Is she gonna molt ?

[Coyote]

I proposed some honey yesterday and she didnt ate it. She ate it the first time i gave it to her. Since one or two day she is really inactive at the bottom of the cage. Is she gonna molt ? I don't know when was the last molt, but on friday it will be 2 weeks since i got her.

I'm really scared that she fail the molt. Saw a lot of people having troubles with that.

 

[Sarah K]

It is definitely possible she is going to molt. When they are at the lower instars, they usually molt about every two weeks. Try not to worry about a failed molt! As long as the enclosure has some kind of mesh material on the top from which the mantis can hang upside down and molt, as well as an empty space directly below which is at least 2 times the size of the mantis, and you mist the enclosure once or twice a day, you are doing everything in your power to prevent it.

 

[Coyote]

It is definitely possible she is going to molt. When they are at the lower instars, they usually molt about every two weeks. Try not to worry about a failed molt! As long as the enclosure has some kind of mesh material on the top from which the mantis can hang upside down and molt, as well as an empty space directly below which is at least 2 times the size of the mantis, and you mist the enclosure once or twice a day, you are doing everything in your power to prevent it.

I do fill all the requirements. The top of the exoterra is some mesh and she goes up there a lot. But im scared that she dont find it and start molting on a plant... if she molts, should we mist her while she is molting or just let her alone ?

 

[Sarah K]

Only mist her while she is molting if she starts to have trouble with her molt. If she decides to do it on a plant, you can't really do anything but hope for the best.

 

[mantisman 230]

Do not spray a mantis while it is molting. You run a risk of knocking it off its perch, or having it get stuck.

 

[MantisRCool]

This kind of mantis is usually pretty smart in finding a good molting place  I never had s mismolt with them. 

 

[LazarusMantid]

Just make sure it's nice and quiet and there's not too much light. Rowena stopped her molt when because I had her in the living room. She didn't really wanna eat and was pretty inactive. So I put her in my bedroom and left her alone for about 4 days, continued to try to feed her and spray her but left her alone and didn't play with her. She molted 4 days ago and now is eating like a champ. She ate 4 mealworms yesterday and still wanted more lol. Little fatty. Just try to keep it quiet and dark around her and she will probably molt.

 

[Coyote]

thanks for all the advice.

her skin seems lighter but still no molt according to my gf who was watching her. is it possible that she molted during the night and ate the molt ?

Or is she still waiting to molt ? i will try to feed her tomorrow and see if she wants to eat.

she is a bit more active now, moving around her cage.

 

[LazarusMantid]

No they do not eat their molts. You would see it in the cage either fallen to the bottom or hanging from the top. You also would notice your mantis is bigger or a slightly different color possibly. Like I said just keep trying to feed her every day and if she is lethargic give her some honey but no more than once every 3-4 days. Other than that just leave her alone and try not to do too much activity near the cage and keep it quiet for her. 

 

[Coyote]

the cage is on my desktop and im a lot on my computer right next to it, could it be scaring her ? tried to feed her honey this morning but no reactions.

I fed her last time on monday, im starting to worry a lot... going to buy some grasshopers and try to feed her when i come home

 

[Coyote]

still not wanting to eat the grasshopers... been almost a week since she ate and still no molt...

 

[MantisRCool]

Try to put her somewhere secluded so she is not afraid to molt. Although my lineolas are molting like crazy day or night... But when I had just two they always did it at night undisturbed

 

[Coyote]

Try to put her somewhere secluded so she is not afraid to molt. Although my lineolas are molting like crazy day or night... But when I had just two they always did it at night undisturbed

still no molt tonight and she was not disturbed from 22h to 8h (now). I will try to move the tank but as i live in a small place there is not many places where she wont be disturbed....

 

[Coyote]

tried to feed her yesterday and she ate a whole grasshoper

a bigger one than usual. I'm a bit worried because i have her for 3 weeks and still no molt...

 

[LazarusMantid]

If she is eating again, that's a good sign. As long as she's eating and you're spraying her cage and making it nice and moist every 2-4 days I wouldn't worry. It's okay if they don't molt. The problem with them holding back their molt is that they don't want to eat. And if they hold back their molt long enough without eating they will starve or not have enough strength when they do molt. But if she is eating then she'll be fine if she still decides to molt. Also make sure you give her some water droplets to drink if she's dipping her head down in search of water. If you keep feeding her and make sure she isn't getting too skinny, she'll do the rest on her own.

 

[MantisRCool]

Maybe she was just not hungry  great she ate... She will molt when the time comes

 

[Coyote]

dayum ###### just turned my head at her 15 minutes ago and she is molting, already got the 6 legs out. what an amazing creature, she almost became twice her old size.

still not out of the mold, she is hanging by the abdomen, it's crazy, how are they doing that ? anyone have some scientific explanation of the molting process ?

im so amazed by those creatures, its 3:40 in the morning here and im not gonna sleep until she finish it

 

[LazarusMantid]

I'm so happy she molted!!

 

[MantisRCool]

Glad she finally did it! Congrats! It is anazing to watch them molt isn't it  hope u catch her when she is growing wings  now let her rest for 2 days.