Ill?

[sean]

Ok heres the problem. My female s. lineola has gone quite pale... (not white or straw... kinda washed in colour)... and she used to be dark green. she isnt coming up to shedding coz i fed her yesterday. this raises another problem. She usually is my most vigourous eater but she went after it quite lamely and eventually caught it. now it looks like the meal is sitting in her prothorax. shes also just sitting on the floor of the tank. She hasnt thrown up. i was thinking she might be a bit cold... coz its gotton quite cool around here recently. This might explain her lathargic behaviour??? Any ideas?

 

[Rick]

Warm things up and see what happens. It's normal to see food in the thorax or even moving up and down.

 

[sean]

Yeah i will do... but the food is still in the thorax a day later. is that normal??

 

[Rick]

Yeah I see the food thing all the time.

 

[sean]

ok thats a relief... thought it was getting the sickness thing ive read so much about. i'll warm things up and see what happens. thanks for the quick replies.

 

[Ian]

That's really quite strange. I have never heard of a mantis changing colour, unless it was between skin sheds. Has temperature been the only variation? You haven't change the diet, enclosure postition, etc?

 

[sean]

yeah it changed colour over a couple of days... diet hasnt changed, enclosure position hasnt changed. My other two are treated the same way and they are fine. shes the only female. its wierd coz the temp hasnt even changed drastically. she seems to have a bit more colour today but is still sitting on the floor.