Raptorial Problems

[Brazilian_Magewick]

Today My Adult South American Green mantis broke the "foot" part of his raptoral. He's having a hard time climbing, and hes going ballistic, trying to fly/crawl around his cage (haven't seen him try to fly before now).

Is there anything I can do to help him, or is he doomed to live in pain and misery for the rest of his days?

 

[Paradoxica]

I've seen this with old mantids. It seems to help to give them small branches that they can use the actual claw to grab onto.

 

[fleurdejoo]

There is a post on here somewhere of a prosthetic someone made for their mantis.

 

[Brazilian_Magewick]

I've seen this with old mantids. It seems to help to give them small branches that they can use the actual claw to grab onto.

Yeah I think I'm going to give him a cloth plant that My Bearded dragon use to have in its cage. He seems to be able to climb okay, I'm just worried about him Hunting.

There is a post on here somewhere of a prosthetic someone made for their mantis.

A noble solution, however He's pretty small, and I probably won't make him one.

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I doubt he is in pain. Insects in general tend to recover quickly from little injuries like loosing a portion of a limb. Chances are he lost it flying/leaping around his cage, which is perfectly normal behavior for a male. He wants to find some lady mantises. Normally they do this during the dark hours of night but sometimes they can get the crazy urge to roam during the daylight hours too.

 

[Brazilian_Magewick]

Should I let him roam around a bathroom or something over night, or is it better to keep him in the cage

 

[Coneja]

So the raptorial curve itself is intact, but the little foot they stand on (tarsus, I believe) is missing? I'm inclined to think he can live a fully functional life if he has easy-to-climb decorations, which it sounds like you're doing. One of my nymphs came to me missing a front tarsus, and although he seemed to "favor" that leg slightly when walking and had issues climbing his walls, he was still able to hunt fine. I also know a few members on here who had old adult mantids and just "helped" them around whenever they were out. They still lived long/fulfilled lives so I think your guy will be okay. Good luck.

 

[Orin]

Should I let him roam around a bathroom or something over night, or is it better to keep him in the cage

If you let a mantis roam around the house it is likely to get in trouble. You wouldn't believe how many ways a mantis can damage itself.