not saying you should wait this long between feedings!). But try not to worry.... she will eat when ready, and will likely be fine.


alright thanks! I'm just too worried haha!


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## Katnapper (Aug 18, 2009)

lemmiwinks said:


> alright thanks! I'm just too worried haha!


"Newbie Worry"..... it ought to be a scientifically recognized condition. hehe! We've all been there.


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## superfreak (Aug 18, 2009)

the breathing heavy thing is a molting sign. she'll look like shes straining to go to the loo


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## Peter Clausen (Aug 18, 2009)

Also, if the mantis is bloated it does not need to eat. It should be left alone to either molt or digest. Overfed mantises are particularly prone to injury.


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 18, 2009)

How old is she?


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## sbugir (Aug 18, 2009)

hibiscusmile said:


> How old is she?


I wanna say L4, but now shes L5 She molted last night! she's about 2.5in now!


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## charleyandbecky (Aug 19, 2009)

Some mantids are extremely dramatic before a molt. I started a topic once about my drama queen mantis and the extreme show she put on in the week before a molt. I was never so glad to have a mantis molt to adult. She worried me to death EVERY time. Before her molt into adulthood, she didn't eat for 8 days, carried on like you wouldn't believe.

Rebecca


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## sbugir (Aug 19, 2009)

charleyandbecky said:


> Some mantids are extremely dramatic before a molt. I started a topic once about my drama queen mantis and the extreme show she put on in the week before a molt. I was never so glad to have a mantis molt to adult. She worried me to death EVERY time. Before her molt into adulthood, she didn't eat for 8 days, carried on like you wouldn't believe. Rebecca


  Thanks for the info/story, makes me feel better! Mine seems to be doing alright now, although her appetite hasn't increased much,


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## charleyandbecky (Aug 19, 2009)

It takes a day or two to start eating again...she'll be fine.


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## elf run1 (Sep 23, 2009)

one of my males is doing that but hes an adult im pretty sure=/ he is very active though 4 days with no food so far


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## massaman (Sep 23, 2009)

prob still full from the feeding or something as its better not to over feed a mantis and its abdomen could rupture and you would be at a loss!


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## AmandaLynn (Sep 23, 2009)

Your adult male mantis will not over eat. It is normal for adult males to go a few days without food. They don't eat very much. Adult females eat _a lot_, but not adult males. I've heard of females eating so much that it causes their abdomens to rupture, but it is very rare.


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## sbugir (Sep 23, 2009)

ooooo this is old  . Unfortunately my female, whom this thread was about, passed away monday


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## PhilinYuma (Sep 24, 2009)

lemmiwinks said:


> Hey all,My baby hasnt eaten for 4 days now and i'm really concerned. Im assuming shes about to molt because she has that greyish cloudy look to her and beats away from prey. I've sprayed her and she is drinking water. Im keeping humidity up just so there isnt a mismolt. Any help would be greatly appreciated, and i have tried feeding her via tweezers. Is it possible that there isnt enough variety?
> 
> Steve


Sorry, mate, but I reckon that she'll probably be dead in about five more weeks (from Aug 17th, that is).


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## Katnapper (Sep 24, 2009)

lemmiwinks said:


> ooooo this is old  . Unfortunately my female, whom this thread was about, passed away monday


Sorry to hear that.


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## sbugir (Sep 24, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Sorry, mate, but I reckon that she'll probably be dead in about five more weeks (from Aug 17th, that is).


-.-


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## ismart (Sep 24, 2009)

massaman said:


> prob still full from the feeding or something as its better not to over feed a mantis and its abdomen could rupture and you would be at a loss!


There is no way you can over feed an adult male mantis. He stays trim purposely so he can fly to find potenial mates.


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## ismart (Sep 24, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Sorry, mate, but I reckon that she'll probably be dead in about five more weeks (from Aug 17th, that is).


Phil's on point! :lol:


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## Katnapper (Sep 24, 2009)

ismart said:


> Phil's on point! :lol:


Wow... he's just like Nostradamus!!


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## massaman (Sep 24, 2009)

hmm I seen some site that says one species of mantis you must not over feed or its abdomen could burst but the name of it eludes me right now and read also overfeeding the asians I think could shorten their lifespans


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## ismart (Sep 24, 2009)

massaman said:


> hmm I seen some site that says one species of mantis you must not over feed or its abdomen could burst but the name of it eludes me right now and read also overfeeding the asians I think could shorten their lifespans


Where are you getting this info from? That's a bunch of rubbish! &lt;_&lt;


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## massaman (Sep 24, 2009)

http://devecim.blogspot.com/2007/07/feedin...ing-mantis.html

If fed too much, their abdomen can burst, killing the mantis

this was when i googled about bursting abdomen and have seen in other forums people complained their mantis adbdomens were bursting cause of being overfed


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## PhilinYuma (Sep 24, 2009)

massaman said:


> http://devecim.blogspot.com/2007/07/feedin...ing-mantis.htmlIf fed too much, their abdomen can burst, killing the mantis
> 
> this was when i googled about bursting abdomen and have seen in other forums people complained their mantis adbdomens were bursting cause of being overfed


As Ismart says, it just isn't so. The only time that I ever saw a living creature explode from over eating was on Monty Python  

Heavy feeding and high temperatures will shorten the time between molts, but I don't know if it shortens the mantis's lifespan over all.


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## massaman (Sep 24, 2009)

also read overfeeding these species would shorten their lifespans

Giant Indian Mantis

Dead Leaf Mantis

Giant African Mantis

PSEUDOCREOBOTRA WAHLBERGII


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## ismart (Sep 24, 2009)

massaman said:


> also read overfeeding these species would shorten their lifespansGiant Indian Mantis
> 
> Dead Leaf Mantis
> 
> ...


It's all hear say. The person in the blog even stated he heard that somewhere, and not whitnessed this himself.


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