loostotes
New member
I found a baby mantid and it has malted for the third time two nights ago. I never knew to keep them in a cage with a screen lid and he hangs out on some plants on my widow and the last two times he malted he came out fine, hanging from one of the plants. Two nights ago I knew he was getting ready for another malt since he didn't eat for three or four days. He was hanging from a branch , a bunch of twigs in a vase, and the next day I found him - he had fallen from the branch and was in the bottom of the vase. I took him out - he had half his body out, but his one wing is extremly disformed and he also is bent in half !! He only moves if I touch him, but is eating and drinking. I have tried desperately to get him into a position to straighten him out by hanging him on a plant branch from under his front legs. It sort of straightens him out, but as soon as I take him off the branch, he bends in half, head towards his body. He ate hamburger three times today and a little water. Any suggestions ? My husband wants to make=shift a "splint" on his back with a tiny piece of wood, but I said no. I thought maybe "Jose" would straighten on his own but this is the second day he has been in this position. Every now and then he moves his wings around, which are very deformed, especially one. The black "netting" underneath is showing. He jolts his head around when he sees something, and wiggles quite a bit when touched. I understand he may pass on but we are trying to keep him a little longer. Has anyone encountered anything like this before? I think because he fell into a narrow vase during malting, it prevented him from straightening out. Thanks for any info.
