Female Mantis is afraid of something?

[Mantis Lady]

where should I start.

It is a bit vague. somehow my Sphodromantis gastrica female (Flash) has hurt herself at her middle leg at the knee. I had put her in the exo terra for her molt. But she is panicking in there. When I took her out she was running if she is affraid of something. But sitting in my hand calms her down a bit gladly. I feel she has less good grip on stuff (her "feet" are normal) She fell a few times. She was used to her cup. There she had no problems.

I moved her to another home, a bit smaller. Maybe that calms her down. I hate to see her like this and she still needs to molt... Where is she afraid from in there? I am not sure what is going on.

Maybe some of you have ideas?

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Sometimes changing to a different enclosure can stress them out a bit. She is used to feeling safe in a smaller container or when you handle her. The bigger unfamiliar enclosure may have just overwhelmed her. She is also not used to glass walls and that may be another thing freaking her out, they show reflections easier, perhaps she saw a moving reflection of herself and got scared. You can reduce the reflections by keeping lights away from shining on the walls and blocking off all but the front side with a blanket, cardboard, or posterboard.

 

[Mantis Lady]

I think it is something worse. She was sitting normally in her new home this afternon and then she just fell  and in panic: I took her out and I am holding her to calm her down. I Her  wounded leg in strange position, her "foot" I mean. butshe is moving like crazy.

I am afraid she is is dying, she cant grab anything....

I added a vid then you can see how she is behaving...poor flash I have her since she was L2.

 

[Synapze]

Have you tried putting her in a quiet, dimly lit room, and leaving her alone for awhile? There's nothing to lose since there's not much you can do for her while she's so agitated.

 

[River Dane]

Odd behavior. It’s interesting that you can see how heavily she’s breathing towards the end. Also, What is that black stuff on her leg?

Also, you mentioned that she just fell in her habitat. Are her spasms sort of spontaneous?

As for fixing her, for now I think it’s best to leave her alone. Maybe try giving her honey and water and letting her relax in her new habitat. I’ve found my Mantids to get very agitated when moved into a new habitat, and it seems to work when I just leave them in there undisturbed for a day or so. Don’t take her out or go to close to her enclosure until she’s settled. 

If she hasn’t calmed down by tomorrow, it could be something else, though. Keep us updated!

 

[Mantis Lady]

  Thanks for your replies: @River Dane @Predatorhousepet@Synapze

The bigger unfamiliar enclosure may have just overwhelmed her

I really hope it is just that

. Maybe try giving her honey and water and letting her relax in her new habitat.

Have you tried putting her in a quiet, dimly lit room, and leaving her alone for awhile?

This is what I did: I gave her indeed some honey/water for some energy.. She drank a litte bit and I moved her to her plastic box and put a cloth over it. No distraction. Don't hear any movements at the moment. I really hope it calms her down. It is sad to see her like this and I never seen it before.

Odd behavior. It’s interesting that you can see how heavily she’s breathing towards the end. Also, What is that black stuff on her leg?

That is why I made this vid to let you see what is happening to the poor thing. A vid tells more then I can tell in words. About the black stuff on her leg:  I think she wounded her leg somehow, (maybe with falling down) didn't see it happening. She have that since yesterday. I think it is a crust or something.

I really hope she will make it and grow up to adult an her leg heals with molt.  I really hope she doesn't die.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

4 hours ago, Little Mantis said:

I think it is something worse. She was sitting normally in her new home this afternon and then she just fell  and in panic: I took her out and I am holding her to calm her down. I Her  wounded leg in strange position, her "foot" I mean. butshe is moving like crazy.

I am afraid she is is dying, she cant grab anything....

I added a vid then you can see how she is behaving...poor flash I have her since she was L2.

She is definitely agitated and extremely stressed out in the video. The injury probably isn't helping either. I agree, put her in a quiet dimly lit place and leave her undisturbed for a day to give her a chance to calm down. Since you've already given her honey water there isn't much else you can do directly. However, you might also want to give her something that's easier to grip onto than the plastic flower since she seemed to be mostly relying on her raptorials to climb it and can't seem to grab it with her feet. Maybe a wide branch or something else with a lot of rough surface area like a piece of bark? But don't disturb her to change it out, just wait till tomorrow after she's had a chance to settle down.

 

[Mantis Lady]

There are some stuff Flash can climb on. For now she is sitting on the ground, last time I saw her. I hope she gets control over her legs again. The injured leg was looking strange, when I put her in her home. I don't know she will be able to use that one but that will I see tomorrow. I leave her be for now.

