Busted Back legs

[Murp]

i came home from school to find my only female had just shed i thought that this was fantastic

but as soon as i through in the daily criket and watched her try to eat it

i saw that she had trouble catching her prey she just kept missing

then i looked at her back legs and there both bent back and up

she cant catch anything

and she been refusing the criket on a stick

what should i do?????

 

[Murp]

ive tried criket on a stick again but she just whacks it away and shes

relativley skinney

i can see that she needs food but she just wont take it

i really need help

and im really worried

she is one of my first mantises

 

[superfreak]

leave her be for a day or two. shes refusing food because she just moulted. if her raptorial arms are fine then she'll be able to catch her food herself. make sure she has enough room to moult next time and dont disturb her for a day or two afterwards.

 

[revmdn]

I agree with Olga. Try a drop of honey on a toothpick in a day or so.

 

[jameslongo]

Don't worry about the back legs. She'll rectify them next molt. Give her some branches in her enclosure to perch on & she'll be right catching crix.

Olga knows best. Give her a day or two. Don't forget to mist

 

[OGIGA]

Almost all mantises refuse food until maybe 16 hours later, at minimum. Try feeding a day or two later and, if possible, give your mantis some more variety, like meal worms.

 

[Murp]

oh thanx i just got really worried

she just looks so weak she can only pull herself about 3cm up

its the only problem ive had

 

[superfreak]

they'll be quite weak after a moult. imagine if you had to pull out all your bones and then wait while your new ones stiffened up!! its part of the reason they refuse food at this stage.

 

[Katnapper]

they'll be quite weak after a moult. imagine if you had to pull out all your bones and then wait while your new ones stiffened up!! its part of the reason they refuse food at this stage.

I like the analogy, Olga! :lol:

 

[superfreak]

*bows*