Mouth parts

[Chivalry]

Murph's pretty close to done with the realm of the living, I think... she isn't eating for a few days and yesterday she vomited up the water we gave her. Either that or she's working on another ooth, which will also kill her; we were sure the last one did but she held on.

Most of her legs are pretty brittle and don't really work to stick to much any more (she has a spot where she hooks her legs over a low Y shaped branch and hangs) I'm wondering about her not eating though... is it possible for their mouth parts to get brittle/arthritic and them not be able to eat any more? If this is the case, will hand feeding soft cricket goo still work? We attempted goo after the water yesterday and she couldn't manage it.

We are planning on giving her through this evening, and if she won't eat, we'll help her on her way.

 

[Bryce08]

yeah in the pic i saw of her lloked like she was turning brown, unless thats her color, but didnt look like it but....usualy means very close

as for the mouth part I dont know on that one, im still too much of a noob, my carolina that lived for almost 6 months after last molt did the same, he wouldnt eat at all, got real scared of me and couldnt grip to anything...

 

[Chivalry]

She's had the black on her legs for several weeks, maybe more. She's tenacious.

 

[Chivalry]

I think she actually was trying to lay an ooth, her ovipositors were working overtime this morning... and it wiped her out. I put her in the freezer. Hopefully one of her ooths will hatch and we'll have mini Murphs this year.

Thanks everyone, for all your help and advice with our first mantis. She'll be missed.