Shedding mantis

[angelaluvbug]

I have a somewhat retarded mantis that didn't understand concept of hanging upside down. It then decided to shed on floor of enclosure. Got stuck in shedding process. I got most of the skin off to where it had full use of all legs but is not moving around. Don't think bug will make it this time. If this happens again, what is best thing to do?

Thanks Angela

 

[hibiscusmile]

It is hard to save them, he may of just fell off, just try to have humidity up when shedding and make sure they have water every day.

 

[Rick]

Welcome to the forum.

There isn't much if anything you can do in that situation.

 

[Insect-lover]

Well, i will tell the truth and tell that the ootheca i aquired some days ago isn't my first one.

My first one was also a chinese, but i was young and foolish in that time, still i got to grow my chinese to a nice size.

He once tried to shed on the wall of the cage during night, i had school on the next day morning so i was a bit confused trying to decide what to do.

I ended up picking him and making him shed the rest, by holding the mantis upside down, wich actually worked very well, but i stayed up all night on it.

Thanks to that he got to live some more weeks....

I loved that guy....

 

[dgerndt]

The most you can do is just pick them up by the shedding skin and hold them upside-down. They freak out a little bit, but they eventually finish up the molt.