The death of my sphodromantis lineola

[Blowfishy]

Hi guys,

I had a Sphodromantis Lineola for a couple of months now. But a couple of minutes ago, I froze my mantis.

The mantis tried to molt, but he didn't molt on the tall branch but on a leaf on the bottom of my enclosure. Because of this my mantis couldn't hang. When I woke up the mantis scared the sh*t out of me..Because he didn't molt on the top of my enclosure, the mantis was completely destroyed...I think this is pretty weird because my mantis already molted like 5 times and all those times the mantis hanged on the tall branch in the top of the enclosure and not on a leaf...

My question is: Is it normal that a mantis sometimes chooses the wrong spot to molt on? There is a branch in my enclosure but instead the mantis has chosen a leaf on the ground to molt on...

here are some pics:

It looked pretty scary because the mantis is still alive on those pictures. I've put the mantis in the freezer now because it couldn't walk at all and because his large arms were also bent by the failed molt...He was also eating himself and blood came out of his mouth.

It reminded me of the Alien movie. This was my first mantis and I really liked it. I'll have to buy a new mantis soon, though ;P

Regards,

Blowfishy

 

[Katnapper]

I'm sorry to hear of your loss. Being your only mantis, and having him that long before his unfortunate end, makes it tough. "Normally" mantids choose appropriate molting sites if they are available. But occasionally, obviously, there are times they don't. It's just one of those things. There was nothing you could have done to prevent it, as it appears you had an appropriate place... he just didn't use it for some reason.

Edit: PS... I'm glad you're considering getting another one already.

 

[Rick]

Welcome to the site. It happens to all of us from time to time. This is one reason I rarely use anything in the cage except for the smallest of nymphs. That way they have no choice but to molt from the bottom of the lid.

 

[Andredesz]

Hey Blowfishy,

I'm so sorry that happened to you. I know it that scary feeling when you wake up to some manty disaster. I would echo that it's not anything that you did, and you have a nice enclosure there. Are you in the US? I can send you a couple Chinese mantid nymphs, I have a bunch of them.

-Carol

 

[Blowfishy]

Hi,

Thanks for the reactions. Really thx for offering me a mantis, but unfortunately I live in the Netherlands and not in the USA...I'll look for a new mantis soon. I really like the mantis as a pet, because they are easy to keep and they're real killers. I buried my mantis in my garden.

I'll remove the leaves from my enclosure, then it'll never happen again

Regards,

Blowfishy

 

[hibiscusmile]

Hi Blowfish, heres to a better and new start with them!