My praying mantises tail has been looking strange lately. Every once in a while it will almost fold over onto itself onto the mantises back. Is this normal? His appetite seems have to been very poor lately too. His tail will do that folding thing but then when I check on him a few hours later its back to normal. His had a fly in his enclosure for the past few days and I think he just finished a molt the other day because I see his shell on the bottom of his cage. Any ideas?
Starnge tail behavior
- Thread starter smittys
- Start date
Help Support Mantidforum:
sbugir
Well-known member
Maybe it's nervous? Maybe give him smaller food? Idk, but mine has been acting the same and she hasn't molted yet so that's what I'm assuming. But if yours has molted its either the food, not hungry, or nervous about something. Idk lol 
Oh and by the way, they arent tails, they're abdomens
Oh and by the way, they arent tails, they're abdomens
Last edited by a moderator:
idolomantis
Well-known member
What do mean by folding? if it's like this it's normal:
Some mantids tend to "fold" their tail like that while eating.
Some mantids tend to "fold" their tail like that while eating.
nice ghost mantis!
Yes, like that but it tends to fold over at times where the tip of the "abdomen" (sorry I said tail earlier) actually touches his back. Its the strangest thing. But then it would go back to being straight again.What do mean by folding? if it's like this it's normal:
Some mantids tend to "fold" their tail like that while eating.
idolomantis
Well-known member
Okay, don't worry then
I don't which species you have, but it is like i said, they tend to hold their abdomen while eating.
I don't which species you have, but it is like i said, they tend to hold their abdomen while eating.
Ok, I took a closer look at your picture and yes that is exactly what its doing. Do you know why its doing this? Is the other person who posted he's nervous correct? There is a caddis fly in the cage but nothing that the mantis has not taken down before as far as size goes.What do mean by folding? if it's like this it's normal:
Some mantids tend to "fold" their tail like that while eating.
idolomantis
Well-known member
I don't know why they do that but i do know it's fine, your mantis should just take down prey as usual.
The mantis in my picture is a species that does that 24/7.
The mantis in my picture is a species that does that 24/7.
Thank you for the info. I was really worried there for a while because the other mantis I had died soon after his molt. I actually had to put him in the freezer to end his suffering. Somehow he got stuck during his molt and couldn't feed himself anymore. I hand fed him food and water for several days but when I realized he was not going to heal himself I had to make the hard decision to put an end to his suffering. Thats why I got so nervous with this guy. I didn't want to loose a 2nd one. I think the one I have is the common Chinese Mantis. I bought the kit from Hobbytown USA and sent away for the egg sack (sorry I don't know the proper name for it)
One more question for you guys.....how often should a mantis eat? I've heard anywhere from daily to every few days.
Nymphs of many species do this until they become adult. I feed mantids every other day. I make sure they keep a plump abdomen. They will probably eat daily if you feed them daily. Some people keep food in with them and others feed on a schedule like me. Find what works best for you.
Last edited by a moderator:
revmdn
Well-known member
Nice pics Rick.
You're welcome. I posted those pics so you could see that many species' nymphs curl the abdomen up.
Opivy
Well-known member
how about curling sideways?
My friends caught me a mantis yesterday (not sure what it is yet, will take a pic and post it soon) and he was fine when I first got him (last night). But today when looking at him, his back end was bent sideways, and almost looked like he was injured.
My friends caught me a mantis yesterday (not sure what it is yet, will take a pic and post it soon) and he was fine when I first got him (last night). But today when looking at him, his back end was bent sideways, and almost looked like he was injured.
Well, my little guy didn't make it. Not sure what happened but I found him dead at the bottom of his cage today.
I lost my other one a few weeks ago from a bad molt so I'm not sure what happened to this little guy.
Hmmm... maybe he had just molted in the wild and wasn't ready to be handled yet (too fragile, soft).Well, my little guy didn't make it. Not sure what happened but I found him dead at the bottom of his cage today.
I actually raised him from a baby. I ordered one of those science projects where you get the egg sack and the enclosure. Abot 250 hatched. I let all but 4 go. Two didn't make it at a very young age and then I had the last two in separate cages. One died a couple of weeks ago from a bad molt and the other one was just found this morning on the bottom of his cage dead. Not sure what happened.
I took a closer look at my mantis and noticed 1. he wasn't dead, at least not yet. I picked him up and he moved a tiny bit. He is def. on his way out though. 2. I noticed the tip of his abdomen had a hole in it, almost looks like something was eating away at it
Anyone know what this could be? Can they get some type of mite or parasite that would attack there exoskeleton?
