Stuck to egg case

[SpartanRage117]

my mantis laid an egg case but didnt move away from it and the case hardened to its rear end, no idea how to deal with this, has anyone faced the same issue?

 

[sporeworld]

Once. I used tweezer and between me and my mantis, we wiggled out with no permanent damage. we were both a little embrarrased, and we don;t make eye contact anymore... ;-)

 

[SpartanRage117]

so basically try to hold the mantis and egg case and just try to pull them gently apart? that was my initial idea but i thought she might get split

 

[sporeworld]

I didn't hold my mantis - she did most of the pulling. I just gently wiggled it away as she tried to GET away. Someone on the forum might be able to tell you if spraying the ooth before hand does anything.

 

[LauraMG]

Well, I've pried the exoskeleton off very carefully with tweezers before, but never an ootheca. It very possibly will molt out of it with it's first molt. Dunno! :lol: Keep us posted on what you do!

 

[Rick]

Just peel it off. It is very common to have a bit of ooth stuck to the abdomen so I smearing can remain on the female. If you go into the wild in the fall you will find mantids with it all the time. That is how you can tell if the females you are catchign have laid on ooth.

 

[SpartanRage117]

Maybe im being misunderstood, its like the whole egg case, and if i try to pull it then it like stretches out her abdomen

 

[PhilinYuma]

Try sheer force. Steady her abdomen and try to slide it off at right angles to her body plane. Does that make sense? If her body is aligned N:S, try moving it off in an E or W direction.Some folks apply a wet brush in an attempt to unstick it. Good luck!

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah, I understand you. I think, with some finesse, you can squeeze the ooth and it will deform a bit, which might help. It may be more wedged in place than glued in. I guess, if nothing else works, you could try the un-tried. See if dunking he backhalf in warmish water does anything. I don't want to be the one suggesting the more drastic measures.

It might even be easier once it's completely dried and become a little more brittle. Or, after a day or so of her not eating, she may just slip out herself.

Can you post us a picture...?

 

[SpartanRage117]

Yeah it looks like this... So water will soften it? cause ill try that

 

[sporeworld]

Yeah, that's my guess. And keep trying to gently wiggle it free, or even glue it to a stick of side of the cage - so SHE can do the work. Let us know how it goes...

 

[SpartanRage117]

I used the water and it came out after alot of soaking and alot of time trying not to rip her, she is healing (no visable damage but im sure it wasn't pleasant) now so we will see what happens i guess

 

[sporeworld]

Yea! Congratulations!