Crippled Nymph!

sgtkeens · Feb 12, 2015

This is my first time raising mantids and I messed up. I hatched a Chinese Mantis Ooth in late January and I'm keeping 6 nymphs, all of which haven't molted. While I was misting their enclosures one of the nymphs tried to escape and I accidentally dropped the lid on it because I didn't see it try to get out. This happened 3 days ago. (Plastic cups with a plastic sheet cut to fit the cup weighed down with a penny.) The nymph is still able to walk and climb, and it's still active, but its claws just drag when he walks. I tried to hand-feed him a fruit fly for half an hour, but wouldn't eat it because it couldn't grab it. I was wondering 1. If there's any chance it could regain use of his claws when it molts. 2. How can I keep it fed until it can use its claws? I'll try to get a picture.

sgtkeens · Feb 12, 2015

I just checked on it. It seems to be able to move its left claw while stationary, so it's not paralyzed. I gave it a drop of honey to keep it energized since it hasn't eaten in days. It lunged at the toothpick, but wasn't able to grab. It ate the honey off its claws and mouth. I also noticed that it leans to the left while walking. I'm assuming to counter-act the dead claw on the right since it has limited movement in the left.

CosbyArt · Feb 13, 2015

Sadly accidents do happen, as they are so tiny everything is massive. I had a similar problem with a nymph and a lid. It's tarsus got ripped off when the lid closed on it. Thankfully however the foreleg tarsus regrew after the first molt and it looks like it was never damaged.

As long as you can feed the nymph it has a shot to heal when it does molt. The only problem with molting though is the nymph must be able to successfully pull itself out of its old exoskeleton, and depending on the damage it may get stuck.

You may have luck trying to feed it pieces of a cricket, such as ripped off legs or a head. Best of luck.

sgtkeens · Feb 13, 2015

CosbyArt said:
Sadly accidents do happen, as they are so tiny everything is massive. I had a similar problem with a nymph and a lid. It's tarsus got ripped off when the lid closed on it. Thankfully however the foreleg tarsus regrew after the first molt and it looks like it was never damaged.

As long as you can feed the nymph it has a shot to heal when it does molt. The only problem with molting though is the nymph must be able to successfully pull itself out of its old exoskeleton, and depending on the damage it may get stuck.

You may have luck trying to feed it pieces of a cricket, such as ripped off legs or a head. Best of luck.

I do have some mealworms that I could dismember. I'll give it a go.

sgtkeens · Feb 13, 2015

Update! I decided to let the nymph walk outside his enclosure on a flat surface where he could get some exercise where it wasn't difficult to climb. After about 15 minutes of exercise he miraculously started using one of his lame claws to walk again! It's a major improvement. Maybe I can try handing him a fruit fly in the morning.