made it through the deaded black vomit...

[sally]

My orchid Alice started the dark vomiting yesterday. I just kept her misted and warm and offered water every 2 hours all last night. I left her free range on a fake plant for air circulation. Tonight she ate bbflys and ( knock on wood ) looks back to normal. All the other mantids are ok. All I can figure is I bought a plant from the supermarket and put it in her enclosure 2 days ago and even though I rinsed the leaves, maybe it had something on it. Needless to say you never know if there are hidden dangers in nonorganic greenery. Maybe tonight I will get some sleep

 

[twolfe]

That's good news! Hope she has fully recovered.

 

[Digger]

So many of us know how scary that is. Happy she's recovered. :flowers:

 

[Birdman]

What type of plant was it, perhaps it's a toxic species? Did you feed any crickets that may have ingested some of the plant and then your mantis ate the cricket resulting in secondary poisoning. Just a thought....

 

[Sticky]

Organic does not mean poison free.

 

[sally]

What type of plant was it, perhaps it's a toxic species? Did you feed any crickets that may have ingested some of the plant and then your mantis ate the cricket resulting in secondary poisoning. Just a thought....

. It was in the phylodendron family . I don't feed crickets to Alice, some of the other mantids I do give crickets. So far so good... Nobody else got sick and Alice is doing fine still. No more real plants though for me just in case. I thought she might prefer laying her ooth on a real plant but I guess I won't try that again.

 

[sally]

Organic does not mean poison free.

That is true.... I am not going to do that again. I would love to use real plants , maybe if I was very selective and grew them from seed, but then there is always the soil issue. Research here I come

 

[lancaster1313]

I was told by an experienced breeder that they will vomit if they overeat. Is it possible that she was overfed?

I was thinking about using some of the babies from my spider plant that I have had for years, but I will probably end up killing them if I bring them in. Fake plants don't die, so that is what I use. lol

 

[sally]

I was told by an experienced breeder that they will vomit if they overeat. Is it possible that she was overfed?

I was thinking about using some of the babies from my spider plant that I have had for years, but I will probably end up killing them if I bring them in. Fake plants don't die, so that is what I use. lol

Yes. She is a binge eater. I have to limit her flys to 10. A day. She is a beautiful little piggy.

 

[TheOtherSpecies]

It's nice to know she made it through!

 

[Rattoyagi]

I didn't know Mantids could Vomit O.O *makes mental note*

 

[sally]

I didn't know Mantids could Vomit O.O *makes mental note*

Yes it is really disturbing,and sometimes lethal.