Oh noes!

[chrisstpeter]

Well, looks like I spoke to soon. Despite an overabundance of easier prey, when I looked into the nymphs' enclosure today, I noticed that one was missing a leg!! Well, they are all in separate makeshift containers at the moment. Big mason jars that, honestly, are too big for them, but it'll have to do until I can get supplies to make some more suitable ones.

 

[Nicolas]

It might of mismolted.. did you see an exoskeleton in the container?

 

[chrisstpeter]

No, they haven't molted yet. No exoskeletons, plus none of them have had any pre-molt behavior (not moving much, not eating) so far.

 

[Nicolas]

Well, that's odd. A mantis usually looses it's legs if it meets a predator or mismolts. The leg just.. disappeared? What did you feed it?

 

[chrisstpeter]

Just mels, there were 3 in there together, S. Carolina, and I was warned (on this forum no less), that if I kept them together they'd cannibalize, but I thought if there were enough ffs in there, they'd stick to easier prey... apparently not!

 

[aNisip]

A fight could have ensued and one just got away with the others leg, or maybe it was damaged before and it chewed it off as an act of self protection... (they can willingly chew off their limbs if infected, damaged, or just stressed in general)

All the best,

Andrew

 

[chrisstpeter]

Thanks guys! They're all sitting pretty in individual, appropriately sized enclosures now, so no more fights (I had seen them swat at/ threat display each other before)! They're all L1s, so hopefully crowbar will grow his missing leg back with successive molts

 

[chrisstpeter]

Update: here is a pic of my new temporary setup. Later this week I'm going to go buy some acrylic sheets and some mesh, but these rubbermaid containers do a nice job in the meantime. Glued paper towels to the lid, put some paper towel on the bottom (not glued so it can be replaced), poked holes in 2 opposing sides, and added sticks that reach up to the ceiling. Nothing fancy, but it works, it's a good size for them, and these containers have the added benefit of being able to click together in a stack