Strange color, been several days getting more and more. Molting?

[jacobkelley0292]

How long should the mantis take to molt at this size, I feel like it's been at least a week.

This is the probably the 5th or sixth molt.

Also at one point a few weeks ago mantis ate crickets from petco and seemed to be sick. Runny brown excrement, then didn't eat for several days.

Also Also, a few days ago there was mold in enclosure. Mantis was moved out while enclosure was cleaned. Ate a big meal worm around this time.

 

[Mystymantis]

Unfortunately it looks like your mantis is sick. It has a type of bacteria infection possibly. If the mantis was expelling brownish black stuff that means it is sick, probably from the cricket. There is a name for the possible disease, that is illness from eating crickets and expelling brownish black stuff, but I can't recall it at the moment sorry.
Mold is also not good for mantises health and its good you got it out of the enclosure.
Best thing you can do for the mantis is feed it water and see if it recovers. Try feeding it some honey also.

 

[Mystymantis]

And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but mantises with this illness do not usually recover. And from the pictures I would say your mantis is quite ill. I am so sorry!

 

[jacobkelley0292]

And I hate to be the bearer of bad news but mantises with this illness do not usually recover. And from the pictures I would say your mantis is quite ill. I am so sorry!

Thanks for this information.

 

[Synapze]

that is illness from eating crickets and expelling brownish black stuff, but I can't recall it at the moment sorry.

I believe many people refer to it as the black death.