Really sick male ghost mantis

[PlayingMantis]

I am really upset that my one and only male ghost is sick. I raised him from L4 and he is subadult, which is such a shame, since he is supposed to be the future mate for my lovely green female.

So this is what happened:

*warning: some details may be a bit gross, so don't read further if you just had dinner!*

About ten days ago, he seemed very hungry one day and ate two small crickets.

Last week, I noticed something strange with his poop - the poop seemed to clump together at his rear end, and I had to manually wipe it off.

Last Saturday, I noticed that he pointed the tip of this abdomen downwards, similar to the position a female takes while calling, and spewed a little bit of brownish liquid. I assume that is diarrhea?

Last Sunday, he molted to subadult.

Yesterday, I noticed some light brown spots of liquid in his enclosure. I wasn't sure which end it came from, because I was at work during the day. I tried giving him water, but he refused to drink I fed him a little honey, but all he did was to wipe his mouth (even though he did not vomit).

Today after I get home, I notice a few more darker brown spots of liquid. I again tried offering him some water, but when disturbed, he suddenly started vomiting a tan colored liquid. He looks weaker than yesterday, and I'm sure he is dehydrated, but I am unable to get him to drink anything.

I don't know what to do at this point. I've had a few cases of mantids vomiting before, but they always recovered after drinking some honey and/or water. And yes, I do keep my crickets for 24+ hrs just to make sure they're fine.

 

[Paradoxica]

You can lightly mist him in the face/on the raptors and he'll clean himself off by drinking the water.

 

[Sticky]

Could this be the black death? It might be a good idea to switch to flies instead of crix. Ghosts love them and they dont cause so many health troubles.

 

[PlayingMantis]

Thanks guys, yeah I tried spraying him, but he seemed too weak to move his raptorials. His other four legs are able to grasp the mesh top of his enclosure, but his raptorials (and mandibles) barely move. Bummer. I don't think he's gonna last long

I've been wondering if it's the black death. I actually tried searching for this forum and from what I gathered, the main symptoms are vomiting and wasting away. I've read that the vomit is often black and smells terrible. I tried smelling the vomit and there is little to no smell - maybe a tinge of vinegar?- but I can't be 100% sure because my nose isn't fully functional, since I have a cold.

I just can't believe he went downhill so fast. I've read horror stories of mantises eating bad crickets. I know this isn't conclusive evidence...I know it doesn't prove that crickets cause death, but I am going to feed my ghosts (and my other mantids) flies now...well, as much as possible!

 

[I_love_mantids]

I don't think it's feeding it crickets. my ghosts don't have issues from crickets. Maybe try another place to buy crickets.

 

[Digger]

I've had several T. sinensis go through this - but never pre adult. "Black Death" is a term a lot of us use for any number of fearsome symptoms. I use it for these symptoms. Frass is ill formed and there is occasional vomiting, particularly if water is taken. I've found if the vomit has a sharp, distinctly vinegar odor, things are serious. My Parasphendale affinis, Ponder, went through these exact symptoms at the very end of her very long life. It was very difficult to watch. But her dilemma was the result of old age. Yours may be poisoning or a bacteria / virus.

I have fed all my mantids store-bought crickets over 5 years and never experienced a problem which I could relate to the crix. But I am VERY careful to thoroughly gut load the crix for 48 hours with very nutritious food. And I never, ever feed them carrots (that did cause a problem with two Chinese).

Sorry to read your note. Interesting. You have a viral infection. Is it at all possible????

 

[Sticky]

Crickets are evil!!

 

[Extrememantid]

I don't think it's feeding it crickets. my ghosts don't have issues from crickets. Maybe try another place to buy crickets.

It's happened many times before, you didn't get the same batch if crickets as Playingmantis did you? It's very possible the cricket had an infection or disease

 

[sally]

Make sure to switch the enclosure to a clean one and thoroughly wash everything that was in the old one including the lid. Keep trying the honey and water.Sometimes I use a diluted honey drop.I would keep him warm and humid but I wouldn't let him sit directly on moist substrate. What kind of substrate are you using atm? I hope he gets better for you.

 

[Aryia]

Hope he gets better! Make sure his enclosure isn't too "wet" either. I was too diligent with misting with one of my ghosts and he ended up vomiting black/brown liquid several times. He got better on his own after I stopped misting as much, though he did not show any lethargy.

Is there any chance your ghost could be close to molting? Some mantises vomit prior to molting, and weakness is sometimes associated with an incoming molt too. Trying to offer a more optimistic outlook : )

 

[hibiscusmile]

Sorry, he's a goner!

 

[PlayingMantis]

Thanks everyone for your help. I use paper towels as a substrate, and he was hanging upside down from the mesh at the top of the enclosure...until today, when he was too weak to grasp the net and fell to the bottom.

So he is practically dead now. I found a little bit of black stuff on his rear end, which may be dried diarrhea or some sort of internal infection.

*Sigh* I don't take it very well when my mantids die. I still can't believe this happened. And my poor little ghost girl is now without a mate.

 

[Digger]

I dont take these incidences well either. I've lighted a candle for your ghost.. And does a ghost become a ghost??

 

[PlayingMantis]

Thanks...I am going to bury him in a special resting place. I hope his spirit has found a better place in the world beyond. R.I.P little guy.

 

[hibiscusmile]

sorry to hear, but knew it was near :{

 

[sally]

Awww sorry

 

[Digger]

Sorry to read this.