Sudden fatness?

[Mantidkid]

So I fed my mantis a cricket earlier and the mantis was looking healthily plump, about an hour later I go back to check on her and she is about 10x fatter? Why is this?

 

[Mantidkid]

 

[hymenopus]

Oothecae?

 

[Mantidkid]

@hymenopus she is l5 so I dont think she can have an ooth yet

 

[hymenopus]

It might have taken her a while to digest

 

[Mantidkid]

@hymenopus maybe but she's nearly due a molt so it could be that also a question: my rhombodera basalis female ( I think) is l5 how many molts do you think she still has

 

[hymenopus]

Up to 4 I think (Don't know the species very well)

 

[Mantidkid]

@hymenopus okay thanks

 

[izbiggs]

Definitely four molts left if she's an r basilis female; females have nine molts, males have eight! So subadult for her is L8. Also, don't worry about her stomach! It's normal!  

 

[Mantidkid]

@izbiggs okay she seems small for a female compared to other females I've seen is there a reason for this?

 

[hymenopus]

Don't think so, could be just natural.

 

[izbiggs]

@Mantidkid I've had smaller than average mantises too, and they seem to do just as well as their larger siblings. I think a good rule of thumb is if the behavior is normal, the mantis is healthy! 

 

[Mantidkid]

@hymenopus @izbiggs I think my mantis is about to molt although she ate this morn, I would be delighted but she has chosen a spot with the point of a leaf right below her abdomen and it could be really bad, she hasn't actually started molting yet so is there anyway I could get her to move?

 

[izbiggs]

@Mantidkid if you're really worried, go ahead and move her! Make sure she isn't molting, though

 

[Mantidkid]

@izbiggs ah okay thanks for the quick reply and what do you think?

 

[Mantidkid]

Sorry for the bad pic I'll get another one @izbiggs

 

[izbiggs]

Looks good!