Secret molt?

[Falconerguy]

So, since I have gotten my ghostie, he hasn't molted. At least, I think he hasn't. Last week, I noticed he looked significantly larger than usual. I figures he may have molted while I was asleep. Will they eat their shed exoskeleton? That is the only explanation I can think of for not having noticed.

 

[Pyroruby]

I, myself, have always found the skin so far and mine have molted twice.

 

[DinehCaveman]

It may have just puffed up to start molting

 

[Krissim Klaw]

It is very common for them to molt in the middle of the night under the cover of darkness. That being said you should have found a shedding. While mantises can eat sheddings it is highly unlikely a well fed captive one would ever bother munching on something with so little sustanance to it. They also don't typically eat right after shedding. Is there a chance you could have missed seeing the discarded skin? As Dineh mentioned they do also tend to pump up in size some right before a shedding so your mantis could be getting ready to shed if that is the case.

 

[Falconerguy]

Its possible, but he puffed up like, a week and a half ago and was eating readily until just a few hours ago when he chucked a barely eaten pill bug across the enclosure.

 

[Ntsees]

...pill bug ....

Pill bug? Are you feeding it pill bugs or did it just happen to fall into the mantis enclosure?

 

[Falconerguy]

Are pill bugs an issue? He is eating again and still hasn't molted. (Ate a harvestman last night)

 

[Ntsees]

Are pill bugs an issue? He is eating again and still hasn't molted. (Ate a harvestman last night)

No, not really. Mantids tend to prefer soft prey.

 

[Falconerguy]

That might explain why he threw it across the container after a few bites.