So my T.sinensis ooth hatched two weeks ago and the few nymphs I have kept have undergone their first instar. All of the nymphs except one have doubled in size. One nymph has grown just slightly bigger than before it molted but has not doubled in size like the others. My question is this: could this smaller nymph possibly be a male? I know that females are bigger than males and all of the other nymphs grew proportionately after their instar except this one. Whatever it is it's more outgoing than the others and it walks right up to the magnifying glass and say "hello" while swaying back and forth and turning it's head from side to side. It is one that I will be definitely keeping an eye on as it has really piqued my curiosity as to it's gender. Thanks to any and all who can educate me on this one.
T.sinensis nymph question
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This one has just not molted yet.
Digger
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rep, ive raised a lot of t. sinensis. if youre sure hes molted, but is small, I call them "runts". they often mature to be my favorites. and with his reported personality I would treat him as a special keeper!
Thanks to all for your responses. It has definitely molted as the exuvia is still hanging from the stick in it's container and it is now slightly bigger and green instead of tiny and brown like before. I was also thinking it was a "runt" myself. It is a special keeper because of it's outgoing "personality". This mantis will be getting extra attention.
hum, never seen that... I must be lucky as well as blind!!! :tt2:
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As of 4/16 this mantis is still tiny. The other mantises have grown much bigger,almost an inch at least but this mantis is still soooo small. Obviously a runt,but a runt with a huge appetite and a great "personality".
Falconerguy
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Keep us updated! I'd love to hear how his little life cycle goes.
PookaDotted
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Yes I agree with falconerguy! i love runts 
My dog was the runt of his litter.
My dog was the runt of his litter.
ive honestly never seen a runt before. size differences have only been very slight. nothing drastic. are you sure the bigger ones arent at L3 (2 molts)? he could be at L2 (meaning he molted once). maybe hes just not at L3 yet. ive had t sinensis before they usually have their first molt the first week and their second molt the second week. it doesnt usually take two weeks for them to have their first molt. if they really did just have their first molt i guess he truly is a runt, but i just never saw that before. just thought id share my opinion
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Thank you all for your interest in my "runt". It had it's 3rd molt last week and is still so much smaller than the others. I gave it a piece of boiled chicken tonight and it attacked it with gusto. I will update again as for it's size after it's next molt.
PookaDotted
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Can you post pictures?
Sticky
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Sticky was something of a runt. His brothers were much bigger also and strong where Sticky was a weakling. He had plenty to offer though, he taught me how to care for a special mantis is, how to handfeed etc.
He also had the special ability to catch people's hearts!
He also had the special ability to catch people's hearts!
devetaki9
Well-known member
I had one whole ooth hatch and be tiny little guys and gals
I totally agree with Digger and Sticky <3 I love them just as much as my big guys and gals!
I totally agree with Digger and Sticky <3 I love them just as much as my big guys and gals!
Unfortunately the runt fell while molting last night. Only one raptorial arm managed to work its way out of the exuvia. The other 5 legs were still encased. It was still alive and struggling this morning but was beyond my help. I had to feed it to another mantis to put it out of it's misery. Now I will never know if it was a boy or girl. Such as life,I guess.
Thanks. It is not the first I have lost in that manner. I lost two others to bad molts two days in a row. But they provide food for the other mantises so it works out in the end. I am down to eight mantises now. Keeping my fingers crossed that I still have a good gender mix for breeding.
It tends to happen with little nymphs. Especially this species, at least for me. They tend to get stuck in their skin. They need a lot of misting. It sucks when it happens over night as you're asleep because even if you misted before bed, if it dried up and they started molting before you woke up, then there is nothing you can do. It's always disappointing. I'm sure you still have a good gender mix considering the amount of mantids you have.
