Was he napping??

[CashPants]

This past Sunday my subadult male sphodromantis spent most of the day on the bottom of his enclosure with his abdomen, thorax and head resting on the bottom. His 'chin' was tucked to his 'chest' and he would barely move a leg when touched (lightly). My boyfriend and I were really worried that he had died for some unknown reason but because he is close to a molt we thought it may just be pre molt syndrome (PMS) but he still hasn't molted. He was like that for almost 12 hours but perked back up that night.

We have been feeding him 1/2" crickets for a month and the house stays in a pretty regular temperature cycle.

Any ideas?

 

[Sticky]

I know tarantulas sleep. My Phoebe will do something g similar. I can touch her when she seems asleep and she does not move. I poke her more and she suddenly startles! I have not found any of my mantids on the floor the way you describe. Some of my elderly mantids fall and cant help themselves til I rescue them. They also seem senile too! I wish I could say more about them sleeping.

 

[Rick]

Most likely was just pressing itself against the substrate. Many mantids do this to further camouflage themselves. Normally this is done against leaves, sticks,etc.

 

[CashPants]

You think? We have been using paper towels lately to keep the crickets from hiding for days on end. He's close to his last molt and I don't want him to die

 

[Rick]

You think? We have been using paper towels lately to keep the crickets from hiding for days on end. He's close to his last molt and I don't want him to die

I've seen it many times. If he is acting normal otherwise I wouldn't worry so much about it.

 

[CashPants]

Ok, thank you. Bruce is our first mantis and I was worried we broke him.