Mantis won't eat.

[sgtkeens]

One of my mantids is starving to death. The same one whose claws were broken previously. The claws have since healed enough to use and the it's nearly time for a molt, but it won't eat. I've tried fruit flies, decapitated mealworms, cat food, everything. The only way it will eat is if I smear honey on its mandibles. It was laying flat on the ground today, it's antennae droopy. I thought it was dead until a fly ran across its leg and it moved around. I don't know what to think. I know they don't usually eat before a molt, but it's starving and it's still on the ground.

 

[sgtkeens]

Sorry for the bad quality. It's resting on its forelimbs and the antennae are drooping to the bottom.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

The cage looks really wet in the photo. Is there normally water droplets visible like that?

 

[sgtkeens]

The cage looks really wet in the photo. Is there normally water droplets visible like that?

I just misted it a few minutes before the picture.

 

[LAME]

If its accepting honey, try smearing honey on a mealworm or some other feeder... Once it starts eating the honey it may end up actually eating the meal.

Good luck.

 

[MantisMatt14]

I don't like using honey. Sometimes the mantises mandibles can get glued together by the honey consistency. For mantises that refuses to eat you should tear open the food item and brush the guts onto the mantises mouth which may stimulate feeding.

 

[Danny.]

It's going to die.

 

[LAME]

It's going to die.

I don't think that helps.

I don't like using honey. Sometimes the mantises mandibles can get glued together by the honey consistency.

You can dilute the honey with water and also feed that way.@sgtkeens - when was its last molt? Could it be possible its about to molt??

If not keep your head up and keep trying.

 

[sgtkeens]

I don't think that helps.

You can dilute the honey with water and also feed that way.

@sgtkeens - when was its last molt? Could it be possible its about to molt??

If not keep your head up and keep trying.

Half of its siblings have molted (One of which didn't survive the molt) so I'm assuming it will molt soon, but I have my doubts because it hasn't climbed to a place where it can hang.

 

[LAME]

Try assisting it to a twig or stick that you can hang higher. In case it is actually due... My ghost "Nymbit" did one of those dangerous molts close to the ground as well and I noticed before catching hi!m molting that he showed some of this behavior(not eating(normal) but also not wanting to move really whatsoever.)

I poked him until he moved, though obviously not far enough for a safe molt... I thought little of it and continued my day, came back and seen his face was nearly touching the substrate. Luckily I was able to pull that particular stick and lay it long ways across the open lid. He safely made the molt, but I highly doubt he would've had I not intervened.

However that was my particular case... I'm not the type that's going to say "Give up..." I hope you're able to get the little bugger to continue on with a healthy and normal "mantis life" =)

 

[sgtkeens]

Try assisting it to a twig or stick that you can hang higher. In case it is actually due... My ghost "Nymbit" did one of those dangerous molts close to the ground as well and I noticed before catching hi!m molting that he showed some of this behavior(not eating(normal) but also not wanting to move really whatsoever.)

I poked him until he moved, though obviously not far enough for a safe molt... I thought little of it and continued my day, came back and seen his face was nearly touching the substrate. Luckily I was able to pull that particular stick and lay it long ways across the open lid. He safely made the molt, but I highly doubt he would've had I not intervened.

However that was my particular case... I'm not the type that's going to say "Give up..." I hope you're able to get the little bugger to continue on with a healthy and normal "mantis life" =)

I gave it one more meal of honey because I'm fairly certain my little friend will molt tonight. It ended up crawling onto the wall of the container where the paper towel folds, so I turned the container on its side to avoid a fate similar to its sibling's.

 

[Bugmankeith]

Beef baby food! (No lemon juice as ingredient)