so i have two most likely gravid wild caught females who have yet to lay their egg cases? how do i get them to lay? and what are the chances of the eggs actually hatching? these were wild caught mantids i dont know if they mated or not, they werent gravid when i caught them but overtime they became gravid
ooths
- Thread starter CellyBean
- Start date
Help Support Mantidforum:
They lay when they are ready to. You just need to provide them with plenty of sticks and surfaces to lay on. As far as being gravid or not does not matter, as long as the wild caught females were adults when captured they have likely already mated, and probably laid many ooths outside by this time of year too.
My most recent Chinese female (Tenodera sinensis) named Rosy died today, and did not give me a single ooth in the 2 months I had her. She had already laid them all before I brought her in, as she was never gravid during any point I had her. Once they reach old age the ooth laying days are behind them and they tend to live a month or so longer afterwards (sometimes more if a captive bred mantis it seems versus a wild one).
In all the wild mantids that I caught as adults as personal pets, 100% of them laid fertile ooths and hatched normally. There is a chance she was not mated, but the odds are she was bred several times before you got them.
well their abdomens are very very plump and i know its not food weight because i tried to feed them they didnt eat and they've been about the same weight for awhile now
i tried providing sticks it didnt seem to do anything
i tried providing sticks it didnt seem to do anything
Just means they are not ready yet, it can take anywhere from 1-2 weeks typically for them to lay a ootheca. As they are wild caught mantids they will do just fine at room temperature, but if you can raise it a bit to the upper 70s F range it may help them lay faster. Otherwise with the sticks added and decent sized habitats there is little else that can be done except waiting.
There is nothing u can do but wait.
If she is still not laying by that time (a few weeks) it may become a problem.
The few remedies is to try increasing the heat to the top of her temperature zone (as you have not mentioned the mantid species you will have to look at a care sheet for it), swapping her into a larger habitat, besides the many sticks and such try offering a live plant or two as well. Sometimes one of the options will allow her to lay within a few days. Some females can be stubborn on where they want to lay, or can have an issue that prevents it as well.
Again after trying the things listed all you can do is still wait. There is no way to do a cesarean (c-section) on a mantid (neither the eggs or mother would survive), and there is nothing that will start the process itself like labor/contractions (like doctors sometimes do in humans by breaking "their water" or injecting a specific drug).
If she is still gravid at the 1 month mark (or longer) she may be eggbound at that point. It is a condition where the female mantis is unable to lay her ootheca, as it will eventually get stuck if unlaid and she will be physically unable to lay at that point, and although rare it does happen occasionally. In such case the only thing you can do is keep them well fed and happy until they pass away from related complications.
At this point however I would not be worried yet, as some mothers can take awhile, especially for their first ooth.
Okay, I wasn't for sure on that. If raising the temperature just shoot for high 70s F,. Of course they take more heat as they do naturally; however, the temperature in nature drops at night so I would suggest keeping a safe temperature for all around.
With plants just find some that are affordable and will fit your habitat, many garden centers have big mark downs on remaining stock this time of year. I would suggest washing the plants well with water to try and neutralize any chemicals that may be on them before putting them in the habitat.
They will act normally, but just get fatter and fatter.
The only way to know is if they reach the one month mark, or longer, and have not laid a ooth by then they are stuck and eggbound. Even then they will still typically function normally in regards to eating and passing frass (poop) and other activities. It however affects their health and they tend to live shorter lives as adults due to complications from being eggbound.
As Rebecca said they will tend to get larger as they age, and that can be a issue if they fall or hit anything sharp as they can easily burst/rupture.
In the end there is nothing you can truly do for them except trying various things as previously mentioned and hope they will lay their ooths. If they do no lay the ooths all you can do is keep them health for as long as possible.
well one of my girls laid an ooth last night so shes safe and skinny. my other one still hasnt though
Glad to hear one has laid her ooth, much to your relief I imagine. Your other girl will likely lay her ooth as well in the next few days too.
Ditto!
Zeppy44
Well-known member
Yeah!
just thought i share that the final female finally laid her ooth last night along with another female laying her second ooth!
so the total now is female 1 has 1 ooth, female 2 has one ooth and female three has two ooths! females one and two were the ones having trouble laying their ooths btw
so the total now is female 1 has 1 ooth, female 2 has one ooth and female three has two ooths! females one and two were the ones having trouble laying their ooths btw
@CellyBean Great that both females have finally laid their ooths and just needed time. The first ooth tends to be the toughest (if any) and the ooths tend to come much quicker, and often on a almost weekly schedule afterwards.
