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Katnapper said:
I'm sorry. :( I don't think you or they did anything wrong. If he wasn't molting, I'm not sure what could have been wrong with him. Praying mantids are usually pretty simple to keep, but sometimes they do just die. There is still a world of knowledge yet to be learned about them. Many times when something goes wrong, we just don't know. Pseudoharpax virescens, for me, isn't the easiest mantis. I've had a high percentage of deaths with the ones I've hatched, and I'm not really sure why.

Please try not to feel so bad... there was likely nothing anyone could do for him.
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Thank you very much for your kind words. My brother is very upset, so I don't think we'll get another mantis for a while, but when we do I'll look at some easier species.

Your help has been much appreciated!

 
think about getting at least five next time. The sudden death syndrome happens to all of us every once in a while. Sometimes you just dont know why!

 
superfreak said:
think about getting at least five next time. The sudden death syndrome happens to all of us every once in a while. Sometimes you just dont know why!
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This morning, I checked my nine giant shield nymphs, and noticed that in one pot the flies that I had fed last night were still flying around (they were long gone in all the others). He had identical conditions and food to the others and was way too old for SIDS, but there he was, dead as a doornail at the bottom of the pot. It's sad but true, as Rick and Superfreak have said, it just happens a lot more among mantids, who are unlikely to live for a year anyway, than it does for most pets. Safety in numbers, that's the answer!

BUT I also agree that grieving for lost friends or pets or anything we love is the price that we pay for that love, and a little grieving over a dead mantis may be a Good Thing.

 
PhilinYuma said:
That's Doctor Katnapper to you, mate. If you don't believe me, wait until she sends you her bill! :D
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:p

LectricBlueyes said:
I think he's got Manti-Aid. Medical coverage which will fully cover Mantagra for those more.. inactive breeding sessions though it will NOT cover the Mantid-Birth control crickets. ;) Of course, the molting problem is a pre-existing condition so he might have to pay in full! Where is Mantid Moore when you need a good docu-drama!?
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:lol:

PhilinYuma said:
BUT I also agree that grieving for lost friends or pets or anything we love is the price that we pay for that love, and a little grieving over a dead mantis may be a Good Thing.
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^_^

superfreak said:
think about getting at least five next time. The sudden death syndrome happens to all of us every once in a while. Sometimes you just dont know why!
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;) :)

 
Heads up. My first praying mantis, which I got about 2 months ago was a Gambian Spotted Eye. Always did great, healthy, ate his fruit flies, pinheads, and now small crickets. Always kept him in a deli cup with a lid that has cloth on it. Just got 32oz deli cups today. Added some of that moss-stuff everyone suggests which you can get at a lot of places but I happen to buy mine from Mantisplace. He's a sub adult. I'm assuming this as I've not kept strict records of his molts but he had wing buds and the spots were big as ever and he was a nice white color. Anyway... 6 hours later, dead. Found him tangled and underneath a lump of that moss ######. Sad to see him go. I know, he's an insect but he was my first. I'm sticking to the foam circles that fit perfectly at the bottoms of the cups. My mantids NEVER get tangled in the foam, I can easily wash the poop and pee or feeder guts right off of the foam, no problem and nothing can get under the foam as it's literally a PERFECT fit. Oh sure, we could go into details.... did I over humidify? under humidify? are you sure he wasn't molting? did a cricket get him? was the moss contaminated? Well, the answer is mostly no. He didn't molt, the cricket was nowhere near him from what I could tell... the humidity was normal as usual... he doesn't look like a mismolt but the odd thing is... those wing "buds" or maybe they were wings.. were all opened up like a parachute... I can only assume he freaked out when he couldn't get out from under the lump of moss ###### and he tried with wings and legs to escape, which would explain why his wings were open.

I'm getting pretty frustrated with this hobby lately. I've had like 5 deaths in the last month. It's annoying when you get tons of advice, do the research... I wake up in the morning, first thing I do.. I get out of bed and check them, I get home from work, I check them, I go to bed... I check them. I buy all the stuff I"m told to buy and I feed them the stuff I'm supposed to feed them. Yea, I'm frustrated and I know death is inevitable and I know I'm new... and before you say it Rick, I know they aren't dogs. ;) Anyway, good night.. I need sleep lol obviously. Thanks forum, needed to vent :p

 

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