Loss of apetite in female after mating. ???

[flycaster1]

We have a female which has been in captivity since birth.

She has always had a very good apetite.

Recently ( 12 days ago ) she was mated with a male we scooped up outdoors and went through the whole process with him for over 4 hours

Since they or shortly after her appetite has diminished to almost nothing.

We continue to mist her a couple times a day for moisture but she just doesn't eat.

Is this normal?

We are fearful she won't make it long enough to produce her egg packages.

Please reply.

Thanks,

Glen

 

[lancaster1313]

Females usually stop eating shortly before laying oothecae. If she seems healthy other than the loss of appetite she may just be ready to lay.

How long has she fasted for?

 

[flycaster1]

Females usually stop eating shortly before laying oothecae. If she seems healthy other than the loss of appetite she may just be ready to lay.

How long has she fasted for?

About 10 days or almost immediately after mating.

Will they develop appetite again after laying?

 

[PhilinYuma]

This is rather a long time for post coital anorexia. Could she be pining for her ertwhile lover? Perhaps a repeat performance followed by a Sobranie and a preprandial cocktail -- a stinger might be appropriate if she likes peppermint -- might do the trick.

 

[lancaster1313]

It is a long time for a female to go without food.

Can you be sure she is not eating?

Do you feed one prey item at a time and watch her eat or not eat? Have you tried to hand feed her?

If you are sure she has had nothing to eat maybe only time will tell what happens.

Just keep trying to feed her daily, and make sure she has humidity and chances to drink with the mistings.

 

[PhilinYuma]

While my post made my dog Tucker laugh more (can you say sycophant?), Likebugs' was definitely more helpful, so on a more serious nope I would suggest the possibility that yr female was injured during mating, since she has not eaten since then. You may wish to do a close examinarion of the invalid, though the damage may be internal. I mention this, not because you can do anyrhing about it, but because you need to know that many of these sad mysteries are beyond our control or our ability to explain them.

As standard practice, it is not a bad idea to decapitate a cricket or roach, make sure that the juices from the body touch her mandibles and then move the prey, mounted on a pin or forceps, in a pathetic attempt to convince the mantis that the prey is still alive. At least this will tell you fpretty much for sure whether she is eating or not.

 

[ismart]

Flycaster1, whats the verdict?

 

[flycaster1]

Flycaster1, whats the verdict?

She has been acting like she is weakened and dis-oriented.

She isn't sure footed and almost falls.

She is in my opinion in her final days.

 

[ismart]

That stinks! Sorry!

 

[flycaster1]

She has been euthanized after fearing she was suffering.

There is good news however.....

We have spotted one of our Spring release batch forming her egg sack a few days ago and after a minute of looking for her we brought her in to fatten up for maybe one more delivery.

She is a healthy green Chinese girl with a voracious appetite for many medium / large Crickets per day.

After three or four days of captivity they seem to calm down where they can be allowed to venture out of their habitat for a while each day inside the house.The male who is responsible for the two fertile females actually would sit on the end of the couch opposite me for many hours each night and entertained himself with my TV shows. He seemed to be captivated with it and would occasionally look over at me and then back to the tube for long periods of time.

Amazing !