Mantis Eats own Limb

[a1_collection]

Well I went to feed my mantis today and found that one of the hind legs lost a tarsi. It is properly feed and housed. I have no idea what happened. It cannot be feeder crickets because I hand feed my mantises. Any ideas?

Thanks

 

[kamakiri]

Sometimes they break on their own...

 

[The_Asa]

Yes, they can snap off if accidentally stuck in the lid, or can just break b/c of excess pressure. The mantis doesn't necessarily have to have eaten it.

 

[a1_collection]

Must be all the climbing and falling down from some of the branches that broke off the limb.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[darkspeed]

I had an adult orchid female that over the course of a few days chew off her entire left forearm. She died shortly afterwards to completely unrelated causes, so I have no idea what her problem was.

 

[Rick]

That part often breaks off. It is pretty common on older mantids.