Droop - Butt

shop deals on amazon
Advertise with us
Shop deals on ebay
Mantidforum

Help Support Mantidforum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Serle

Serle

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 19, 2016
Messages
577
Reaction score
49
Location
Vernon B.C. Canada
Quite the season for ''Droop - Butt'' , I have an inordinate amount of Tenoderas that  have developed this condition. One L4 was fine then moulted into having Droop -Butt . It doesn't only happen to mantids from hanging upside down long periods;......  S

Droop-ass.JPG

Droop-ass 2.JPG

 
Interesting.... I vote we officially name this condition Droop-Butt Syndrome.  :p

Anyway, what happens to Mantids with this condition? Is it deadly, or caused by some sort of virus?

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Only time I've had this issue is when when this species (in middle-later instars) sheds from a very horizontal surface. If they move too early after shedding the gravity of their abdomen's weight can cause the bend at that weak point before their exoskeleton has time to firm up. I've found having angled shedding conditions virtually eliminates the issue. As I use net cubes I simply prop the cubes up so two upper walls are angled at around 45 degrees.

 
It is common with this species and for whatever reason more specific to the males than the females from what I've observed. I like the idea of the 45° shed angle!

 
Krissim Klaw said:
Only time I've had this issue is when when this species (in middle-later instars) sheds from a very horizontal surface. If they move too early after shedding the gravity of their abdomen's weight can cause the bend at that weak point before their exoskeleton has time to firm up. I've found having angled shedding conditions virtually eliminates the issue. As I use net cubes I simply prop the cubes up so two upper walls are angled at around 45 degrees.
Click to expand...
You have a great idea in the angling on the shedding walls and allowing the exoskeleton to harden .

 
Kermit said:
It is common with this species and for whatever reason more specific to the males than the females from what I've observed. I like the idea of the 45° shed angle!
Click to expand...
The males do have a higher percentage of Droop-butt than females , with a longer narrower abdomen . I haven't seen it too often in the Mantis Religiosa which are close in stature to the Tenoderas . Droop-butt isn't fatal and I haven;'t seen it as harmful ........ S

 
My friend's Tenodera has developed this condition. Her mantis has two bends in his abdomen; one in the middle and one where the abdomen connects with the thorax. He was wild caught and has not molted in captivity. He is about L5. Any ideas on what to do? We will try the 45* molting surface, but any other ideas? Thanks!

- MantisGirl13

 
Since my last post I have a correction ,one of my pre-adult Tenoderas did succumb to Droop Butt . Seem's that they don't digest or excrete properly .  S

 
Wait at least 24 hours after molting to feed, this can also sometimes cause butt drooping/kinking if they eat a lot before they've dried properly. The condition should resolve with the next molt if he dries at the proper angle but until then there's not a lot that can be done to permanently fix it. Although as Kermit stated above, feeding them well may help to straighten them out some, it will at least temporarily alleviate the problem.

 
Yeah, I wish there was more of a way to heal or prevent this problem.

- MantisGirl3

 

Latest posts

Top