I hope she has tomorrow enough engergy to climb again and not falling off like she did a couple of hours ago.

 

[Predatorhousepet]

Hopefully it's not something serious and just extreme agitation from moving to a new environment. Hoping she will feel better tomorrow.

 

[Mantis Lady]

She was laying on her back, I couln't let her be that way there for the night. I made a stick that she can hold onto. I hope she can grab it with her raptorials..

Hopefully it's not something serious and just extreme agitation from moving to a new environment. Hoping she will feel better tomorrow.

I really hope so. She is in really bad shape

 

[Predatorhousepet]

She was on her back? Sounds like she might have fallen and didn't have the energy to flip over. That is a really bad sign but still hoping she can turn things around and get better.

Is there anything else you did differently in the last couple days besides the new enclosure? Anything in the enclosure that she could have hurt herself on or is potentially toxic like live plants?

Is there any possible way she could have been exposed to insecticide, repellant or some other chemical? Do you wash your hands before handling your mantises? Hands can have all sorts of potentially harmful things on them such as bacteria, chemical residue from touching pesticides or cleaners like bleach or detergent. One example, boric acid is extremely harmful to insects and is often used to kill roaches in kitchens. Boric acid can be found in many household items such as laundry detergent & stain removers (Borax), Silly Putty or other kid's slime, contact lens solution, and plant fertilizer among other things. Hands should be washed regularly anyway as they collect bacteria easily.

Or maybe her leg injury is a lot more serious than it looks. Sometimes even a small injury can eventually be fatal to a mantis due to dehydration, shock or infection. Maybe try offering some plain water just in case she is dehydrated? If you do try not to disturb her too much in the process. 

 

[Mantis Lady]

She was on her back? Sounds like she might have fallen and didn't have the energy to flip over.

I found her this morning on  her back again. Not able to grab anything with backlegs and raptorials. She  still moves her limbs but it is all cramped.

Is there any possible way she could have been exposed to insecticide, repellant or some other chemical?

I don't think so she got chemicals inside her. When I clean stuff i wash my hands afterwards to not have strange stuff on my hand.

Or maybe her leg injury is a lot more serious than it looks. Sometimes even a small injury can eventually be fatal to a mantis due to dehydration, shock or infection.

I am thinking about the leg injury. I think it causing an infection. I told that to my hubby last night if it is more than rehouse fear. (I am still wondering how she got that injury) Could it be the heat in combination with the injury? It is 29C in my living room. We are having a heat wave and the tempertures are like crazy: 32C outside.

I gave just her honey/water to drink again and put her back. I am feeling sad about this

 

[john57]

One idea I have but not a expert. Could she had been bitten? That is a very hardy mantis and I have the same mantis. She does have a infection or toxin, no question in my mind.  She is in a lot of pain at the same time trying to get ready for the next molt may not end well. I had a red armed mantis which did display many of the signs yours did but was due to a bad cricket she ate. I put her in a bigger terrarium in order to have more room for her final molt and she did not like to be moved at all.

 

[Mantis Lady]

It is really bad with Flash... she doesn't move at all, only her mandibles....I feel so helpless...

Could she had been bitten?

I don't know. What could have bit her?

 

[Predatorhousepet]

I'm so sorry she has taken a turn for the worse. Her leg injury is probably the cause of this, even very small injuries can be fatal to a mantis. A break in their exoskeleton can let in bacteria or cause dehydration.

You tried your best to help her but sometimes things are beyond your control and there isn't anything you can do to fix the problem. At this point you may want to consider euthanizing her as she is unlikely to recover. I'm really sorry, I know how much it sucks to lose a nymph and how helpless you feel that you can't do much to help them.

 

[Mantis Lady]

Her leg injury is probably the cause of this, even very small injuries can be fatal to a mantis. A break in their exoskeleton can let in bacteria or cause dehydration.

I am thinking this too. I even told my hubby yesterday that I was thinking that it could be an infection, because i saw no improvement sadly enough. I would have seen her molt and mate with Diego.. but nope..

At this point you may want to consider euthanizing her as she is unlikely to recover.

I did...  I even smelled her. She smelled bad. Then I knew I had to let her go. It was hard to do. But her suffering needed to end. I put her in the freezer...??

 

[MantisGirl13]

I am so sorry for your loss.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Synapze]

Sorry you lost her. You did everything you could have. ?

 

[Mantis Lady]

I will miss Flash. I burried her in my garden. Like I always do with the pets I had. She has no more pain.....