mismolted mantis help

[BugLover]

Ok so I found a Narrow winged mantis molting on a shelf in my house, and it wasn't doing too good. It's skin is still attached and at least one of it's legs are bent, and it has a pocket of (i think) air on it's abdomen. It also chewed off most of it's antennae to try to get the skin off... Anything I can do? I've already taken off most of the skin with some tweezers and made sure it had moisture, but what else can I do? should I pop the pocket of air? see if s/he will get through the molt on his/her own? help! it looks like if s/he makes it through this molt s/he will need to be hand fed... I cant get pics, though

 

[lancaster1313]

Really need a pic for that kind of thing. Does not sound good at all. Is the thorax still bent with the head stuck in the exuvia? Or is it stuck at the abdomen, or both?

I wouldn't pop anything but then I can't see it. Seems as if something went really wrong if there is a pocket.

 

[BugLover]

no, it's head was not still attached to the skin, that was one of the parts that I was able to get off. There is still skin attached to all but one of it's legs (including "arms") though

 

[lancaster1313]

Sounds pretty bad.

When I have caught that happening it was useful to mist the mantis and put something between the exuvia and body to brace it. Then I would let the mantis struggle free on its own if it could. I have had to gently slide it off of mantids that were badly stuck. It is very difficult to get skin off a mantis if most of the excess skin is removed prior to the misting and sliding method as there is nothing to hold on to. Even touching a molting mantis causes some damage.

I have had mixed results when the mantis couldn't struggle free on its own. It is usually bad news.

 

[BugLover]

well, it's still stuck and I'm keeping it misted. are they able to survive (hand fed) if they still have skin attached to their arms or legs? it looks like it would be very difficult to remove the skin now. it can move it's back legs, but it's front legs and arms are stuck enough that it would be very hard for it to do much. With my other slightly mismolted mantis, who's abdomen is bent a little, I just keep it very humid in it's enclosure and it is still here.

edit: It seems like the more the mantis struggles, the bigger the air pocket gets. I have heard that nail polish is good for covering cuts on mantids? would that work if I decided to pop the air bubble?

 

[Ranitomeya]

It's no longer going to help to remove the skin as it has likely already hardened its new exoskeleton and will be unable to properly move any of the currently constricted limbs. It really doesn't sound good and should probably be euthanized--nothing you can do can help it and it will become extremely stressed from inability to properly move. I would not suggest popping any sort of air bubble as it is probably a herniation of something within it and popping it would likely result in irreparable damage.

 

[BugLover]

well what I thought was an air bubble started to pulse, then some liquid came out, then it closed back up, and now is no longer pulsing. The mantis seems to be moving around more than before as well. I'm hoping I won't have to put it in the freezer, but if it's condition gets any worse in the next few days I will send it there.

 

[BugLover]

update on the mantis: The mantis is doing better today. The air bubble poped on it's own. I got her to eat a mealworm (cut off the head and offered the insides) but that didn't seem to fill her, and her two back legs are free.

 

[BugLover]

I decided to put the mantis in the freezer. The bubble started leaking brown a while after I fed the mantis, and it didn't look good. :angel: