Ugh, Horrible Budwing mismolt.

[sbugir]

Hey,

Just had my last budwing molt last night into l3, he came out pretty bad . middle left leg missing, and 1 back leg crippled. He moves pretty slow and doesnt seem to be taking food. Any ideas on what i should do? Any advice is thanked in advace

 

[Rick]

Personally it sounds like I would be feeding him to something else.

 

[[email protected]]

You could try hand feeding (honey in a tooth pick with fresh killed food item).

 

[sbugir]

Rick, I'm not a cold hearted bas... lol jk, but you are probably right. I'm gonna give him a chance. It was my fault...I forgot to spray. But still, can he recover?

 

[Katnapper]

I'd give him a chance. Try handfeeding after a day or two (he may not feel like eating much at first). Cut or break the feeder into an appropriate size, and make sure to have some of the guts to wipe against his mouth so he knows it's food, and that you are trying to feed him. He may be able to eventually catch food himself, and also could possibly re-grow and "fix" legs with the next molt or 2. Best of luck...

 

[sbugir]

I'd give him a chance. Try handfeeding after a day or two (he may not feel like eating much at first). Cut or break the feeder into an appropriate size, and make sure to have some of the guts to wipe against his mouth so he knows it's food, and that you are trying to feed him. He may be able to eventually catch food himself, and also could possibly re-grow and "fix" legs with the next molt or 2. Best of luck...

Thanks, Katnapper, I'll be cutting up some ffs. He was the 7th of 7 budwing to molt , still 6 out of 7 is pretty good.

 

[sbugir]

You could try hand feeding (honey in a tooth pick with fresh killed food item).

Ok, will do thanks

 

[Katnapper]

Thanks, Katnapper, I'll be cutting up some ffs. He was the 7th of 7 budwing to molt , still 6 out of 7 is pretty good.

You probably won't have to cut the ff up... just smash them a little so he can taste the blood and know it's food. I use a long needle, or you could use a toothpick, or strip a wire twist tie and skewer the fly on one end. The trick is to use something thin, long, and unobtrusive... gently poke him in the mouth so he gets some juice and knows it's food, and try not to frighten him with your big, scary hand.

 

[agent A]

I had a gsefm female who lost her raptoral arms and her feet due to old age and I kept her alive for a whole month when she was in that state by hand-feeding her decappitated crickets. I used tweezers and slowly brought it up to her mouth. She held it with her mouth as she ate it. Otherwise it would have been:

Da da da, another one bites the dust!

Da da da, another one bites the dust!

And another one gone and another one gone and another one bites the dust!

 

[superfreak]

she didnt lose her raptorial arms due to old age, i can assure you...

 

[agent A]

she didnt lose her raptorial arms due to old age, i can assure you...

yes she did, she had been an adult for over 4 months.

 

[idolomantis]

No Agent, superfreak is right.

If they get older they don't just lose limps.

 

[bassist]

No Agent, superfreak is right.If they get older they don't just lose limps.

Unless they get infected but that's a whole different story and they'd do that young or old.

 

[agent A]

okay but I don't know how else she lost them, one day I notice she can't climb well, the next I realize she's missing nearly a third of each raptoral arm and each foot was missing, which I never found in the cage, where she spent much of her time.

 

[sbugir]

She probably ate em. Mantids will eat their own feet lol.

 

[agent A]

She probably ate em. Mantids will eat their own feet lol.

why would they be self mutilators?

 

[massaman]

easy if they had a infection or something wrong with their limbs they would chew them off something like if a wolf or something was caught in a trap and the only way to get out is to chew ones leg off to get out!

 

[agent A]

easy if they had a infection or something wrong with their limbs they would chew them off something like if a wolf or something was caught in a trap and the only way to get out is to chew ones leg off to get out!

I stand corrected.

 

[sbugir]

I didn't want to make a new thread, sooo...

My budwings are still not adult :S.

It's been since late August, and I am concerned. They've been fed everyday (Except for the past week, just ordered some flies from MantisPlace ), and are kept at about 80 degrees...

Anyone else have slow maturing mantids...?