Carolina mantis eggbound?

[Mystymantis]

Hello, I have an adult female Carolina mantis that has only laid one egg case and that was a while ago. Is she egg bound? She is round and full of eggs, but just refuses to lay an egg case. She has several sticks in her cage. But another problem is today I just spotted 3 yellow eggs on the ground of her container, not in an egg case and no foamy stuff. So now I am really concerned for her health and why she would drop eggs with not making the ootheca? I have already tried several things to get her to lay, like making sure she is not near any other mantises, giving her sticks, feeding her well, but not over feeding her.

Is there anything else I can do to maybe encourage her to lay?  Or if she is egg bound will she never lay eggs?

 

[CosbyArt]

@Mystymantis No idea, but unlikely. Captive raised females will often reach a point where they will stop laying ooths (ootheca) in the later part of their lives.

Was she captive raised, or wild caught outside? How many ooths has she laid so far? How long ago was the last ooth laid? How long has she been an adult (time passed since her adult molt)?

A female being egg-bound is a rather rare event, although with so many mantids between all the members here, there are a few confirmed cases per year. Unless there has been about a month or more time passed since the last ooth she laid, I doubt she is egg-bound (even if they refuse to lay for over a month some females have laid finally and were fine).

The only thing that has me concerned at the moment is the "yellow eggs" laid loose in her container. If you could post a photo or two that would help to identify if it is a egg or what exactly (the same for your female, a photo will help in possibly determining her condition).

 

[Mystymantis]

Well she hasn't laid since the end of September. I found her in my yard and brought her in as an adult in early September. Not sure on how long she has been an adult as I found her as an adult.

She seems healthy although getting older. When she hangs upside down her abdomen hangs low.

Here are some pictures. Two of the 3 egg things look almost empty? like they were not fully formed or something? but the one clearly looks like an egg.

But she looks healthy and crawls around just won't lay eggs. She should have laid several egg cases by now. But she has only laid one, that one in September.

 

[CosbyArt]

Well she hasn't laid since the end of September ...

Over two months is a sure sign of a mantis being egg-bound sadly. Within a month between ooths the process is usually reversible as the condition has not set in, but at this point she is egg-bound and as such will be unable to expel all the ooth material/eggs (and is affecting her health).

Indeed those are abnormal eggs, and likely signal a internal problem as a few did work loose like that. The only trick that may offer her some relief is a heating pad, see the 1st and 3rd posts here. Any other tips or tricks will be of no use at this point.

Other than the heat, you should just keep her warm, well fed, and misted for as long as she lives.

 

[Mystymantis]

That is what I feared. I will keep her happy for as long as she lives. Very sad though. my poor little girl.

No one knows what causes a mantis to become eggbound?

 

[CosbyArt]

That is what I feared. I will keep her happy for as long as she lives. Very sad though. my poor little girl.

No one knows what causes a mantis to become eggbound?

Yes it is, I'm sorry for you both.

The egg-bound condition is not well known or understood, as it is rather rare and has not been scientifically studied in mantids at least. The most commonly theorized causes leading to the condition is lack of egg laying sites (sticks, perches, mesh, natural or artificial decor, etc), too small of a habitat/cage size, improper humidity or temperatures simulating the natural environment, stress related issues (often from a threatening nearby visible pet, as the egg laying process is a extremely vulnerable time - females are defenseless), or a internal problem obstructing or preventing the laying process.

In the end it comes down to four possibilities - improper care/habitat, a female that is overly picky finding a ooth location, a internal mantid problem, or a unknown factor.

 

[spider_creations]

@CosbyArt I am scared that my female iris oratoria is egg bound, she last laid about three weeks ago and has a large cage with bark and branches. And plenty of room as she is in a large critter keeper and gets fed quite a bit. I am just so worried 

 

[CosbyArt]

@CosbyArt I am scared that my female iris oratoria is egg bound, she last laid about three weeks ago and has a large cage with bark and branches. And plenty of room as she is in a large critter keeper and gets fed quite a bit. I am just so worried 

I responded to a fellow member, with the tips and tricks to help a female lay her ooth, in the end their females simply needed more time and both laid ooths. So take a look and apply any tips you want/need, and hopefully your Iris oratoria lays her ooth as well.



If you have any specific questions just ask. I just figured the recent thread would be of more use than a single response.

 

[spider_creations]

I responded to a fellow member, with the tips and tricks to help a female lay her ooth, in the end their females simply needed more time and both laid ooths. So take a look and apply any tips you want/need, and hopefully your Iris oratoria lays her ooth as well.



If you have any specific questions just ask. I just figured the recent thread would be of more use than a single response.

She laid last night or this morning .

 

[Sarah K]

She laid last night or this morning .

Hooray! ;D

 

[CosbyArt]

She laid last night or this morning .

Great news! Glad it was just more time for your girl as well.

 

[spider_creations]

Great news! Glad it was just more time for your girl as well.

Yeah I am super happy 

 

[spider_creations]

Hooray! ;D

Yeah its so exciting