shedding probs

[bruty2fruity]

i have 4 chinese mantids. i mist them twice daily and they are fed a varied diet. yet when it comes to shedding sometimes they have difficulty

there all kept in exactly the same conditions but some of them get stuck.

i had to help one out this morning otherwise he woulda died. he sem ok apart from one of his legs is bandy but that should be ok by next moult right?

the temp is 20c and the humidity is 60-70%

the only thing i owe it to was a sudden temperature drop this morning.

any suggestions?

 

[Mike]

I dont think that the chinese mantids need that much humidity do they 0_o? Some one correct me if im wrong.

 

[bruty2fruity]

just going by what a book says :?

well hes fine now. just call him tripod. one of his legs has gone curly. is it best to leave it or snip it off so that he moults fine next time?

 

[Mike]

um hmmmmm i guess u could snip it off? or just let it be and it shoudl correct itsself. But dont do this before other ppl reply and see what they have to say.

 

[bruty2fruity]

its not in the way or aything. just up in the air. he can jiggle it about i just dont want him having a dodgy leg later on in life.

 

[Rick]

Try to mist them less often. Every day is too much. I mist all my mantids every few days and don't usually have molting problems.

 

[bruty2fruity]

there only level 4/5 nyphys. every other day ok... it wasnt until i misted him that he managed to finally wrigle free. im not rubishing ur advice im just a noob so i am curious

 

[nympho]

shedding problems could be a sign of inbreeding in my opinion. ive had the same problem with some mantids. my evidence is having two lots of the same species of mantids from different breeders all living in the same partitioned cage and having the same diet; all are healthy for ages then one lot start to have moult issues (ie bandy legs and getting stuck) and the others didnt.

 

[bruty2fruity]

has anyone ever seen a mantis shivver?

 

[Yosei]

Shivering? or swaying? But, if you mean by shiver, I've seen mine like shiver somewhat but it only lasted like 2-4 secs.

 

[bruty2fruity]

yeah he just shakes for 2 secconds then stops its funny. but crazy. also the mantid in question above can use his leg properly and isnt in any trouble atall. ill leave him be

 

[Sexi-lexi]

Moths shiver. but thats cos many of them are nocternal and they are pikilotherms and as there isn't a huge amount of ambient thermal energy at night they shiver to raise their body temperature to increase their metabolic rate so they can sustain flight! but mantids on the other hand, don't see why they'd shiver, some spaz out a little before a moult to 'loosen' up... but meh...

 

[bruty2fruity]

the mantid in question now hangs by one leg on the top of the enclosure...this morning i found him on the floor of the cage...i dont think it looks good tbh