Mysterious poop thread

[Digger]

Went to tuck Nikki Mantis in for the night and found a relatively large tan spot, about the diameter of a nickel, near her. Had been a liquid discharge. Further, I saw two dried poop dots "floating" from her posterior (which I thought rather strange). Picked her up and saw the two dried poop bb-s had a nearly invisible but really strong (tensile strength) thread running through them --- and up into her abdomen. This isn't micro thread from cotton, cloth or paper towels. It was really strong. Yes, I did gently pull on it, but didn't want to do any harm to her.

Any ideas what this might be? Certainly something ingested is possible. The discharge is worrisome. Don't know which end it came from.

I called a gastroenterologist at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center - but he hung up on me.

Is she morphing into a spider??

 

[Malakyoma]

I've seen both of those things as well. the danglers weren't super strong like yours though. one of my griffins had them today and I removed them with tongs. I find stains on the paper towel too. I never see it happen, just the aftermath, and I can tell you all of my mantids are still alive and well

 

[Mime454]

The liquid discharge is probably vomit. Happens with bad food sometimes.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

The liquid discharge is probably vomit. Happens with bad food sometimes.

Vomit and liquid poo look distinctly different. First off, vomit rarely forms a nice circular splatter. Mantises don't projectile vomit like people but will drag their mouths across surfaces often leaving squiggly lines. The vomit also has a sheer shiny look to it while their liquid stool will have a mat almost powdery finish.

I've seen stringy poo though not any as long sounding as described. Generally when I start seeing waste abnormalities it is in my older female mantises toward the end of their lifespan.

 

[Sticky]

That guy waxs rude! I would try to remove it gently. If it is dry you might soften it with a wet qtip first. Then pull and see if Nikki complains.

Any pictures? I remember Martha left some stains. And Sticky sometimes puked abit on my hand if I fed him too much honey and beepollen at once. I kept a little piece of tissue handy just in case his face needed a wipe! Cute.

 

[agent A]

Ive seen this in dying pseudoharpax (gotta find the thread) but the strings were pink and fiberous

 

[sally]

toward the end sally mantis threw up but it was in long lines like KK said from wiping her mouth as she spit up not a round circular pattern. poor Nikki i hope she is ok...

 

[Digger]

All very helpful comments. Thanks. The excrement (when discovered last night) was normal composition except for the invisible thread running through it. No additional stains on the paper towel substrate today. Have decided to skip a feeding (she's always gotten 1 crix per day). Coaxing lot of H2O to perhaps flush the digestive tract.

 

[Sticky]

How is she today?

 

[Digger]

Sticky, the symptoms has disappeared for now (Jan 9) and Nikki appears no worse for wear at the moment.