Bad Legs

[bowieisbae]

My mantis has suddenly stopped using 2 of her legs, they just hang there. She can still use them when I hold her. I'm just worried she's sick, or she will fall during her next molt. Has anyone seen this before? Is there anything I can do? I don't even know what caused it. Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Connor]

That's awfully weird... I don't see that everyday. Looks like she may just be relaxing  haha. If she had something wrong I feel like she would be using her raptoral claws to hold on. She looks pretty content and it doesn't look like she's struggling so I would worry too much

 

[azblue]

Odd! Is she eating a lot? Maybe she's just very bottom-heavy and is more comfortable letting her abdomen rest this way.

 

[mantisfan101]

Sounds wierd but if that's a subadult, and if it's a female she may be preparing for her adult molt when they hang down and let water and blood pump in and unfurl their wings. Try handling her- of she seems weak lethargic, feed her a small fly or aomethibg. Had tbis happen to a ghost and despite the plumo abdomen, the poor thing was starved It eventually dropped down and died.. 

 

[bowieisbae]

Sounds wierd but if that's a subadult, and if it's a female she may be preparing for her adult molt when they hang down and let water and blood pump in and unfurl their wings. Try handling her- of she seems weak lethargic, feed her a small fly or aomethibg. Had tbis happen to a ghost and despite the plumo abdomen, the poor thing was starved It eventually dropped down and died.. 

She passed away this morning   she was ready for her adult molt though. I tried feeding her honey last night, and water from a dropper, but she wasn't really interested. All my other mantises are fine, I just don't know what happened with her. 

 

[Connor]

She passed away this morning   she was ready for her adult molt though. I tried feeding her honey last night, and water from a dropper, but she wasn't really interested. All my other mantises are fine, I just don't know what happened with her. 

That's terrible... sorry for your loss... that's so weird

 

[Krissim Klaw]

She passed away this morning   she was ready for her adult molt though. I tried feeding her honey last night, and water from a dropper, but she wasn't really interested. All my other mantises are fine, I just don't know what happened with her. 

If she was due for a molt then likely her body began the process for it but sadly she lost her grip and then was unable to get back into position. As they get closer and closer to their molt everything tightens up and movement becomes hard. You might have been able to save her by getting her back into a proper shedding position. If she was too weak to hold I remember seeing some people having success carefully taping a mantises feet into place so they could hang upside down and continue.