Mantid stuck in skin!

[JTHMfreak]

So my mantis which appears to be an L5 has its arms stuck inits skin while molting. It has been this way for about 5-6 hours. Anything I can do to help?

 

[sinensispsyched]

Not much I'm afraid.

 

[hibiscusmile]

hopefully it has enough out that it can function.

 

[brancsikia339]

Nothing much, just hope she can figure out a way to escape

 

[lancaster1313]

Yes you can.

Wet the skin so it softens and try to help it out. For a small mantis, a needle or toothpick can brace the skin so the mantis can pull out on its own. Put the stick in between the forelegs and let the mantis try to pull free when the skin is soft from the water. Be careful and gentle if you try to pull the skin. Sometimes a leg can come off with it if you do it.

I posted in your other topic as well.

 

[JTHMfreak]

I may try wetting the skin since mantis is still stuck

 

[JTHMfreak]

Yes you can.

Wet the skin so it softens and try to help it out. For a small mantis, a needle or toothpick can brace the skin so the mantis can pull out on its own. Put the stick in between the forelegs and let the mantis try to pull free when the skin is soft from the water. Be careful and gentle if you try to pull the skin. Sometimes a leg can come off with it if you do it.

I posted in your other topic as well.

Thank you. I had to help pull the arms out as well as help detach old head skin off of the antennae. Mantis is doing great now and in capture food mode it seems

 

[JTHMfreak]

Let the flies out, offered one to francis and he/she seemed uninterested. Francis does not seem to be closing arms when walking, or much at all. I hope being stuck in the molt skin did not cause any permanent damage.

 

[JTHMfreak]

So update. Took francis out to crawl on my hand. Very active, using front arms to maneuver. Can extend the arms fully out ward, just does not seem to close them since the molt. Since there is definitely arm flexing and movement does this mean that the joint is not stuck?

 

[JTHMfreak]

This is Francis' current state. Very active on my hand, can fully extend and open arms/claws. Just does not close them. I hope the mantis can be worked with and saved. Edit: If you look at the large size pic you can see that the antennae are also really messed up. I had to do quite a bit of work to help Francis out of the old skin.

 

[MantidBro]

This is Francis' current state. Very active on my hand, can fully extend and open arms/claws. Just does not close them. I hope the mantis can be worked with and saved. Edit: If you look at the large size pic you can see that the antennae are also really messed up. I had to do quite a bit of work to help Francis out of the old skin.

Wow, I'm glad he made it. The old skin is still stuck to the claws/raptors. That will be fixed with the next molt. For now you're going to have to hand feed. This happened with my Tenodera sinensis. I just hand fed him until he molted again and the situation was rectified.

 

[JTHMfreak]

Wow, I'm glad he made it. The old skin is still stuck to the claws/raptors. That will be fixed with the next molt. For now you're going to have to hand feed. This happened with my Tenodera sinensis. I just hand fed him until he molted again and the situation was rectified.

Good to know! How should I go about hand feeding fruit flies, they are the flightless ones. All I have on hand, except for few normal sized flies

 

[sally]

Put a little honey on a toothpick and put the ff or ffs the more the better in the honey they will stick there .

 

[JTHMfreak]

That is what I will try. Just so sad that my mantid qualifies for disabled parking. It was doing so well before the molt, and then BAM it became disfigured. I will do hand feeding for as long as it takes, I just hope the mantis can fix itself for its sake. I wish that I had gone with my original instinct of helping it out of the skin. But that is neither here nor there at this point. I just hope that my little one can recover from this mess.

 

[sally]

I hope so. Offer water to drink also . When you get other bugs smush them a little an offer the goey part with tweezers. Hope all goes well.

 

[lancaster1313]

That is what I will try. Just so sad that my mantid qualifies for disabled parking. It was doing so well before the molt, and then BAM it became disfigured. I will do hand feeding for as long as it takes, I just hope the mantis can fix itself for its sake. I wish that I had gone with my original instinct of helping it out of the skin. But that is neither here nor there at this point. I just hope that my little one can recover from this mess.

You did the right thing by asking what to do first. When you said that it looked to be still molting, in the other topic, I should have let you know that it was taking way too long. Anyway, it is probably better that you didn't go in there all pulling on the skin when the mantid was still teneral. One wrong move while they are still soft can tear their legs right off.

The good news is that Francis looks much better than the one I am caring for now.

Perhaps you can get a clear shot of the underside of its abdomen so we can stop referring to it as "it"?

 

[MantidBro]

Good to know! How should I go about hand feeding fruit flies, they are the flightless ones. All I have on hand, except for few normal sized flies

I use needles. I squish the fruit fly first so the guts pop out. Then stick it with a needle. Then put the guts against the mantids mouth. They may react defensively at first. But if you keep trying, the mantid will realize its food. You migt have to hold the needle still while it eats since it cant grab the food. Although the mantid may be able to hold onto it with its mouth while eating. So long as it eats, it'll be okay! And I'm quite certain the arms will be fixed with the next molt, like what happened with mine whose arms got stuck in the old skin.

 

[JTHMfreak]

You did the right thing by asking what to do first. When you said that it looked to be still molting, in the other topic, I should have let you know that it was taking way too long. Anyway, it is probably better that you didn't go in there all pulling on the skin when the mantid was still teneral. One wrong move while they are still soft can tear their legs right off.

The good news is that Francis looks much better than the one I am caring for now.

Perhaps you can get a clear shot of the underside of its abdomen so we can stop referring ti it as "it"?

What should I be looking for underneath the abdomen? I really do hate using the word it

 

[lancaster1313]

I shall try to form a link with photos. I am horrible with computers so it will take a few minutes IF I can do it. lol

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7110