shedding

[luketheluke]

hi I woke up earlier around 8 and my baby mantis had been shedding his skin he was nearly all out appart from his back 4 legs and its now 5 in the afternoon and he is still in the same position, does it normally take this long? is there anything i can do to help him?

 

[Rick]

No it's not normal. The actual molt only takes a few minutes at most. He is stuck. It may be too late. However you can try to slightly dampen the stuck area and gently try to pull him out. But since the legs are stuck he will likely be stuck in that position. There really isn't much you can do.

 

[OGIGA]

When it's stuck that long, there is usually not much hope left. I've helped mantises out of molts like that but their legs are bent and the mantises can't use them. Basically, they'll be crippled.

 

[luketheluke]

thanks for the fast replys guys

i helped him out his skin but he just lay there moving his abdomen a tiny bit so i put him in the freezer

 

[Rick]

thanks for the fast replys guysi helped him out his skin but he just lay there moving his abdomen a tiny bit so i put him in the freezer

Was for the best. Sometimes it happens.

 

[OGIGA]

I would have fed the crippled mantis to another mantis.

 

[luketheluke]

hah i was thinking about it but i felt sorry for it