Feeding baby mantids that emerged deformed or missing legs

[Bugmankeith]

A few emerged from egg case deformed from getting stuck in shed, but can eat. I know if they can grow enough to molt their bodies will repair and they can be set free.

I know healthy babies eat fruit flies, but unless I feed them dead ones they can't catch prey. There is also can O crickets squished guts are easy to eat. What about beef or chicken baby food, easy to eat and full of protein. Adults can eat small animals.

I have cat food I can mash into a paste, but the fact it had grains and vegetables mixed in means they can't eat that right?

 

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I have used Werva canned cat food. The shredded chicken without anything else added, except vitamins. It is supposedly human grade and isotonic to cats. -Meaning that there is no added salt or anything osmotically dangerous, I guess. I have mushed that and had success. I also had success with honey with pollen in it, until recently. I'm afraid that maybe the honey had the botulism toxin in it. If they are eating fruit flies and crickets, I'm sure that it is healthier. I feel for you. It is so hard nursing babies back to health. I hope you succeed!!!!

Yeah, if there is added grains and veggies, there is probably other real bad things added in the cat food too.

 

[Aryia]

The easiest (but probably grossest) thing I find while forcefeeding is to take a mealworm, chop its head off and feed the guts. If the mantis is small you have to hold the mealworm while he/she is eating though, which kind of sucks. Banana/honey also seem to work well though I've always added some form of protein to the diet while handfeeding.

Honestly if you can get them to take a hydei it might be best, since you won't have to hold it for the entire duration they are eating.

I sometimes slack off and dip their heads into the food and leave them like that. They usually either eat or jerk their head out of the food if they don't want anymore. In my experience it's usually best to euthanize ones that have less than 2 working feet and those with a bent thorax or mismolted head/mouth parts. Most of the mismolts that have bad raptorials also have mismolted head/mouth parts since that part of the skin is really close to each other during the molt.

 

[Bugmankeith]

All of them can walk and eat but eating they can't catch prey so I hand feed and so far they are getting plump. Squished can o crickets and aphids are their favorite foods right now.

There is always a chance they could shed and fix the body so I'm giving them a chance.

 

[Retpallylol]

Any update on how they are doing? Did the molt fix the deformations?