Mantis behavioral health question (serious)

[Mantid-Tim]

So one of my mantids, a Rhombodera extensicollis adult use to be the sweetest of all my mantids. Very willing to be handled and would walk out onto my hand. Recently, she started latching on and then biting. As luck would have it she is also my biggest mantid so her bites actually hurt! Mostly, I'm scared to hurt her while getting her off of me.

So I have decided not to handle her for the time being. Does anyone have any insight on this? Once she molted to adulthood her behavior really changed. (Her wings came out misshapen but no health issues of any kind.

So yeah, any opinions would be greatly appreciated! 

 

[LynArtist]

Does she show any signs of slowing down and being low energy when you aren't handling her? Midori latched to me with her claws when I picked her up while she was dying and would also jerk away from me. This is just personal experience from owning one mantis, so I could be VERY wrong. Just my assumptions.

 

[MantisGirl13]

This has happened to me a lot with larger females. There's not much you can do about it other than not handle her, but it also usually doesn't mean anything bad, just that you have an aggressive female. 

- MantisGirl13 

 

[Mantid-Tim]

Does she show any signs of slowing down and being low energy when you aren't handling her? Midori latched to me with her claws when I picked her up while she was dying and would also jerk away from me. This is just personal experience from owning one mantis, so I could be VERY wrong. Just my assumptions.

She does not. She's very healthy otherwise, The only weird thing I've seen her do: go into a threat pose for no reason, fall backward, and then run around her cage at an alarming pace.  She has always seemed a little 'off' or 'slow,' but never aggressive towards people or even that much towards prey (kind of--lol).

Also her final molt was only two months ago and she hasn't even laid her first ootheca yet (unmated).