Majesty died...

[MantidBro]

Majesty ended up dying today. I went to hold her and she was stiff. She was still alive, though. Her antennae were moving and she was pinching me. Then she threw up and died. I don't know why she threw up, maybe because I tried giving her some water while she was stiff, I can't imagine she was poisoned as the last thing I fed her was a regular cricket like she always eats.

I'm wondering if it's because she lost most of her feet. Or if maybe she just died earlier than average, like some humans do. 8 months for a mantid is equivalent to 64 years for a human.

I felt sick and disoriented at first, but I've gotten over it, now. I'm glad to have been able to hang out with her.

And fortunately I have Tenodera Sinensis nymphs to raise. Two had their first molts, so far. They look big already...! I guess they really are quite the large species.

Losing Majesty is a big loss... I used to hold her multiple times a day... she was hardly ever in her container. Now I have no Majesty to hold and take care of.

I kept her body. I washed it then put it in alcohol then put it in a see-through prescription medication bottle. Her eyes are life-less and it's an awkward thing to see her so still. But I feel the need to keep her.

 

[ShieldMantid1997]

Sadly you will have to go through this a lot in a hobby like this

 

[Chivalry]

I'm sorry to hear you lost her... If her feet were getting brittle she was getting old. I know how much she was your bud, I enjoyed looking at your pics of her on deviantArt.

I'm glad you have other critters to keep you company.

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Oh, I'm so sorry I actually really feel sad right now for you. Majesty was a beautiful mantid. It's so hard when the ones you love die. I lost my beloved Fiona, who was also a stagmomantis limbata, earlier this year because crickets partially ate her while she was molting. I still haven't gotten over it, I don't think I ever will.

It's sounds like Majesty was just old...

 

[Sticky]

I am so sorry. I know exactly how you feel. It helps to have others to take care of. They can't replace

her, but can fill some of the space she left behind.

 

[hibiscusmile]

hhoping you feel better!

 

[OctoberRainne]

Once they get up in age its really sad,they go bit by bit,sorry to hear this,I adored her

 

[Mime454]

I'm really sorry for you. I could see how much you loved her by your posts here.

 

[MantidBro]

Sadly you will have to go through this a lot in a hobby like this

I knew I would as they have short life spans but it is indeed sad

 

[MantidBro]

I'm sorry to hear you lost her... If her feet were getting brittle she was getting old. I know how much she was your bud, I enjoyed looking at your pics of her on deviantArt.

I'm glad you have other critters to keep you company.

Yeah she was losing all her feet for no apparent reason. :-( Yeah she was my mini buddy lol. And I'm glad I at least have others too.

 

[OctoberRainne]

In some ways it gets easier and in others it doesn't,some I still get much more attatched to than others,and those are the times where it really hurts to know you have to let them go,and then the unexpected losses like mismoults ect. really hit hard cuz you were not anticipating it,looks like you've got some nice nymphs though,so you'll come to love one of them as much I'm sure if you keep it full term Its a never ending cycle like that unfortunately,you just get to enjoy them while they last,thats the downfall of them being insects

 

[MantidBro]

Oh, I'm so sorry I actually really feel sad right now for you. Majesty was a beautiful mantid. It's so hard when the ones you love die. I lost my beloved Fiona, who was also a stagmomantis limbata, earlier this year because crickets partially ate her while she was molting. I still haven't gotten over it, I don't think I ever will.

It's sounds like Majesty was just old...

Thanks for your empathy. I agree she was beautiful. Very gentle and friendly, too. It is hard, but only because I can't be with her anymore - I know at least she's not in the terrible process of dying but already dead and not aware. You had a Stagmomantis Limbata, too? Aren't they nice? Wow that's terrible that that happened while she was molting. Stinkin' crickets don't have the guts to confront a mantid while they're NOT in the process of molting...

It did seem like she was aging, she was becoming slower and losing her feet/legs.

 

[MantidBro]

I am so sorry. I know exactly how you feel. It helps to have others to take care of. They can't replace

her, but can fill some of the space she left behind.

Thanks for the support. I'm sure you know how I feel, being another mantid owner. I agree it does help to have others to care for. Majesty helped when Sir died, now the Tenodera Sinensis nymphs help now that Majesty died. No they're not the same as Majesty, but they are still cute, and bring a feeling of joy, plus they are of course the same species (mantid, not meaning they're limbata or anything).

 

[MantidBro]

hhoping you feel better!

Thank you, I feel better as time passes, as my brain processes what happened. I'm just glad she's not suffering, that made me feel worse than when she died. When she died I was actually kind of glad because she seemed to be in pain at her last moments. Though I'm not glad that I can't be with her anymore. It's quite the loss.

 

[MantidBro]

Once they get up in age its really sad,they go bit by bit,sorry to hear this,I adored her

It's really sad for real, I was trying to deny it, but she was getting slower and weaker. And started to have a bad smell, a smell like Sir had before she died. I realized this the day before she died and was hoping it was only because she ate a worm. And she of course started losing all her feet... it does seem it was age. I adored her, too...

 

[MantidBro]

I'm really sorry for you. I could see how much you loved her by your posts here.

Thank you. I did love her, I tend to get unusually connected to living things, whether they're insects or mammals.

 

[MantidBro]

In some ways it gets easier and in others it doesn't,some I still get much more attatched to than others,and those are the times where it really hurts to know you have to let them go,and then the unexpected losses like mismoults ect. really hit hard cuz you were not anticipating it,looks like you've got some nice nymphs though,so you'll come to love one of them as much I'm sure if you keep it full term Its a never ending cycle like that unfortunately,you just get to enjoy them while they last,thats the downfall of them being insects

I realized that I, too, was more attached to Majesty than I was attached to Sir. When Sir died, I didn't feel nearly as bad. Sir was more of an anxious mantid, and not very interactive, while Majesty was just the opposite. She was curious, interactive, friendly. Plus she made it to adult hood while Sir didn't, meaning I had Majesty longer, so that could also be why it affected me more. Mismolts are the worst. I already love the nymphs, and I'll love them even more as they grow and I've spent more time with them. I plan to keep two of them full term. I knew it would be a never-ending cycle, the mantids dying, because they do have short life spans. But they're worth it.

You know, if it weren't for Majesty, I never would have realized my true passion is studying animals and insects. I want to be an Ethologist or Entomologist. Heck, if Majesty made me realize my life-career, she was pretty darn important, lol.

 

[OctoberRainne]

It starts with one and ends with hundreds lol JK funny thing is I used to like males better and now all of my favorites besides Leia and now Grizwald who is the darkie dead leaf are all females,I think their size and audacity makes them feel less threatened and on egde and they are much more still,but just certain ones you click with more because of how they act and interact with you. New babies always help theres more pride in owning ones that you've seen from day one,they end up soo much more tame and used to you as well

 

[MandellaMandy123]

Thanks for your empathy. I agree she was beautiful. Very gentle and friendly, too. It is hard, but only because I can't be with her anymore - I know at least she's not in the terrible process of dying but already dead and not aware. You had a Stagmomantis Limbata, too? Aren't they nice? Wow that's terrible that that happened while she was molting. Stinkin' crickets don't have the guts to confront a mantid while they're NOT in the process of molting...

It did seem like she was aging, she was becoming slower and losing her feet/legs.

Yes - S. Limbata is a great species. I don't feel sorry for crickets when the praying mantises eat them, just remembering what they did to Fiona. :angry: Anyway, I definitely sounds like she was aging...