Molting time?

[JTHMfreak]

Francis has been hanging upside down in the same spot all day, is it molting? The mantis is L3.

 

[glock34girl]

Mines been like that for a week lol

 

[JTHMfreak]

Yup it molted today!

 

[glock34girl]

Woo hoo! What species?

 

[JTHMfreak]

Hierodula venosa - Yen's Red-Armed Asian Mantis. Still molting it looks like. Odd thing though is it was chowing down on some ffs just yesterday.

 

[Crazy4mantis]

in the early instars it doesn't take long to molt.

 

[JTHMfreak]

It almost seems as if it is struggling to get the last bit off arm out, saw it really trying to pull away from the old skin.

 

[glock34girl]

I had that happen to my ghost at that instar. Best advice i got was to leave him alone put him in a dark space and let him figure it out.... Wish I woulda listened.

 

[JTHMfreak]

Sorry to hear. You think the kitchen light will bother it?

 

[glock34girl]

Prolly not. How's he doing?

 

[JTHMfreak]

Still seems like the arms are stuck, been that way for at least 3-4 hours, possibly longer. I can see the mantis try to pull away, but the skin still stays attached.

 

[JTHMfreak]

It is trying to eat away the part that is trapping the last bit of arms.

 

[lancaster1313]

You could try to place drops of water on the stuck skin and gently pull at it. If the mantis is really small, a toothpick or needle can be placed between the skin and mantis to brace it so the insect can try to wiggle free once the skin is softened with water.

It may need help to feed now. I have a mantis whose head and front legs were stuck. I place a disabled feeder on a toothpick so she can bend down and eat it.

Could you put up a photo of the mantis' condition?

 

[JTHMfreak]

You could try to place drops of water on the stuck skin and gently pull at it. If the mantis is really small, a toothpick or needle can be placed between the skin and mantis to brace it so the insect can try to wiggle free once the skin is softened with water.

It may need help to feed now. I have a mantis whose head and front legs were stuck. I place a disabled feeder on a toothpick so she can bend down and eat it.

Could you put up a photo of the mantis' condition?

Thank you, I did have to intervene after 15 hours of it being stuck. Francis is nice and free now. Is it possible being stuck for that long will lead to any problems?

 

[lancaster1313]

It may not be able to use the legs and is surely stressed and exausted from struggling. Perhaps tomorrow try to feed it. If it can't catch prey then you may want to set something up so it can just reach the food with its mouth. It will probably fight it at first but will learn that it is food after a couple of feedings.

Maybe give a tiny drop of honey directly to the mouth to see if it shows interest today on account of the energy spent struggling to free itself.

I wanted to add that it is a nice thing to help your pet mantis.

If it can make it through the next molt, it will probably correct some disfigurement. Make sure that your mantis gets plenty to drink, especially when the next molt is coming up.

I think that lack of enough moisture, and sometimes a prior injury can cause a mantis to get stuck. That seems to be why it has occasionally happened with mine, anyway.

When they are young, they don't always go off food before the molts.

 

[JTHMfreak]

It may not be able to use the legs and is surely stressed and exausted from struggling. Perhaps tomorrow try to feed it. If it can't catch prey then you may want to set something up so it can just reach the food with its mouth. It will probably fight it at first but will learn that it is food after a couple of feedings.

Maybe give a tiny drop of honey directly to the mouth to see if it shows interest today on account of the energy spent struggling to free itself.

I wanted to add that it is a nice thing to help your pet mantis.

If it can make it through the next molt, it will probably correct some disfigurement. Make sure that your mantis gets plenty to drink, especially when the next molt is coming up.

I think that lack of enough moisture, and sometimes a prior injury can cause a mantis to get stuck. That seems to be why it has occasionally happened with mine, anyway.

When they are young, they don't always go off food before the molts.

It did chow down on fruit flies the day before the molt. But I did notice it also appear to be in "capture prey mode" just now as a fly flew past (a couple pupae hatched that must've been buried).

 

[lancaster1313]

Is it eating or just looking? That would be awesome if it can eat on its own!

 

[JTHMfreak]

Is it eating or just looking? That would be awesome if it can eat on its own!

Right now it is perched upside down with arms outstretched in the "V" looking like it's ready to sntch and eat anything unfortunate enough to cross the path. Will keep checking up though

 

[lancaster1313]

Here is what my girl looks like after a similar incident. She is a Stagmomantis carolina and is getting some much needed help.