To Ooth or Not to Ooth?

[SntaCruz83]

It's only been ten days since a pair of my chinese mantises mated, but I have concerns that I'm having trouble finding answers for in the forum (it's tricky for me when you can't search three letter words). First, I was hoping to find out whether it's possible, likely, or rare for a female mantis to mate but not lay an ootheca. My female was just about two weeks into adulthood and somewhat slender at the time of her mating. She stayed latched to the male for about 7 hours before they separated and there hasn't been an increase in appetite whatsoever since then.

Unfortunately, since then her vision seems to have deteriorated and hasn't been very aggressive with her hunting (even butterflies that she usually loves). I hand feed her a medium sized cricket every other day or so but she pretty much refuses to eat any more than that. Regardless, she doesn't seem to be plumping up at all and I'm not sure what to do. Is there any kind of expiration to her being fertile? I mean, if she doesn't start to plump up for a month or two, will she need to be re-mated before then?

Thank you all for your continued patience.

 

[massaman]

Have had females lay nothing at all and then had some lay infertile and fertile ooths so it varies from one mantis and another

 

[Rick]

The mating itself does not seem to change anything. They lay ooths whether mated or not. If she never lays an ooth she will become eggbound and die. Search on eggbound.

 

[massaman]

well I had many females not lay ooths and were never egg bound prob cause I never gave them alot to eat but only had a few die like that