HELP THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH HER MOUTH!

[xxdreamchas3r913]

One of my older females stopped eating a few days ago. I noticed that her lower jaws looked screwed up. Since then, she would catch things and seem to eat for a few seconds, then she'll drop her food. She's been like that for the past 3 days. I'm getting worried! Help Please! i'll put up pictures soon.

 

[LauraMG]

Has she gone after prey that may have injured her?

 

[PhilinYuma]

Nothing you can do about it, unfortunately. Sounds as though her time has come.

 

[xxdreamchas3r913]

perhaps a bee? Do bees bite? She's never had problems with them before, but thats the last thing she ate before she started dropping things. =((

 

[xxdreamchas3r913]

She's not that old tho. Not old enough to die anyway she hasnt even had her first ooth yet...

 

[hibiscusmile]

Yes bees and wasps bite, thats why I smash the mouth of them before feeding to mantis, one got ahold of my orchids head once and it was just awful, she was flinging her arms all over her head trying to remove it, I fianlly grabed it with the forceps and it still would not let go, I pulled so hard, its head left its body and I still had to fight to get its head off of her. awful, awful

 

[xxdreamchas3r913]

Oh God. I've never had issues with bees until now. That sounds terrible. I'll stick to crickets in that case. Is there anything I can do for my mantis now tho?

 

[PhilinYuma]

Wasps have much more powerful jaws than bees because they prey on other insects. I don't see a bee doing it, but I guess that it's possible to get run over by a tricycle if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

[mantisboy]

Wasps have much more powerful jaws than bees because they prey on other insects. I don't see a bee doing it, but I guess that it's possible to get run over by a tricycle if you're in the wrong place at the wrong time.

That sucks Johnny. That's an interesting analogy Phil

After watching the force of the Hopper hind legs, I crack'em at the joint before feeding my mantids. If you watch them, when grabbed they flip that back leg over and use it against the mantid's head. This way they don't spend all day ricocheting around the housing and can't scratch the mantid's eyes.

Johnny I have an older male that I am nursing until my last newly molted female is mature enough to mate (hopefully a week). He can't make his own kills now, so I take hopper and pull the abdomen off and hold it to his mouth, at which point he grabs it, then feeds. I've also been taking a toothpick scraping a tiny dab of honey on it, place a drop of water on the honey and feed that to him too....kinda weird yet kinda fun...I have to hold the toothpick.

Best of luck, sorry to hear about your girl.

 

[xxdreamchas3r913]

GOOD NEWS GUYS SHE'S EATING A CRICKET! =D Thanks for all your input guys. I think I'll just stick to crickets now.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Wow, we made a miracle :lol:

 

[xxdreamchas3r913]

My female died yesterday. She was really weak hanging from the top of the cage so I put her down on the ground in case she fell. She just stayed there and never got up. =(