Egg bound?

[GayJerk]

Hi, I have a female double shield mantis (unmated) that has been an adult for a few months now but still refuses to lay an ooth. I've changed her cage around multiple times but she doesn't seem interested at all. Could this possible kill her? She's been acting perfectly normal. 

 

[KevinsWither]

Shes probably going to lay eggs. Try a houseplant. I do recommend misting her and giving flies. As sometimes they don't lay for a few months and then they lay the largest ooth! 

 

[SpaceWolf]

I've heard sticks with a thickness of a pencil at a 45° degree angle are the best way to make them lay eggs on it. Hope this helps

 

[GayJerk]

Shes probably going to lay eggs. Try a houseplant. I do recommend misting her and giving flies. As sometimes they don't lay for a few months and then they lay the largest ooth! 

I've heard sticks with a thickness of a pencil at a 45° degree angle are the best way to make them lay eggs on it. Hope this helps

hey guys, I just checked to see how old she is 

she's 8 months into adulthood. I'm actually pretty shocked because she's never laid an ooth and I didn't know she was that old. I had posted a picture of her when she had a final molt online and I looked back to see it was in February of this year. Crazy! 

 

[Connor]

hey guys, I just checked to see how old she is 

she's 8 months into adulthood. I'm actually pretty shocked because she's never laid an ooth and I didn't know she was that old. I had posted a picture of her when she had a final molt online and I looked back to see it was in February of this year. Crazy! 

If she hasn't laid in 8 months.... it sounds like she egg-bound

 

[GayJerk]

If she hasn't laid in 8 months.... it sounds like she egg-bound

Yeah... that's what I have been thinking. Can that actually kill a mantis though? I'm not sure if ive ever heard of a mantis dying solely because they refuse to lay eggs. (Which I think is the case because she is very active and robust) 

 

[Connor]

Yeah... that's what I have been thinking. Can that actually kill a mantis though? I'm not sure if ive ever heard of a mantis dying solely because they refuse to lay eggs. (Which I think is the case because she is very active and robust) 

Yeah if she's acting fine, then I say no problem 

 

[GayJerk]

Yeah if she's acting fine, then I say no problem

Awesome, I don't actually know that much about mantids being egg bound. I put a few more sticks in her enclosure and I put a heat lamp on one end of it. There's plenty of foliage and what not, hopefully the heat will get her to try and lay something. 

 

[Connor]

Awesome, I don't actually know that much about mantids being egg bound. I put a few more sticks in her enclosure and I put a heat lamp on one end of it. There's plenty of foliage and what not, hopefully the heat will get her to try and lay something. 

Hopefully.. good luck!

 

[KevinsWither]

Has she mated? 

 

[SpaceWolf]

ehm, from what I've heard, egg bound mantids always die? I don't think she's egg bound tbh..

 

[Connor]

ehm, from what I've heard, egg bound mantids always die? I don't think she's egg bound tbh..

You're probably right. I don't have much experience with females being egg-bound. Could be that she just can't develop and lay eggs... or you got a male(but they usually don't last 8 months so idk)

 

[SpaceWolf]

yeah I don't get that either, most mantids only last a year. Don't you mean 8 weeks instead of months?

 

[GayJerk]

yeah I don't get that either, most mantids only last a year. Don't you mean 8 weeks instead of months?

8 Months, she's over a year old to my knowledge. lately I've been noticing her abdomen is acting like a balloon filled with water. When she's right side up it's touching the floor, and when she's upside down it hangs like its too heavy for her... not sure what I should do. I don't think she'll be laying any eggs 

 

[GayJerk]

also she's really weak I can tell she's suffering... should I euthanize her in the freezer? 

 

[Connor]

If she's acting weak and her abdomen is acting like that then I'd say freezer would be the most humane thing. Crazy she lived so long egg bound

 

[GayJerk]

If she's acting weak and her abdomen is acting like that then I'd say freezer would be the most humane thing. Crazy she lived so long egg bound

thank you for replying, it's hard for me to decide these things, she's always been one of my favorite mantids. her eyes are also foggy at the front, I'm guessing old age has finally gotten to her 

 

[Connor]

Yeah old age is not fun to watch