Dying randomly?

[Sneaky123]

My little sister caught her first mantis (stagmomantis sp.) about three weeks ago. Today he was found at the bottom of the container with his legs pulled close together in that dead bug position, but is still alive. I myself am wondering about this, because i am often plagued by this unknown death!! Any suggestions?

 

[agent A]

sounds like either pesticides or bad food

 

[twolfe]

Is it an adult?

 

[hibiscusmile]

could be just being closed up after being free, or the water may have chemicals in it that did it, or.... any number of things.

 

[Sneaky123]

Crud.. Gardeners spray herbicides. Thanks for mentioning that. Is there anything i can do along with hand-feeding him water and food?

 

[Sneaky123]

Is it an adult?

L4 i think

 

[mantisboy]

Perhaps it was a lack of misting and as mentioned being placed in a housing. Wild males can completely freak out when placed in a housing due to their programming to seek out females. If they keep clawing at the sides of the housing and remain in a state of complete panic the stress will kill them. One reason why I don't keep wild males any longer than a few days at most for breeding, then I set them free.