bad moult

[bruty2fruity]

ok a chinese mantid of mine has had a really bad moult. one of his front pincer legs doesnt have the foot extension, the other twisted so badly it got in the way.

both hind legs are bent but one had to be cut as it was getting in the way.

my question is this:

if im patient enough and feed him by hand with tweezers u reckon he'll be on the road to recovery in a month or so?

 

[yen_saw]

No worry, it will grow back with subsequent moltings unless your mantis is already an adult. Good luck.

 

[FieroRumor]

Yeah, it should be ok, but Hopefully, it's next molt will go ok...

Just feed it every other day or so, and give it a drink at least once a day...I did it with a straw a few times...

Mine is missing its both rear legs and is doing ok:

http://www.mantidforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2925

Good luck!

-FR

 

[bruty2fruity]

yeah i saw. what did you use to make its "bionic" legs? and can it catch food even with one front pincer?

 

[13ollox]

one of my nymphs had a busted pincer and it still managed to catch food with one ( it batted its meal with the other one ) . as for the bionic legs , i wouldnt do that yet ( as its still a nymph and they will contrict its shed ) FieroRumor's was an adult when it mismoulted !

Neil

 

[bruty2fruity]

nah i wasnt planning to, was just curious as to what he used. this one i think im gonna have to just take special care of

 

[bruty2fruity]

have to say this is one tough beastie. runs around like nothings wrong. still gonna hand feed him tho

 

[Jwonni]

I hand feed mine she mismoulted but it only affected both her arms so she cant catch food but she moulted fine (although her legs were fine)

 

[bruty2fruity]

got another one that moulted today. her adomen is hanging at a really acute angle. its crazy

 

[13ollox]

one of mine moulted with a dodgey leg at a backwards angle , but after about 5 days it was normal like the rest . maybe your not giving them enough humidity ? this is why most mismoults happen ! try spraying a bit more often and see if that clears up the situation , as for the abdomen , it shudnt cause it any trouble !

Neil

 

[bruty2fruity]

there kept at the same humidity some are flawles and others arent. and ill get a pic of the abdomen for u to see its wierd

 

[jonpat83]

I think your mantids abdomen may have snapped, turn it upright and see if there is any strenght in the abdomen, if it just falls against its back or flops down then it has snapped and there isnt much you can do for it, I've had this happen with a gongy and a dessicata and both died but I dont konw why it happened.

 

[bruty2fruity]

it returns to normal when upright but then flops back at the crazy angle when its upside down - he seems fit and healthy and still eats crazily - hmmm ill see how he goes

 

[Peekaboo]

I've had mantids with bent abdomens before as well. They all molted into healthy adults, with non-bent abdoments. Hopefully you will have the same experience.

 

[bruty2fruity]

yeah hes cool he seems nice. hes a nice dark red colour too real pretty almost the runt of the litter so he gets my preferencial treatment

 

[bruty2fruity]

ok bent is back to normal now. the other one with two legs missing is in a wierd way.

he moulted, his legs are slowly growing back...slightly ****** back legs but will keep hi fed, though he has wings now, hes only 5cm long, they look all floppy and wierd not like normal wings, why would this happen?

 

[Jwonni]

i once had a mantis shed to adulthood and her wings were fluid bubbles unfortunately she died within 24hours

Glad to hear bent is back to normal

so if your other has wings therefore is adult the legs wont grow back but on the upside he doesn't have to worry about hanging to shed and losing his grip

 

[bruty2fruity]

so wings = adult, but i bought him in feb, he cant be an adult chinese hes tiny *saying in disbleif not actually that i know better than you.

ill try and get a pic, all his wings are floppy, is this bad?

 

[bruty2fruity]

i know i keep banging on about this, but if a mantis has wings does that mean hes an adult? also if his wings are messed up if he moults again could they fix, IF he moults again? and at a weedy 6 cm does that mean the chinese mantis is fully grown?