noo!

[FortunateSon]

I woke up today and found that my mantis's right back foot was not there. How can this be? Now she kind of has a hard time climbing...she falls sometimes too.

 

[Ben.M]

This has happened more than once to me, but only with the larger sp.

The reason is that the mantis has chewed it off, and the reason for that......... i dont hav a clue, so i would like to know this one???

 

[FortunateSon]

Well im not sure on the species. Im still trying to figure out what it is. And I know that its not hungry.

 

[Ben.M]

And I know that its not hungry.

Thats what confused me when mine did it :?

 

[FortunateSon]

Do you think it had something to do when she was cleaning herself?

 

[FortunateSon]

Heres a pic, sorry that its bluury. Its all that I can get for now

http://www.repticzone.net/images/44472/Mantis.JPG

 

[asdsdf]

It could be fungus or bacteria. I've heard of mantids who bite of their arms or legs to prevent it to spread.

 

[FortunateSon]

I watched a thing on the science channel on mantids and it was an hour long. Its shows everything and It said that they clean themselves several times a day to prevent bacterial infection

 

[Krissim Klaw]

How old is she. As mantises age, like people their body becomes weaker and more brittle. Sometimes older mantises will loose peices of their feet when climbing around. There is also a possibility she got her foot caught somewhere in the cage when climbing and either broke it off or chewed it off to free herself.

 

[FortunateSon]

im not sure on the age, but she is a full grown adult

 

[Rick]

I have seen this on very old mantids. They ends of their legs get brittle and break off.

 

[asdsdf]

I watched a thing on the science channel on mantids and it was an hour long. Its shows everything and It said that they clean themselves several times a day to prevent bacterial infection

well, fungus is not out of the picture. If a mantid's limb turns black, they will bite it off to the next joint.

 

[FortunateSon]

but is she too old to lay an oothecae?

 

[OGIGA]

Heres a pic, sorry that its bluury. Its all that I can get for nowhttp://www.repticzone.net/images/44472/Mantis.JPG

I can't really see it, but since your mantis is an adult, it's probably getting old. One of my old mantises was about to lose her feet too.

 

[FortunateSon]

Today i was watching my mantis and i notcied she was having a harder time climbing. I took her out to inspect her, and now she's missing her left leg to

 

[Rick]

Today i was watching my mantis and i notcied she was having a harder time climbing. I took her out to inspect her, and now she's missing her left leg to

Sounds like what I have experienced with mantids dying of old age. People like to say it's things like a bacteria infection sometimes but with no proof. I think in your case she is just getting old.

 

[FortunateSon]

it ca't be because there just snapping off. the feet right in from of her hunting claw snapped off also. I watched it come off so i know its not infection. She's also pregnant. I know she's dying, because shes falling off branches and just laying there, but 1 thing i want to know is; Will she ever lay an oothecae?

 

[Ben.M]

If she is as bad as u say she is then no, i doubt she will ever lay :roll:

 

[FortunateSon]

ok