Just curious: Mantids hanging

[Melophile]

I have two mantids that like to hang on the lid of their enclosure with one of their legs not clinging to the surface of what they're hanging on. Sometimes they use the leg, sometimes they don't. It's not a permanent defect or anything.

Did they both have a mismolt or is this common mantis behavior?

 

[MantidBro]

I have two mantids that like to hang on the lid of their enclosure with one of their legs not clinging to the surface of what they're hanging on. Sometimes they use the leg, sometimes they don't. It's not a permanent defect or anything.

Did they both have a mismolt or is this common mantis behavior?

Mine sometimes do that too. Most of mine are fine when they do that, it doesn't mean anything, I think they just couldn't get a good grip with that particular leg so it fell and they didn't care to put it back up. Or maybe there's a hair on the foot, or a piece of dust.

But sometimes they do it due to an injury to the foot or leg. But if it is an injury, the foot will blacken and harden and fall off, so you'll know for sure.

A lot of my mantids have done it though and it turned out not to be due to an injury.

 

[minomantis]

What kind of mantis do you have?

Personally, I've only seen this behavior when the foot is injured. I know for Chinese mantises, they will "clean" the foot constantly and won't really use it.

If that is the case, if it's not a bad injury, during the next molt, it will be fine! No worries! Good luck!