Mantis throwing up

[Mystymantis]

One of my male Giant Asian nymphs is throwing up brownish liquid stuff. This is the second time. He seems healthy and is eating normal. He has a diet of red runner roaches and blue bottle flies.  Any ideas why he is throwing up? And if there is anything I can do to help?

I also noticed him excreting this yellowish liquid the other day?

 

[TheShadyMantid]

This is a pretty common thing among mantids, seems more so in the smaller ones.  I have heard many people say that it can be associated with sickness/black death etc, however i have also had some mantids that would throw up a lot as nymphs, but then lived on to become adults or die of some other cause, so I don't think it necessarily means they are not going to make it.  If you notice that the liquid has a really bad smell to it, it could be more indicative of an actual problem or infection of some kind, but it's really hard to say.  When i notice my nymphs throwing up i will usually increase their water intake just in case they had a bad feeder insect or something that needs to work it's way out. 

Best of luck!

 

[Ocelotbren]

It could be due to overeating or a bad feeder, in which case I would stop feeding for a day or two in the hopes that he stops throwing up and feels better.  Just make sure he's still getting liquids as needed.  If he starts throwing up again after a break from eating, maybe try a new batch of feeders in case the whole batch is potentially bad?  Otherwise I'm not sure, sorry.

 

[MantisGirl13]

Try feeding him some honey. I had a case of black death with a B. mendica a few months ago, and I kept him alive for a few more days by feeding him honey.

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mystymantis]

Thanks @MantisGirl13 and @Ocelotbren

I will try and feed him some honey. He seems mostly healthy, alert, crawling around, drank water when I sprayed. I don't think its the black death thingy, at least I really hope not! I don't think he is over eating either since I only feed him every other day or so. Maybe he had a bad feeder? not sure. But he has excreted two more yellowish looking frass pellet which is strange. The pellets are about the size of his normal looking frass but clearish yellow and liquidy. Maybe he has an internal blockage?

 

[MantisGirl13]

Ok. How long has he been like this? What color is he throwing up? Honey is pure energy for mantids, and it should help him fight off any sickness. 

- MantisGirl13