What should I do...?

[Laemia]

Hello all I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to hear about this but...I have a mantis that is either an iris oratoria - Mediterranean mantis or mantis religiosa - European mantis. I think she's an iris oratoria. My mother found her mother is late 2006 and she produced a very small ootheca which is where she came from. She's pretty old, about 10 months, and getting slower and I hand feed her crickets because I don't think she has the strength to catch them herself. Well, I just looked at her today and certian parts of her body are turning black. I don't have a digital camera yet and actually I am looking for one that I can use to take good close up photos of my mantids with. If anyone knows of a camera that takes nice close up photos and dosen't cost a ton please let me know. Bak to my story...I was wondering if maybe I should put her in the freezer. No matter what I get quite attached to my mantids. I can deal with them not living forever but I just don't want her to be uncomfortable.

 

[Rick]

She most certainly sounds uncomfortable and dying of old age. Freezer.

 

[dannyboy]

yeh yeh, or have you tried to feed her some honey.

just stroke a bit of honey on her arms shell eat it, but by sound feezer sounds like better option for her

 

[OGIGA]

I get way too attached to my mantises too so I wouldn't put a mantis into a freezer unless I accidentally smashed some part of it. I would just let her die of old age.

 

[Laemia]

About an hour after I noticed the black parts on her body she had black stuff come out of her mouth. I've read that it is usually a bacterial infection. Does anyone know exactly why that happens. And the person who said the thing about the honey what would that do? In the past if I think they are suffering I have always put them in the in the freezer. I figure if they look like they are uncomfortable it would be just like what happens in nature when the wheather gets colder. Thank you everyone.

 

[OGIGA]

Bad food (like bad crickets) is one way.

 

[Laemia]

I just want to let everyone know I live in Las vegas, Nevada so just going outside and finding food for them isn't the easiest thing and even the stores around here that carry feeders usually only carry crickets, friut fiys and certian worms and at least in my experence with mantids they seem to not care for worms. I bring home the crickets and start giving them cat food and fruits and vegies. I have a 13 year old Pot Belly Pig that I feed very well so I always have stuff like that around and I don't start to use the new ones until they have been eating my food for at least a few days sometimes more then a week and I only feed the light colored healthy looking crickets.. Just wanted to let you all know that I feel like I'm doing tha best I can. I decieded to give her a day and she was gone this morning. She did live for about 11 months. I just loved her, I love them all. Thanks again all!

 

[Butterfly]

I had found my first wild Mantids last year and got way too attached to my European. She laid me 5 ooths, and my Stagmomantis Limbata laid 3, and the last one's have started hatching so Im better about loosing the mothers now. When I had to put Thor (my religiosa) down I was so sad my mom told me I shouldnt keep them if Im going to get so attached to them. lol like thats an option! But putting her in the freezer did seem like alot more humane of an idea rather than squishing her, She was a pet afterall!

Laemia, Vegas isnt too far from me, I have alot of the Limbatas nymphs. I could send you one if youd like a new one.

 

[Laemia]

Maybe we should talk outside here but that would be very nice if the shipping isn't too high. I do have others though but it's very hard for me to turn down a mantid. Right now I have 10 but like I said I'm always looking for more. Everything you have right now is from outside?