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Matt Deringer

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My African Budwing Mantis has lost 3 of his legs in the last 2 weeks. He now only has 1 back leg and his 2 front legs. At this point I don't think he's going to be able to eat live food. I really don't know what to do he's my little buddy. Any ideas? I really don't want him to suffer.

 
If you squish a small cricket a little so it doesn't move, then with tongs offer it leg first to the mantis, the mantis will start nibbling on the leg and then take the cricket and eat it. I do this a lot with my mantids and they eventually will be really receptive to hand feeding . Good luck with your budwing.

 
I don't know how, last week I noticed 2 had fell off, and the today 1 more. He's about 7 months old and hasn't grown wings yet, so you think they may grow back?

 
sally said:
If you squish a small cricket a little so it doesn't move, then with tongs offer it leg first to the mantis, the mantis will start nibbling on the leg and then take the cricket and eat it. I do this a lot with my mantids and they eventually will be really receptive to hand feeding . Good luck with your budwing.
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I saw someone on here make a prosthetic, maybe you could make "supports"? I don't know how that would work, though. Especially if he's still molting.

 
I wouldn't try that if he doesn't have him wings yet (and therefore would still be molting). if he's seven months old, he probably won't grow them back all the way, but he'll grow them back a bit each molt. Could you post a pic?

 
When he's not able to catch his own food, you got to end up hand-feeding, instead. You can use a needle, as well as other items such as tongs or tweezers. I squish the prey so the guts spill out then put the guts on the mantid's mouth. When there are wet guts there, it's easier to taste, and they usually take it right away. Then you can release it and their maxillae and mandibles are quite strong so they can hold onto the prey by the excreting guts alone. And the legs won't grow back entirely if he's already 7 months old.

 
So, I'm happy to say after an hour of being attacked he ate 1/4 of a cricket. Very difficult to coddle him so he could eat, I actually had to delicately hold him in his torso/ back area while he ate. I'm glad he ate and I'll do what I have to to keep him fed, I would say happy but I can't imagine what he's going through with 3 legs missing. I couldn't get any pics and wasn't willing for him to suffer while I tried to get pics. Thanks everyone and I'll keep you posted.

 
Matt Deringer said:
So, I'm happy to say after an hour of being attacked he ate 1/4 of a cricket. Very difficult to coddle him so he could eat, I actually had to delicately hold him in his torso/ back area while he ate. I'm glad he ate and I'll do what I have to to keep him fed, I would say happy but I can't imagine what he's going through with 3 legs missing. I couldn't get any pics and wasn't willing for him to suffer while I tried to get pics. Thanks everyone and I'll keep you posted.
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your obviously a good owner if your spending that much time to help feed him. i had a stink bug that lost three legs and had trouble walking but still lived a good while after it. i bet your mantid will be okay as long as you hand feed him.

 
I have a female S.carolina nymph that got her forelegs stuck in a molt. At first she freaked out to being hand fed, but now that she is on to it, she will lean down and eat a disabled fly or 2 if I drop it in for her. I have never restrained a mantis to feed, I only introduce the food to the mouth. Sometimes it takes quite a few times as the creature is frightened.

I also have a one legged roach, she has a couple of femurs, but only one intact leg (in a container designated for injured roaches) that needed to be hand fed. Now she scoots herself to the food dish even when there are 2 other roaches in there that have all legs, but facial and mouth injuries. My roaches will not take normal food by hand feeding. I give them the royal jelly infused honey and they can't seem to resist. The one legger had to lay on her back while I fed her pond sticks that were softened with the royal jelly stuff and water.

Every injured creature gets some royal jelly and it hasn't harmed any. I actually think it helps alot. It is in a tub that says "now

Royal

Jelly"

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Thanks everyone, I'm happy to say feeding number 2 went a lot smoother and he ate a whole cricket this time. I will say it's lucky their mandibles aren't sharp enough to do much damage. It's actually pretty sad but after he's done biting he gets to eating.

 

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