Large, hard black/green lump about orifice (Hierodula Membranacea)

buggo · Apr 15, 2024

Last night she was hanging as If defecating.
Today awoke to see she had a large, hard blackish/green lump about her orifice...

This is too large and not the correct colour and consistency to be frass, right?

We tried to soften it to help her pass it with soaking it in water but it is very hard...

Is it coagulated blood?

Along her flank (the stretchy translucent membrane along the side of her abdomen) I can see that it is darker underneath than usual.

Can she recover from this?

Is there anything I can do to help her?

Should she be euthanised?

Edit: it has been ~4.5 months since she reached her final winged moult

Synapze · Apr 15, 2024

It's definitely not frass. I suspect she may have a prolapse. Unfortunately, at her age she'll most likely not survive. I've seen this problem a couple of times in the last 5 years and the outcome is usually death. I don't believe there is anything that can be done to help.

Please wait for some more input from members before you opt for euthanasia. They may have some suggestions. Keep us posted.

buggo · Apr 15, 2024

Synapze said:
It's definitely not frass. I suspect she may have a prolapse. Unfortunately, at her age she'll most likely not survive. I've seen this problem a couple of times in the last 5 years and the outcome is usually death. I don't believe there is anything that can be done to help.

Please wait for some more input from members before you opt for euthanasia. They may have some suggestions. Keep us posted.

Thanks for the response.

An update for you and others:

She is not using her back legs and just hanging her abdomen pointing directly down.

I've taken another photo with flash on to highlight the affliction

Synapze · Apr 15, 2024

Judging by this photo and the fact she's not able to use her hind legs, she's probably going to die and there's nothing you can do to help. So sorry.

hibiscusmile · Apr 15, 2024

I have to agree with him. Is she eating at all?

buggo · Apr 16, 2024

She did not drink water, even when presented close to her head.

Last night she became increasingly lethargic and fell from the top of her enclosure onto the tissue we had placed in her for padding exactly such an outcome.

When I realised she fell I took her out, noticed she was barely responsive, and took her to the freezer ease all our spirits...

Thanks for the responses.

Attached is a photo at a happier time: as often as she was out exploring we would place her in a large aloe as a playground and a better surface from which she could drink water. One time she managed to climb a single segment and eventually weighed it down so that it bent over as pictured. I held the leaf in place while she alighted it, for fear she would be catapulted like something out of a looney tune!