Hi everyone!
over the weekend we found an injured praying mantis, it's a Chinese I think. I didn't know anything about them before this. My husband was prunting flowers outside and she was in one of the bushes, he didn't see her. She snapped at him, and possibly hurt her front leg in the process, unless it was before that. She has a broken front leg, the bottom half eventually fell off. She has one always black eye, and a broken wing. We took her inside and started caring for her. We got her an aquarium and I've been feeding her and giving her water. She seemed to be doing well but then I noticed her abdomen swelling. I have been waiting for her to lay eggs for 4 days now. Lots of movement in her abdomen but no eggs. I've given her branches and flowers in her aquarium. Yesterday I even picked milkweed with pods and gave her that. Nothing yet. She is drinking but has not eaten in almost 2 days now I think. I know she will not live long but I wish she would lay her eggs first. Is she too warm in the house possibly? I feel helpless. Maybe I should just put her outside but I don't think she can move around well or anything on her own at this point. She's not moving much at all really.
any help you can give me is much appreciated. We plan to put the eggs outside on whatever she does lay them on (if she does) to hatch in the spring/summer.
I should mention I am totally in awe and love and my daughters are too! Amazing creatures. She loves to hang out on my shoulder.
over the weekend we found an injured praying mantis, it's a Chinese I think. I didn't know anything about them before this. My husband was prunting flowers outside and she was in one of the bushes, he didn't see her. She snapped at him, and possibly hurt her front leg in the process, unless it was before that. She has a broken front leg, the bottom half eventually fell off. She has one always black eye, and a broken wing. We took her inside and started caring for her. We got her an aquarium and I've been feeding her and giving her water. She seemed to be doing well but then I noticed her abdomen swelling. I have been waiting for her to lay eggs for 4 days now. Lots of movement in her abdomen but no eggs. I've given her branches and flowers in her aquarium. Yesterday I even picked milkweed with pods and gave her that. Nothing yet. She is drinking but has not eaten in almost 2 days now I think. I know she will not live long but I wish she would lay her eggs first. Is she too warm in the house possibly? I feel helpless. Maybe I should just put her outside but I don't think she can move around well or anything on her own at this point. She's not moving much at all really.
any help you can give me is much appreciated. We plan to put the eggs outside on whatever she does lay them on (if she does) to hatch in the spring/summer.
I should mention I am totally in awe and love and my daughters are too! Amazing creatures. She loves to hang out on my shoulder.
there os a point where mantises get full and stop eating for a little bit. She most likely will lay her ootheca soon given the right enclosure. It sounds like a suitible enclosure right now, but add some sticks for her to hang from and such. Also make sure she is given water (either from a pipette, or spraying her enclosure and she'll drinkfrom the droplets...)
