Two injured mantids.

[Graph]

I recently caught two female Chinese.

One had one claw knawed off by something. The end of the stump was slightly black. Other than that, she was acting normally, and eating well. Can her claw grow back?

My other female isn't doing as well. Her abdomen is swollen, as if she is about to lay an ootheca, and there is some sort of foriegn material jammed in her lower abdomen. It looks like... Erm, waste. Also, she is sluggish and incredibly hungry. She actually tried to eat my finger. Lastly, one of her eyes is clouded over. It probably just has some dirt on it.

UPDATE: She is eating and seems to have recovered. Maybe she was just hungry...?

Any tips or diagnosis?

 

[Andrew]

Probably just suffering the wear and tear of being old. It's doubtful there is anything you can do.

 

[Rick]

Welcome. Please introduce yourself in the introductions forum.

The one with the missing leg is not a big deal. It is not unusual to find one with a missing leg. The other sounds like she is on her way out.

 

[OGIGA]

Well, it's getting late in the year so mantises aren't going to live too much longer in climates like where I'm at. They've been around for a few months without molting so a lot could of happened and they can't molt out of their problems. I guess, by the way they look, they're about to go.

 

[Morpheus uk]

Depending on age the claw will gorw back, but very slowly, as for the other one it might be a spermetaphore?

 

[joossa]

I recently caught two female Chinese.One had one claw knawed off by something. The end of the stump was slightly black. Other than that, she was acting normally, and eating well. Can her claw grow back?

My other female isn't doing as well. Her abdomen is swollen, as if she is about to lay an ootheca, and there is some sort of foriegn material jammed in her lower abdomen. It looks like... Erm, waste. Also, she is sluggish and incredibly hungry. She actually tried to eat my finger. Lastly, one of her eyes is clouded over. It probably just has some dirt on it.

UPDATE: She is eating and seems to have recovered. Maybe she was just hungry...?

Any tips or diagnosis?

Depending on age the claw will gorw back, but very slowly, as for the other one it might be a spermetaphore?

At this point in the season, most temperate mantids are already adults. And as a mantid needs at least one molt to show partial regeneration, the mantid will not grow it back.

Good luck with them!