Arm Injury

[marsha]

Hi, I'm new here and looking for advice on what to do about a PM that looks to have it's arm broken.

I have been interested in capturing some PM before winter comes, so this year I did. I have seven, which is quite enough, so I stopped looking.  Set up living quarters in an aquarium with dividers, and made a unit. They're all doing really good, eating crickets and drinking sprayed water, and laying nests. But this morning I saw one on the bottom looking weak.  I also noticed it must've started a nest but it doesn't look completed.  I got her out to observe and notice it's her left front leg seems lifeless.  Did she fall while making a nest? I used screen material on the homemade unit.  Is this ok? Was thinking/wondering if the legs get stuck? Maybe she was hanging upside down making a nest, fell over and one arm got stuck and broke it. I have no idea, just guessing. The three others in this unit are fine. They are all separated by dividers.  

So wondering what may have happened, obviously happened during nest making, and is there any way to try to save it? Was reading they eat ground wet cat food? She cannot hold prey (crickets) now. She seems weak, but if I hold her she does expend some energy. I suppose I will wake up tomorrow and she's gone, but if not, any ideas on the arm? 

Thank you. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

Give no cat food, Mantids don't eat that. Cut the cricket and half and hand feed her. Hold abdomen of crickets in tweezers before her mouth and she will eat, if she is hungry. Give her honey-water too.

.Can we see a picture of your wounded mantis?

 

[Synapze]

Oh no. Is the mantis an adult? If not, could it have fallen during a molt?

Also, what do you mean by "nest making"? 

 

[marsha]

Oh no. Is the mantis an adult? If not, could it have fallen during a molt?

Also, what do you mean by "nest making"? 

She apparently went to make an egg sac but it doesn't look complete, or not very big. She is an adult. They're all adults with wings that were on my bushes, living there all summer.  They do this every year. So I wondered, since they die off in late fall (if not sooner) what would be like to bring them indoors.  Finally did it this year.  So far, she's the only one who hasn't faired well. The 6 others are just hanging around (literally! LOL) and eating crickets. I have a humidifier in their area. I'm also spraying water through the screens which leave water droplets for them to drink.  If I wasn't a home-body, I'd not be doing this! 

 

[marsha]

Give no cat food, Mantids don't eat that. Cut the cricket and half and hand feed her. Hold abdomen of crickets in tweezers before her mouth and she will eat, if she is hungry. Give her honey-water too.

.Can we see a picture of your wounded mantis?

Thank you for the advice of no cat food.  A particular website of a woman who keeps them (or kept them, was not recent) said she did this.  I've not given any, so glad I didn't. I did put a cricket on tweezers in front of her yesterday but she didn't want it. After I read on here about honey, I did get up early this morning, checked on her, she's still alive, so I offered some unfiltered honey on the end of a stick.  She didn't really seem to want it though.  Not sure if I offended her by putting it onto her mouth anyway.  She did start licking her face. 

Could you tell me how to give her honey water? Like what's the ratio? Do I put it in a spoon under her mouth? Thank you.  Will send a pic.  

 

[Synapze]

She is an adult. They're all adults with wings that were on my bushes, living there all summer.

Since it's impossible to know when she hatched, it's very possible that she could be near end of life.

If I were you, I would go ahead and keep the ooth and delay hatching by keeping in the fridge. You can then hatch it out to release next spring. Even an incomplete ooth may still hatch if she's mated. 

 

[marsha]

Since it's impossible to know when she hatched, it's very possible that she could be near end of life. 😕

If I were you, I would go ahead and keep the ooth and delay hatching by keeping in the fridge. You can then hatch it out to release next spring. Even an incomplete ooth may still hatch if she's mated. 

So that's what it's called? Ooth? Thank you! All these years we've just called them egg sacs or nests. Yes, I have already scraped off 3 of them put them in a netted garlic bag and put it in the garage because it stays cold in there. We've done this for many years, and the following spring we put them out in areas that are away from where we mow.   We've never had one hatch early in there.  Sometimes we keep one to see them hatch. Yes, I'm going to guess all the first ooths are fertile.  Don't know how long they remain fertile after they mate. Do you? Like how many fertile ooths can they make after mating? None of the ones we brought in are males.  So pretty sure they mated and were devoured, and females were the only ones left behind.  All of them probably hatched in mid to late April. 

Could you please explain how to feed it honey water? Thank you so much. 

 

[marsha]

View attachment IMG_1119.mov
 

 

[marsha]

 

[marsha]

View attachment IMG_1121.mov
 

 

[Graceface]

I disolve about one drop of honey into a tablespoon or so of water. Dip a Q-tip into the honey water, then hold the Q-tip up to her mandibles (aka mouth). I usually wet the other end of the Q-tip with filtered water and offer the water end after they drink the honey water mixture in case they are thirsty or need to clean any sticky residue from their mandibles. 

Hope that helps!

 

[marsha]

I disolve about one drop of honey into a tablespoon or so of water. Dip a Q-tip into the honey water, then hold the Q-tip up to her mandibles (aka mouth). I usually wet the other end of the Q-tip with filtered water and offer the water end after they drink the honey water mixture in case they are thirsty or need to clean any sticky residue from their mandibles. 

Hope that helps!

Yes, that def helps.  So it's a very diluted mixture.  OK, great.  Will give it a try.  Thank you. 

 

[Synapze]

Don't know how long they remain fertile after they mate. Do you?

If she's mated, most likely all of her ooths will be fertile. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

These are handy when giving honey water: hold it onder her mouth, so she can drink from it.

 

[marsha]

These are handy when giving honey water: hold it onder her mouth, so she can drink from it.

Should it be overly saturated, like dripping? I only have Q-tips presently.  Is honey water a staple item when housing PM? 

Thank you. 

 

[Prayingmantisqueen]

Honey water is definitely a staple for sick mantids or even as a precaution measure. You could do it a little stronger if you would like. I would say I do it relatively strong 1 tsp to 2 tsp water or maybe a little more water... 

And also she could be near end of life too. Both my "caught outside" mantids have died this week. It must be an instinctive clock that tells them when its over...?!

 

[Mantis Lady]

Honey water can be given to sick mantids, it can help mantids get well and for energy. I had one mantis that was vomiting and honey water helped to get better. I have only honey at home for my mantids.

I put the tip in the honey/water and if i think there is enough, I let the mantis drink.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I had a ghost mantis a while back that overheated in the spring sunshine and lost use of her four back legs. I fed her honey water and within a month she had fully recovered. She now has laid me five ooths and is still going strong!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Graceface]

Honey water is definitely a staple for sick mantids or even as a precaution measure. You could do it a little stronger if you would like. I would say I do it relatively strong 1 tsp to 2 tsp water or maybe a little more water... 

I go lower on the honey just to be safe that I don't get my mantis sticky, as i made that mistake before, lol! I could probably up the honey ratio on mine

Qtips should be fine. I saturate mine until they are really wet, then tap them lightly with a finger to get any excess off (just so that I don't drip it on my mantis and make them sticky)