Browning of tips of wings / Prosthetics?

[JoeCapricorn]

Angel has browning on the tip of his right wing - both wings are all curled and twisted at the end, but the browning is concerning me because it is either is growing or just getting darker.

The second part of this topic is about prosthetics. Angel can move the stub of his right claw. If I can somehow attach a prosthetic to this stub, right at the joint, he'd be able to grab food with this claw again. Has this been done and is it possible? Any suggestions on how to actually attach the prosthetic to the claw?

It doesn't have to be something that must be stable and stay on all the time, it would likely just go on at feeding time and come off after.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Angel has browning on the tip of his right wing - both wings are all curled and twisted at the end, but the browning is concerning me because it is either is growing or just getting darker.

The second part of this topic is about prosthetics. Angel can move the stub of his right claw. If I can somehow attach a prosthetic to this stub, right at the joint, he'd be able to grab food with this claw again. Has this been done and is it possible? Any suggestions on how to actually attach the prosthetic to the claw?

It doesn't have to be something that must be stable and stay on all the time, it would likely just go on at feeding time and come off after.

The veins in the wings carry hemolymph which provides rigidity and nutrition. With the wing tips crumpled, the surrounding area is presumably becoming necrotic. It won't get better.

I have heard that forum member Rob Byatt (second time I've mentioned him today!) was an expert at grafting on shed leg tips with super glue. You might want to p.m. him and ask his advice.

 

[MantidLord]

Last year I had an M. religiosa female with crumbled wings that just kept getting worst (she was a large one too). So I just cut the wings off. As far as the prosthetic, the mantis may be discomforted and try to chew it off rather than hunt. But Idk.

 

[JoeCapricorn]

Last year I had an M. religiosa female with crumbled wings that just kept getting worst (she was a large one too). So I just cut the wings off. As far as the prosthetic, the mantis may be discomforted and try to chew it off rather than hunt. But Idk.

I trimmed the affected region off. As for the prosthetic, I think it would be better if it were detachable, and it'd just be something he would wear at feeding time. He can use the joint and the black stub moves with the claw, if I can connect a prosthetic to that stub, he would be able to grab with both claws. His other claw isn't very strong.

I like the idea of filling a shed exoskeleton claw with something and using that. I'd have to wait until Kit molts, since the skin from Angel and Meek's molt are both gone. The question is, what substance can I inject into the molt (or, mold), that would fill even the smallest cavities and produce a claw?

 

[sbugir]

Joe, I really don't want to burst your bubble as I think it's a pretty darn good idea. However, a molded/prosthetic claw is still useless if he can't detract the claw itself. It'd be there for aesthetic purposes and not really beneficial for the mantid. At most, it may be able hold food in its fake grasp, in which case it probably wouldn't even know it's holding it.

 

[PhilinYuma]

Joe, I really don't want to burst your bubble as I think it's a pretty darn good idea. However, a molded/prosthetic claw is still useless if he can't detract the claw itself. It'd be there for aesthetic purposes and not really beneficial for the mantid. At most, it may be able hold food in its fake grasp, in which case it probably wouldn't even know it's holding it.

You're right, Stephen. I somehow missed the fact that this was the tip of a raptorial arm. The prosthetics that I mentioned were only used on the tips of walking legs, so far as I know.

 

[Rick]

Not really sure what you mean by browning on the wings. Once the wings are dry they are essentially like our hair and not alive. I think the prosthetics is not a good idea. I know some people have done such things, but most mantids can get along fine missing a leg or two. As was mentioned, it wouldn't work on a front leg.

And yes, you're a massive worrywort. :lol:

 

[JoeCapricorn]

Not really sure what you mean by browning on the wings. Once the wings are dry they are essentially like our hair and not alive. I think the prosthetics is not a good idea. I know some people have done such things, but most mantids can get along fine missing a leg or two. As was mentioned, it wouldn't work on a front leg.

And yes, you're a massive worrywort. :lol:

Not alive? That doesn't really make any sense. For one, their wings definitely detect touch, when I stroke Angel or Meek's wings, he spreads them. Second, the tip of Angel's right wing was necrotic, it turned brown because it was a dead part of his wing. I think a crease developed that cut off hemolymph circulation to that tip, causing it to go necrotic. My worries was basically the mantis equivalent of gangrene, if there is such a thing. I worry a lot because I am new to this hobby, I learn by experience and if I never experienced something before I try to get a grasp of other people's experiences.

 

[Rick]

Not alive? That doesn't really make any sense. For one, their wings definitely detect touch, when I stroke Angel or Meek's wings, he spreads them. Second, the tip of Angel's right wing was necrotic, it turned brown because it was a dead part of his wing. I think a crease developed that cut off hemolymph circulation to that tip, causing it to go necrotic. My worries was basically the mantis equivalent of gangrene, if there is such a thing. I worry a lot because I am new to this hobby, I learn by experience and if I never experienced something before I try to get a grasp of other people's experiences.

Yes, dead. There is no hemolymph circulating once the wings are dry. The are like your hair or finger nails. They are alive down at the base, just like your fingernails. So if the wings are messed up on the ends and getting in the way, just trim that part off. It will be akin to cutting hair. They do sense you stroking the wings because they feel it at the base just like if someone pulls your hair you know it's happening. Or they can feel the wings being moved as the wings touch the abdomen.