HELP! Heat Stroke!

[MandellaMandy123]

Hi everyone,

I have read all the warnings in the past about putting mantids out in their containers in the sun, but mine were in mesh containers, so I thought it would be okay, especially since I caught all of them in my yard, so they're used to high temps (it's about 110 degrees F right now). I put out five mantids and within ten minutes, two appeared to be dead. Realizing what happened, I brought them in and began to mist them repeatedly Seamus, my male S. Limbata nymph, is still alive and can wiggle his arms, but I think Aoife is dead. What can I do to help Seamus, other than what I'm doing already? He's lying on his back, sprinkled in water, in a 77 degree room with the ceiling fan on.

~Wolfie

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Update: He's doing a lot better now. He has perked up and is now right side up and is actually standing. He seems totally back to normal, although I haven't seen him use his raptorials yet, but he is looking around. My Fiona, who is totally normal, isn't using her raptorials either. But poor Aoife is dead. It just amazes me how quickly she could die. One minute she was okay and the next minute she was dead. I can never forgive myself... :hang: :angry:

 

[stacy]

Sorry about the loss, but im glad the others are seeming ok atm. keep us posted on use of raptors plz

 

[Ntsees]

I've had my share a few days ago too because I keep my mantids outside. Usually the heat isn't as high but in the afternoon when the sunlight casted over the mantid containers, my mantids became stressed from the heat and sunlight. Good thing I noticed on time. I almost lost one of my mantids but thankfully it made it. Although it's recovered, the heat did do it damage because it's not as active as it once was but it can still catch food and walk around.

 

[Rick]

I would refrain from getting them wet. You're probably thinking the water will evaporate off of their bodies and cool them like our sweat does on us. However on an insect that does not produce its own heat, the water will not evaporate quickly enough to cool. Or at least that is my thinking here.

 

[sueb4653]

Glad you got to the others in time sorry about the one that died

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I also wouldn't directly mist an injured mantis but I would offer some water to the mandibles to see if they want a drink.

I'm sorry you lost one. My rule of thumb with letting critters out to enjoy the sun is they should always have access to easy to get to shade. With letting indoor mantises bask you also have to account for the fact that even though they might have been originally acclimated to the outside heat, going from inside airconditioned to suddenly outside in the sun can be a very abrupt change that doesn't leave them with a lot of time to respond.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

I see... I won't mist anymore, and I won't let them out in the sun anymore. Don't they need sunlight though? We do...

Seamus is doing fine but his front arms are still stiff...

 

[Krissim Klaw]

They do need light so they can have a day and night cycle but they don't need to bask in direct sunlight for extra vitamins light like say a lizard does. I do think in the right climate they can enjoy the warmth and feel of the great outdoors but I would avoid extreme temps and either keep them in a nicely shadded area or make sure they have access to easy shade so they can avoid the heat if it becomes too much. I also used to like to stick mine out around dawn and then bring them in around dusk so the temp change was less extreme. Since I lost my screened porch in the last hurricane, mine have had to make do with some window time while in their net cages. I don't trust all the critters we have roaming to leave them alone if I were to stick their mesh cages outside these days. =(

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Hurricane? Yikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So they don't need sunlight, they just need light. Mine can get that in the house. I'll still bring them outside with me while I'm doing yardwork, but I'll let them out of their containers on a plant so they have access to shade. Thanks for letting me know. Seamus has one raptor slightly open. I hope he recovers fully. I hate hand feeding, but I guess I will if I have to.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Seamus still hasn't open either raptor and seems unable. It seems like when there's any damage to a mantid's nervous system, opening of the raptors is the first ability they lose. Hopefully he'll correct it next molt, but that's doubtful...

 

[MandellaMandy123]

I just discovered that Aoife (pronounced EE-fa, it's an Irish name) is actually still alive. Her antenna was still moving. She must have suffered extensive neurological damage, because she was laying like a dead mantis, only her antenna was moving and her eyes weren't black. So I put her in the freezer. Poor Aoife, she was so sweet....

On a cheerier note, Seamus seems to have recovered the movement of one raptor. Hopefully he'll recover.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Good news - Seamus have recovered full movement of both raptors and can catch prey again! Hooray!

 

[Meadow98684]

Thing is, if you waited a little longer, you might not of had to put that one in the freezer. A few months ago one of mine was left in the sun for like 15 minutes. I brought him quickly in, and put him on my hand and sprayed him to cool him down. He couldn't move and was on his back. I had to work so i put him in his cage and hoped for the best, thinking he was a gonner though. A few hours later, he was recovered!

Yours sounds like it was worse off though so the freezer was prolly the right move.

 

[fleurdejoo]

Yay Seamus!!

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Meadow: It had been like five days and she was still paralyzed. I tried to hand feed her but she was unable to eat. I wish I could have saved her, but I don't think it was possible. She would have starved...

Fleurdejoo: I'm very happy for Seamus. He's ready to molt tonight.

 

[Extrememantid]

Put them beside an air conditioner to cool them down, try to get them as cool as possible with out freezing them, that's what I did

 

[lancaster1313]

Put them beside an air conditioner to cool them down, try to get them as cool as possible with out freezing them, that's what I did

I wouldn't try to change the temperature that fast. Many times, a creature will be shocked and die from sudden temperature changes.

I once took some S. carolina nymphs out of my air conditioned home for release. It was hot out and they started dying before I walked 20 feet from my door!

I felt horrible for being so ignorant, and will never make such a mistake again.

Like K. Klaw mentioned, dawn and dusk are better times for putting out creatures.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

All, right, I'll know from now on not to let them out in the heat! I can't believe your carolinas started dying that quickly? How old were they? Yeah, I would never put them next to an air conditioner and cool them down quickly - I know that quick temperature changes can be deadly. Thanks for the suggestion though, Extrememantid. My suggestion next time your mantids get heat stroke is that you bring them inside and offer them water.