African Mantis refusing to eat :(

[headturner4]

Hi there, new person to the forum here. I recently got a praying mantis from a pet shop after wanting one for years. It's an african mantis and im not sure how old he is but he hasn't got his wings yet.

ive had him for about 3 weeks now, the first week he was eating fine. I fed him locusts and crickets and he'd happily swipe at them as soon as they were put in his tank. For the past two weeks though he's eaten hardly anything and just hangs from the top of the tank upside down. Im pretty worried about him as he doesn't seem to be shedding (although im not too clear on how long that takes or what signs i should look out for)

Any help would be great

 

[Rick]

Is about to molt. Leave it alone for now. YOu don't want to disturb if a molt is near. As you get more experience you will be able to pick up on the cues. Lack of appetite is just one of many signs that a molt is near.

 

[headturner4]

Is about to molt. Leave it alone for now. YOu don't want to disturb if a molt is near. As you get more experience you will be able to pick up on the cues. Lack of appetite is just one of many signs that a molt is near.

Thankyou :lol: ive been so worried about him lately its been scaring me!

 

[JoeCapricorn]

I have what is probably an L1 S. centralis, he has also refused to eat since I got him, but yesterday I fed him a fruit fly with forceps and he happily caught another one. He is also darker in color than the pale L2 mantises I have and he has ivory colored eyes that stand in contrast to his darker color. Is he about to molt?

I hope so, I usually take darker colors to mean near-molting in grasshoppers.

At the same time, I wonder if mantises also suffer from a disorder that prevents them from ever molting completely into adult-hood? I have seen this in several grasshoppers this year, I even found one last week that was still stuck on sub-adult. By now she is probably dead because the first frost has occurred... then again I have seen grasshoppers as late as December around here.

 

[BellsBird]

If you think your mantis is about to molt, then like, spray-mist the tank/cage. Oh, and i read somewhere that if your mantis is about to molt, he will look a bit skinnier abd begin to 'look hungry' and i think something about their abdomen turning a paler colour...

Happy to help, since I'm new too and I don't want to just prove a nuisence asking stupid questions

(OR "A man (or woman) is judged by his (or her) questions, rather than his (or her) answers.")

:lol: ~Bells

 

[Rick]

If you think your mantis is about to molt, then like, spray-mist the tank/cage. Oh, and i read somewhere that if your mantis is about to molt, he will look a bit skinnier abd begin to 'look hungry' and i think something about their abdomen turning a paler colour...Happy to help, since I'm new too and I don't want to just prove a nuisence asking stupid questions

(OR "A man (or woman) is judged by his (or her) questions, rather than his (or her) answers.")

:lol: ~Bells

That isn't really accurate. They generally stop eating and when they molt is close they will hang a certain way. They often also appear to be "bloated" throughout.