Molt Questions

[DefyTheNorms]

My Budwing mantis nymph had his first molt since I've had him/her.  I was expecting there to be a significant size change, but he's still super tiny lol. Since this is my first mantis I had a few molt related questions: 

1) How long should I wait before handling him? He shed sometime through the night. 
2) How long should I wait after a molt before giving him fruit flies?
3) Should I mist his enclosure today? It looks a bit dry. I usually do so every morning, but not sure if I should, as he's on the lid and I'm afraid to disturb him.
4) He's still very tiny, is there any way to know/estimate what instar he's in?
5) How many molts before sexing is possible?

 

[Connor]

Congrats on your budwings first molt!

1)I wait at least like 6 hours before moving their enclosures or handling them

2)2-3 days and he should be eating again

3)sure you can mist him but like I said earlier wait at least 6 or so hours before moving him

4) Not really. Just take what the seller said they were and add 1 lol.

5) I’d give him another 2-3 molts depending on how big he is

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@Connor Thank you!

 

[DefyTheNorms]

I’d give him another 2-3 molts depending on how big he is

He's less than 1.5cm long lol... is there a usual amount of time between molts? (just so I know when to expect it)

 

[Connor]

Around 2 weeks. It gets a little longer every molt

 

[DefyTheNorms]

So it looks like there is a problem with his back right leg since his molt last night. He keeps tapping it on the lid as he hangs there. Sometimes he keeps it like in the photo for a period of time, and other time he leaves it hang down  Is this common? Will he be ok? 

 

[Bathory]

My big Rhombodera will tap the walls of her enclosure when she's trying to find something to hang on to. If he's still a baby that leg will probably sort itself out after his next molt! As long as he can still climb with his other legs he should be fine 

 

[DefyTheNorms]

My big Rhombodera will tap the walls of her enclosure when she's trying to find something to hang on to. If he's still a baby that leg will probably sort itself out after his next molt! As long as he can still climb with his other legs he should be fine 

Ok thanks.  He's only an L3 I believe. He's only tapping with that one bent leg. sometimes he lets it hang down so I think he's having a hard time gripping well with that one leg. I'm not sure how he is from climbing in general, he hasn't moved from the lid since I found him molted this morning. I don't want to disturb him just yet.  But I assume he can climb with the 3 good legs. This won't have an affect with catching food tho, correct?

 

[Bathory]

Ok thanks.  He's only an L3 I believe. He's only tapping with that one bent leg. sometimes he lets it hang down so I think he's having a hard time gripping well with that one leg. I'm not sure how he is from climbing in general, he hasn't moved from the lid since I found him molted this morning. I don't want to disturb him just yet.  But I assume he can climb with the 3 good legs. This won't have an affect with catching food tho, correct?

Most likely food won't be an issue, if he can still use his raptors that's all he needs!

 

[Connor]

He should be completely fine. The leg will figure itself out in a couple of molts.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

He should be completely fine. The leg will figure itself out in a couple of molts.

Ok. Thanks for reassuring me. I was worried he wouldn't be able to hang with his back legs for his next molt. Could not high enough humidity have been the cause? I need to work on that. How can I tell what the humidity is in deli cups?

 

[Okoboji22]

I had A hierodula who had both back legs like that in the picture and she made it to adult so your budwing should be fine

 

[DefyTheNorms]

I had A hierodula who had both back legs like that in the picture and she made it to adult so your budwing should be fine

Thank you! That makes me feel better  It's def not slowing him/her down any.

 

[DefyTheNorms]

Little budwing is getting along fine despite the wonky leg 

 

[DefyTheNorms]

So Little budwing had a molt on the 21st. He didn't eat for days before that. He hasn't eaten much after the molt either and now he's back to completely not eating again. His abdomen is on the thin-ish side, and is a lighter color than usual. Could he be going into another molt so soon? I'm not sure how often they molt at this age. He's tiny, so I'm assuming he's at an L3  because he had 1 molt with me.

 

[Connor]

I don’t think he should be molting rn. Send a pic of his abdomen and I’ll let you know if he’s good to go or not

 

[DefyTheNorms]

Send a pic of his abdomen and I’ll let you know if he’s good to go or not

And so he just ate a fly. I swear he enjoys making a liar out of me LOL. Sorry for being so neurotic  

 

[Connor]

All good. Glad he ate! Looks plump now

 

[DefyTheNorms]

@Connor LOL yes. Thanks for always being so helpful