Spiny Flower Mantis looks like it goes dizzy

[matm1357]

Hello, I'm new here and I'm hoping to get some help with my male L4 flower mantis. It's my first time keeping them, recently I've noticed some off behaviour with one of them, it looks like he just goes dizzy and can't keep its balance right, it's almost like it goes into a fit. I've attached a video of what he does, its not great quality but I think you can kind of see. The temperature is 26 degrees with a humidity of around 60. If someone could help me out I'd be so grateful. Thanks Mat

View attachment AC44D20D-1FE4-4E88-9092-77B2249C409A.mov

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I’ve seen spinies do this when they are about to molt.

 

[matm1357]

I’ve seen spinies do this when they are about to molt.

That would make sense since he's gone off his food, although he molted last week. Can they molt within such a short period of time?

 

[Rango100]

like Mr. ghost mantis said it just means that they just want to molt. I had a sub male do this. Its completely normal. 

 

[matm1357]

Thank you for your help, I'm not so worried now! Appreciate it.

 

[matm1357]

like Mr. ghost mantis said it just means that they just want to molt. I had a sub male do this. Its completely normal. 

Sadly this wasn't a shed, I found him dead earlier. So I'm not sure what has happened, thank you for your advice though! 

 

[MrGhostMantis]

I’m sorry for your loss  

 

[Rango100]

I am very sad to hear that. What did you feed him? This may have been a contributing food  if it was something like crickets. 

 

[matm1357]

I am very sad to hear that. What did you feed him? This may have been a contributing food  if it was something like crickets. 

Over a month ago I think I fed him crickets, and he seemed to have a bad reaction to it but was fine after a day or two after, so I changed his food over, although I had all my mantids on crickets and I haven't seen anything wrong with any of them. But since then I have changed them all over to other feeders as I didn't want that to happen again. So it could have been something to do with that one cricket? 

 

[nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e]

Crikey - I'm so sorry for your loss. That definitely looked neurological to me, no idea what caused it. Again, I'm very sorry - he had some beautiful colouration

 

[matm1357]

Crikey - I'm so sorry for your loss. That definitely looked neurological to me, no idea what caused it. Again, I'm very sorry - he had some beautiful colouration

Thank you i appreciate it. I'd managed to find a reddit post while I was searching for possible causes and there was a similar description to mine that seemed to have been neurological due to too much inbreeding, but it could have been anything. Yeah I'm really guttered he was very pretty! 

 

[Rango100]

yes it is quite possible. I have had issues with crickets in the past. normally they vomit or lose balance. This is especially true for flower species like yours.  It is much better to feed flies or roaches to flower species. Happy to help. 

 

[matm1357]

yes it is quite possible. I have had issues with crickets in the past. normally they vomit or lose balance. This is especially true for flower species like yours.  It is much better to feed flies or roaches to flower species. Happy to help. 

Thanks again, I really appreciate it!