Old girl: preventing injury?

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Cheirogaleidae

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So my Chinese mantis I found two weeks ago is having some health troubles. She has broken two of her feet (which causes her to fall) and the tips of her wings are flaking off. I found a thread from 2005 that says that these are normal signs of aging. Is there anything I can do to slow this process, especially to keep her wings from breaking further?

On a happier note, she laid her second ootheca (that she has had whilst a pet, anyway) yesterday and takes crickets with gusto. Hurrah!

 
My only suggestion is to provide something softer for her to fall on, and twigs/sticks/chopsticks that are easy to grip.

I had a european last year that only had one walking leg. She got by okay on her own because I gave her enough to hang from and materials that were easy to grasp.

Good luck to your aging girl! :)

 
kamakiri said:
My only suggestion is to provide something softer for her to fall on, and twigs/sticks/chopsticks that are easy to grip.I had a european last year that only had one walking leg. She got by okay on her own because I gave her enough to hang from and materials that were easy to grasp.

Good luck to your aging girl! :)
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She can no longer grip even the most lichen-encrusted branches, so she's sitting on my plants all day instead, which I have surrounded with ancient hoodies so she won't injure herself in falls (and so she can right herself when she does fall). Thanks for the tips, I only wish she could hang onto chopsticks!

 
Cheirogaleidae said:
So my Chinese mantis I found two weeks ago is having some health troubles. She has broken two of her feet (which causes her to fall) and the tips of her wings are flaking off. I found a thread from 2005 that says that these are normal signs of aging. Is there anything I can do to slow this process, especially to keep her wings from breaking further?On a happier note, she laid her second ootheca (that she has had whilst a pet, anyway) yesterday and takes crickets with gusto. Hurrah!
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hmm goodluck and keep us updated!

 
All normal and nothing you can do to stop it. Might I suggest a different hobby if it bothers you. Mantids don't live very long.

 
Cheirogaleidae said:
So my Chinese mantis I found two weeks ago is having some health troubles. She has broken two of her feet (which causes her to fall) and the tips of her wings are flaking off. I found a thread from 2005 that says that these are normal signs of aging. Is there anything I can do to slow this process, especially to keep her wings from breaking further?On a happier note, she laid her second ootheca (that she has had whilst a pet, anyway) yesterday and takes crickets with gusto. Hurrah!
Click to expand...
In regards to aging, there's nothing you can do about it. The only thing I can say about keeping her wings from flaking off is to keep her in a larger container with room but this requires her still being able to walk. If she can't walk right, then a larger container probably won't help.

 
Not really any reason to change hobbies, just have to adjust to them going, we all die, it's the livin that counts! U r giving her all she needs, most are not that lucky.

 
Thanks everyone! She seems worse, now one of her front claws is blackened and stuck. I would run a search, but

(1) I think I already read about this and

(2) she's sitting on my hand (and is 'licking' me just now -- not biting -- which is odd), which makes typing a chore.

 
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