My Mantis spent the last 2 days laying on his back on the floor doing a great impression of what i thought was dying! Now he is up and back to hanging from the top of his cage, however he seems very weak and one of his back legs seems to be broken. he has not yet moulted ( how often do they do this?) and he doesn't seem to be. Should i just leave him alone? I know your not supposed to feed them when there moulting but I really can't tell, should I put a cricket in even though he seems to weak to catch a meal? The book I have does not cover this stuff! Also, I'm wondering how I came to be so attached to a little green bug, I am NOT a bug person. LOL. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks.
So confused!
- Thread starter KMarie
- Start date
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LauraMG
Well-known member
You can put a cricket in there and keep an eye on it. Crickets will eat a mantis if they can. Sometimes they'll surprise you and seem very weak until the prey comes along, sudden burst of energy and meal! I'm amazed that after 2 days on it's back it springs to life! I hope it's an upward trend!
elf run1
Well-known member
Yes and no. What she means is that a cricket can and sometimes will chew on an injured, weak, or sick mantis. A cricket isn't going to bother a healthy mantis except if the mantis fell or something during a molt. The risk is slight with crickets, but some people blow it out of proportion.
None of what you describe about your mantis sounds normal. Most likely it will not survive.
Very unusual for it to get up, must of been vacationing
ismart
Well-known member
It could just be weak prior to a molt? Just keep it warm and humid, and see what happens?
