Please Help im a little worried!!

[5ummer5]

Hi All,

My Giant Asian Mantid has been fully grown for a few months now. I have returned home today to see it laying something on the top of the enclosure!! Im not sure how long its been doing it for but it doesnt look like its stopping any time soon!!

The stuff looks white and green and is the consistancy of a paste!

I am a little worried and i am not sure whats happening! :huh:

I will try and post some pics up ASAP!!

Thanks for your help!!

5ummer5

 

[5ummer5]

Here is a photo, if you need anymore let me know and i will post them up!

Thanks Again,

5ummer5

 

[sidewinder]

5ummer5,

It's called an "ootheca" and many shorten that to "ooth". An ootheca is the egg case of a mantid. Your Giant Asian will lay a rather large ootheca if she has been well fed. Unless she has been mated, the ootheca will be sterile.

This is completely natural and nothing to worry about.

Scott

 

[5ummer5]

5ummer5,It's called an "ootheca" and many shorten that to "ooth". An ootheca is the egg case of a mantid. Your Giant Asian will lay a rather large ootheca if she has been well fed. Unless she has been mated, the ootheca will be sterile.

This is completely natural and nothing to worry about.

Scott

Phew!! Many thanks Scott!! I thought thats what it was initially but i didnt think they would lay them unless they were mated. She is well fed so im expecting it to be large! lol!

Well she hasnt had any contact since she was an L4 so im guessing it will be sterile.

 

[The_Asa]

It will be sterile. Sorry , love the green color on the ootheca though

 

[5ummer5]

It will be sterile. Sorry , love the green color on the ootheca though

Thats ok, better that way really! This is only the second mantid i have had and i dont think im quite ready to handle lots of them!

Yeah its quite a nice colour, she is still going for it now! thats about 5 hours so far i think!

 

[Rick]

It will turn tan colored after it dries.

 

[5ummer5]

Hmmmm! Ok she has just layed another! Is this usual?!

Also how long should i leave until i remove it? (it will be sterile)

Thanks!

 

[Rick]

Hmmmm! Ok she has just layed another! Is this usual?!Also how long should i leave until i remove it? (it will be sterile)

Thanks!

Of course it is normal. She will lay one about every four or so weeks. If it is not going to hatch you can remove it whenever you want. It will be easier to move once it has had a week to dry.

 

[5ummer5]

Ahhh ok. Thanks! This is the first mantis i have had that reached adulthood so its all a bit new to me! My other had a poor shed which caused its mouth to be disfigured so it couldnt eat

Thanks for the help and advice!

 

[sk8erkho]

I like that species as well!!! My third species to rear i had a lot of fun with those guys and when she first laid her ooth it was on my curtain. It was soooo perfect too bad she was not mated as the size was huge. she was there laying that one for some time too!!! Sorry to hear about your other mantid. Yeah, if it could not eat that's pretty messed up. I have hand fed some of mine which had bad moults as well!!! I have even had to assist my babies through a potential bad moult with a magnifying glass and a fine needle!!! we do what we must!!!!!