Guarding her ooth

[Psychobunny]

Here is a pic of my mated chinese guarding her ooth.

She has been guarding it with her life since laid, 3 days ago.

Will not eat, but she was happy to get a drink of water yesterday.

She had previously started what I thought was an ooth on the ceiling, but it just turned

out to be a puddle of foamy discharge and she quickly abandoned it.

Now she knows she has a good fertile ooth.

I did not know that mantids could be so maternal, it's very touching to see her watching over her

babies, I presume, until she dies, or it hatches!!

Getting a good pic through plastic is not good, have to turn the "autofocus" off, but you can still

see her and the ooth okay;

 

[angelofdeathzz]

She should walk away once she realizes it's safe and all hardened up, most mantis guard for a day or three. get ready for 90-150 babies in the near future, Good luck!

 

[gripen]

Great news. It does not look like she is going to starve!

 

[Psychobunny]

She should walk away once she realizes it's safe and all hardened up, most mantis guard for a day or three. get ready for 90-150 babies in the near future, Good luck!

Thanks.

Today is day 4, and still keeping guard!!

I can give her water, but she is not interested in the 2 or 3 cricks that are in there.

I am not removing the mantis, or the ooth. Whatever happens, happens!

If it were the right time of year, I would turn them all loose in the garden.

And I dont feel like refrigerating a chinese ooth, so let it pop!!

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Thanks.

I am not removing the mantis, or the ooth. Whatever happens, happens!

If it were the right time of year, I would turn them all loose in the garden.

And I dont feel like refrigerating a chinese ooth, so let it pop!!

Not eating for abit is very normal, but keep in mind if the ooth hatchs with her in there she will pick off as many as she can for dinner.

 

[Idolofreak]

Not eating for abit is very normal, but keep in mind if the ooth hatchs with her in there she will pick off as many as she can for dinner.

Yup. To her, they'd be just a bunch of tasty bite sized snacks. :chef:

 

[Psychobunny]

Found her dead when I got home from work yesterday, right under her ooth!!

She guarded it to the end

I figured she would die because she had lost the ability to grip things and she could

not use her back legs, just let them hang.

 

[meaganelise9]

Oh no! Do you think it was her time anyway then? I don't know how old she was.

 

[gripen]

she was egg bound. sorry to hear

 

[agent A]

i've seen my tenodera do the same thing in the past

i dont keep them anymore though

sorry about your mantis