HELP! Sick mantids!

[MantisGirl13]

So I have been waiting for my female subadult B. mendica to molt for a while. She finally molted, but fell halfway through. I carefully picked her up by the feet, in the same position she was hanging in to molt, and I held her like this for an hour or so, but she stopped making progress molting. I rigged her up with some tape and clothespins, and left her for a while. Eventually, she really wasn't doing well, and I realized it was because her old exoskeleton was covering her breathing pores. I was able to successfully remove the molt from her abdomen, and then Let her hang for a while. she was weak this morning, and I realized that she had a pocket of blood in her wing. I removed the exoskeleton from her mouth, and helped her drink a lot of distilled water from a bottlecap. She is doing ok, and I will give her some honey soon. Is there anything else I can do?

Also, yesterday after we got to Maryland where we are camping for the weekend, I left the mantids in the sun for a while while I set up the mantis tent for them. I picked up one of my ghost females, and she was hardly moving. I gave her water, and the drank a lot, and can move her abdomen, head, antennae, and raptor arms, but not her back legs. She is perfectly healthy, except for the fact that she cannot move her four back legs. i have her in a cage where she is hanging onto the netting, with a net of fabric beneath her to catch her if she falls, and to help her get back up. She is eating and drinking, but still can't move. Help? I think it was the heat, but I don't know.

- MantisGirl13

 

[River Dane]

For your B. mendica, it sounds like she’ll be fine. Keep giving her water and honey.

I don’t know what could’ve caused your ghost mantis to lose use of her legs, but my main concern would be eating and molting. If she’s relying on her raptorials for walking, you’re going to have to hand-feed her while she’s on the ground. You could feed her with tongs, and she’s have to be fed this way until she regains use of her legs. 

I would suggest keeping her in a cooler (not cold) room for a while, and see if that helps at all.

My other concern is if she can molt. Is she a nymph?

 

[MantisGirl13]

She is subadult. I will do as you said, and keep her cooler, and hand feed. That should be pretty easy. She was one of the last to molt to subadult, so when the others start molting, I will position her legs for her. Thanks for your help!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

I think you did all you could for the female subadult B. mendica to help with her molt. Hope she will be alright soon.

Poor ghost mantis, I hope she gets control over her legs again. All you can do is what Dan said. I hope she keeps eating.

 

[MantisGirl13]

They are both doing pretty well, though the B.mendica is still not doing great. They both had some honey, and the female ghost is moving around her cage with her raptor arms just fine. One of my two little Brunner's died last night.  She was only L2! Thanks for your help!

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Sad to hear your lost your L2. I hope the other 2 will get better soon.

 

[River Dane]

Sorry for your loss @MantisGirl13.

I also lost my Spiny Flower mantis this morning. It’s hard to tell what went wrong when they’re still so small. Hope your other two do alright, good luck with them!

 

[Mantis Lady]

I lost little Hunter.... it sucks?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Poor little Hunter! I am so sorry, for your losses, River Dane and Little Mantis! I woke up this morning to find the abdomen of my pre-sub ghost mantis sticking out of my subadult's mouth.  My mantids are a mess! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

A ww, that is terrible to see te when just out of bed I thought ghosts mantids could be in the same place sorry for your loss too.

 

[River Dane]

Yes, that is a terrible to thing straight out of bed, I’m so sorry. Hopefully the pendulum starts swinging the other way, soon!

 

[Mantis Lady]

No more mantis deads i hope...

 

[MantisGirl13]

Nope! All are doing quite well. Thanks! The ghost female that had lost control of her back legs can move her middle set of legs a bit now.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

Nope! All are doing quite well. Thanks! The ghost female that had lost control of her back legs can move her middle set of legs a bit now.

- MantisGirl13

Oh, that is good, maybe she get control back over all her legs.

 

[MantisGirl13]

I hope so! Now I am sick! (cough, cough)?

 

[Mantis Lady]

Get well soon. You have your mantids to keep you company.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Thx. I am so tired! My mantids are all doing very well and are keeping me reasonably distracted and cheerful. I caught three green bottle flies and a house fly on the windows of my house today! 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Lady]

I think you have a few hungry mantids who like to help you to get rid of the flies I  haven't seen flies in my living room yet and gladly NO mosquitos.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Yes. My ghosts were very happy and fat yesterday! We don't get many mosquitos in our house, but we get them in our camper when we go camping all summer!

- MantisGirl13