Rhombodera Basalis female sick

[crabbypatty]

I've run into my first problem with my basalis. My mated female has been vomiting and today I found her crawling at the bottom of her enclosure. I'm not sure what I did wrong, she's on the same diet as all my other mantids. I've been especially careful with her since she will be producing nymphs. I've been giving her honey and water but today she's refusing everything. I'm hoping for a miracle, but so far it doesn't look good. The thing that makes me more sad is that she has begun to look gravid. Not sure what to do at this point. 

 

[Zeppy44]

Sorry to hear this. Have no idea here to help. Could it have been too much honey? Could the water have been bad? If you used a eye-dropper, was it contaminated?

Recently had first surprise death of female ghost I was getting ready to mate. Found belly up with only minute (very minute) raptor movement. 2 days later gone.  But no vomiting.

 

[crabbypatty]

@Zeppy44 I'm giving her honey with water for energy, but I hadn't given her any before she got sick. I dilute it cuz I noticed that some mantids don't like undiluted honey, and she's one of them. I think maybe her enclosure didn't have enough air flow, but I have the same setup for all of them, and hers is the biggest. I did notice a few black spots on wings, not sure what that could mean though. I checked her a couple of minutes ago and she took water, and I've switched her to an all net cage for now. Sorry to hear about your ghost, I guess sometimes, no matter what you do, they get sick and die

 

[Zeppy44]

Aye. Sometimes it just happens. No matter what you do.

 

[Zuzu]

Sounds like an isolated incident. Can mantises become sick from being gravid?

 

[crabbypatty]

@Zuzu They can die if they refuse to lay. She only just mated though so I don't think that's it. I may never know. It could've been one bad feeder, who knows. She's got really bad eye rub, but I don't know if that can cause sickness. She's been constantly rubbing her eyes. 

 

[crabbypatty]

@Zeppy44 I know, I just feel terrible about it. 

 

[KevinsWither]

Hmmm in the future, I would recommend giving gravid mantises plants (houseplants) so that they can lay ooths on them. 

 

[crabbypatty]

@KevinsWither She's been throwing up, and she was only recently mated, I don't think that was the problem. I think maybe she ate something bad, but I'm not positive.

 

[KevinsWither]

Did you feed her crickets? If you didn't, then did you feed your feeders any foods from a grocery store? Could of been that. 

 

[crabbypatty]

@KevinsWither no crickets, and I feed gutted mealworms/ superworms. I feed them oatmeal, potato, or apples. Maybe she just got a bad one. 

 

[KevinsWither]

As for mantids, I would feed roaches. Or flies and moths. Mealworms and superworms (crickets too) are really like fast food for mantids, good for a pinch but bad in general. This is due to the conditions they are kept in at pet stores. 

 

[crabbypatty]

@KevinsWither I try and feed flies when available. I can get roaches but I know myself and if one crawled on me I would freak. I tried getting waxworms to pupate but they just ended up dying. Flies are so short lived, I will check out bait and tackle shops close to me and see if they have maggots. I've wanted to see if I can get them to pupate, that would be amazing, plus cost effective. If I can do that then for sure that'd be my primary feeder. Thanks for your input, I'll have to try that now. 

 

[Sarah K]

I am so sorry to hear about your mantis, did she pull through? I have had mantises vomit like that before, and after a day or so they seem fine. Iam hoping this is how it goes for you. **Fingers Crossed***

 

[crabbypatty]

@Sarah K Unfortunately I came home and found her twitching and unable to hang. Not sure what happened to her, but she kept clawing at her eye spots. Perhaps it was a combination of several things. I had to put her in the freezer, it was obvious that she was in pain at that point. ?

 

[Zuzu]

I'm sorry  

 

[crabbypatty]

@Zuzu thank you, it never gets easier. 

 

[Mantis_M]

@Zuzu thank you, it never gets easier. 

I am sorry that happened to you . She could have had internal parasites, a bug illness, or just got bad luck of the draw with genetics. I believe bugs have random illnesses aswell.

Hopefully you feel better soon, and remember the good memories because that's what the hobbies about

Have a blessed week, pal

~Michael

 

[Sarah K]

I am so sorry for your loss.