Not eating after third molt

[cwebster]

After his third molt, one chinese mantis will not eat. His back legs were stuck together about a week ago and he didnt free himself so over a couple of days, i tried to carefully cut away the old shed. One back leg is kind of curly but he can walk around and his other legs look fine. After he never started eating, i started giving honey and drops of water. But he just pushes fruit flies away. I tried to hold hydeis up to him but he pushes them away. He will climb a small screen and last night hung upside down a little but he obviously is not eating. Any suggestions? Thanks. 

 

[CosbyArt]

@cwebster It's possibly because fruit flies are too small for a Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis) for feeders really after the first molt when they reach L2; although, with molting issues too it is hard to say for certain what is wrong.

When the Chinese nymph reached L3 the FF likely are more of a nuisance to the mantid than viewed as food. As they hatch at L1 they readily eat the largest fruit flies, Hydei, and once they molt need to be moved up to more appropriate sized prey. Which should be stable flies, house flies, or small crickets - the ideal feeder size is 1/3 of their body length so you should find something that is that size for him to try.

 

[cwebster]

Thomas, thank you, will try small crickets. The mantis is hanging in there, literally...he or she still seems delighted with honey but then walks up a screen ramp and sometimes will hang  upside down with his/her front feet "in praying position." I so hope the mantis starts eating and eventually will shed normally. They seem smart...the mantis seems to understand that I am trying to help and when finished eating tiny drops of honey, waves his/her front feet in communication. 

Am very very worried about all the nymphs I released outside as it has been 105 F here. I have misted twice per day and carefully watered the base of the plants but instead of dozens of nymphs, only saw one newly morphed mantis this morning. 

 

[cwebster]

Am thinking of naming the little guy Gimpy. I offered him a one week and a two week old cricket but he just ran from them. He will eat honey and will chew a little bit on a cricket if it is held up to him but wont catch anything. Am wondering if his front legs are nonfunctional. He will walk up the screen ramp and hang upside down but later just ends up on the floor of the container, sometimes not rightside up. Will keep trying. He looks ok except for a curvy back leg but acts like something is just not right. I tried not giving him the honey for hours thinking he would get hungry and try to catch something but he seemed weaker. I dont know why he just doesnt catch bugs after his mismolt. 

 

[CosbyArt]

@cwebster The nymphs outdoors should be fine in the heat, they have survived for centuries without us.

If Gimpy is falling it likely is leg issues in this case. Have you seen him extend of move his arms out of the praying position? Do they move freely? It sounds like he has some molting issues that haven't been noticed until now. If you keep up the honey feeding and whatever you can get him to eat (cricket held by him) he will likely fix the problems in the next molt.

 

[cwebster]

Thomas, thanks. Have been watching and have noticed a small defect in one if his front arms. One arm has a bend in it. He can move his back legs but one he kind of drags a little. Am hoping to keep him going until his next molt but dont know if honey is nutritionally adequate for him. Still have not seen him eat by himself, just drops of honey. 

 

[CosbyArt]

@cwebster Your welcome, and sorry to hear it is from a mismolt. Besides honey and feeding from tweezers, try the thumbtack method (it has saved many mantids to their next molt since the original post).

 

[cwebster]

What is the thumbtack method? Thanks.

 

[CosbyArt]

What is the thumbtack method? Thanks.

If you haven't done so already, click the link name shown above. The post explains it better than I could and shows a photo of it in action.

 

[cwebster]

Thomas, thank you. Tried putting small flies and a small cricket on a tack but poor Gimpy is fading. 

 

[CosbyArt]

@cwebster Sorry to hear Gimpy's health is fading so quickly. If the thumbtack method isn't working out, baby food and whole milk are some other attempts that have been known to keep a mantid going until a molt.

 

[hymenopus]

Is she still alive and has she molted!