Weakness after laying ooth??

[Leene]

My 2 European mantis females have layed an ooth a few days ago. Recently I have noticed that they behave rather strangely, like sometimes falling down onto the ground when they are just hanging on the roof of the cage, for no apparent reason at all. They are eating normally, allthough not as much as before.

Is this fatigue from laying the eggsacks, or are they getting old already? They have moulted into adult this august.

I cannot detect any cause, they look healthy and are fairly fat again, after eating a lot after laying the eggsack. What could be the problem of this loss of strength?

 

[Rick]

Not normal after laying an ooth. European mantids in my experience are weak to begin with especially when in captivity.

 

[The_Asa]

Not normal after laying an ooth. European mantids in my experience are weak to begin with especially when in captivity.

+1

This may have something to do with the species in itself.

 

[idolomantis]

Not normal after laying an ooth. European mantids in my experience are weak to begin with especially when in captivity.

+2

my european had this problem too, i only had problems with the spieces.

 

[Giosan]

need a good diapause to have healthy mantids.

 

[Leene]

About the diapause...I have found the ootheca in the wild, so maybe that isnt the problem. I dont think inbreeding is the cause for her behaviour either. One female only seems to do it, I thought the other one did it too but I was wrong.

On the other hand, besides the almost dropping down from time to time, the animals seem in perfect health. They are fat and lively and very docile.

 

[kamakiri]

I've never noticed weakness after laying...

Are the ooths normal in size? Is she still falling down?

 

[Leene]

She has only layed 1 ooth, a very large one. Will she lay some more?

How old do these animals get? She's been adult since august.

 

[Rick]

She has only layed 1 ooth, a very large one. Will she lay some more? How old do these animals get? She's been adult since august.

They can lay several. If she makes it past october I would be surprised. Generally they die in the fall in the wild.