Why are all my H. Majusculas dropping dead?

[Mvalenz]

I don't know what the problem is. I have only had them since February. How long do they live after becoming adult? They only laid one ootheca each. I noticed that my last female wasn't eating just hanging at the top of her enclosure. Then I noticed she was laying on the bottom of her enclosure gripping some bark. I pulled her out and gave her some water from a bamboo skewer. She drank but when I tried to hand feed her a crick she refused to eat it. She seemed very sluggish and is now sitting on my bed, but she is not looking good. I did some research and it said that this species lives for about 12 months. Was that info wrong? I know that a lot of you have experienced sudden death of mantids, but has anyone experienced the sudden death of just one species? And everyone of that species as well? I noticed my female Budwing has not been eating like her usual self. I hope she is not next. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[psyconiko]

Had the exact same problem.And not only with majusculas.I thought I was cursed.I am still working on it but food and pregancy may be the cause of all those sudden deaths.Only gravid females are dying for no reason right?

 

[Mvalenz]

I had a male die too. First one of my females after mating for the second time. Then my male shortly after that

Now my last female. She only laid one ootheca but she should still be gravid. UGH!!!

 

[psyconiko]

Males do not live very long anyway.What were your conditions?Food?

 

[gripen]

One of my unmated females died for the same reason. My 2 other females are still going strong at about 6 months of age.

 

[agent A]

mine is abt to lay her third ooth

here's what i do with her

feed her up for 3 weeks

put her in a rearing sleeve over a willow branch

she lays an ooth within 2 days

repeat

yours probably got eggbound

it's what happened to rebecca's

precarious and i both notice THEY NEED LIVE PLANT MATTER TO LAY OOTHS ON!!!

 

[massaman]

not really I had ooths laid on branches and dead vines I used in all my enclosures and have done so in all the years I been in this hobby which is is about 4 years and all my ooths were laid on sticks or pieces of vine or such like that and never had issues of needing living branches usually and some ooths get laid on the enclosures themselves!

 

[agent A]

not really I had ooths laid on branches and dead vines I used in all my enclosures and have done so in all the years I been in this hobby which is is about 4 years and all my ooths were laid on sticks or pieces of vine or such like that and never had issues of needing living branches usually and some ooths get laid on the enclosures themselves!

Have u kept majuscula before??

 

[psyconiko]

mine is abt to lay her third ooth

here's what i do with her

feed her up for 3 weeks

put her in a rearing sleeve over a willow branch

she lays an ooth within 2 days

repeat

yours probably got eggbound

it's what happened to rebecca's

precarious and i both notice THEY NEED LIVE PLANT MATTER TO LAY OOTHS ON!!!

I will try this.Thanks I have 40 xL5-L6.I will run some tests this time.

 

[hibiscusmile]

yes, they are just talking about this one species, massaman.

 

[agent A]

I will try this.Thanks I have 40 xL5-L6.I will run some tests this time.

No prob and if u need rearing sleeves I know a guy who may ship them overseas

 

[Mvalenz]

Woke up today and she was gone. However, I was going to take her to my mantis graveyard and I noticed she was tapping the tip of her abdomen on the table. Like when she is about to lay an ooth. It must be a reflex. She may have been eggbound and that is why she died. I had her in a container about 12 inches high and 6 inches wide. Misted daily and feed her mostly crix. She is completely unresponsive except for the tapping of the abdomen. I have her cradled in a piece of bark.

Just noticed the tapping stopped and there is a drop of liquid at the tip of her abdomen.

 

[massaman]

I just got 2 females of this species so will find out once I mate them with the male but hes not ready yet!

 

[Krissim Klaw]

My experience with the species is very limited, just one boy. Counting from when I got him as a nymph to now, he is going on ten months of age. I have found him to be very healthy and robust mantis minus the fact he lost most of the hooks on his feet. I believe that has occured do to his high activity level at night. He will roam his cage like a fiend even lauching into flight at times. I feel bad I don't have a girl for the poor boy. Despite his dwindling working hooks, only two legs left, he still hangs and roams at night like a mantis half his age.

I have noted like many boys his appitite is relaxed. I feed then skip two days then feed. I found that routine works well. If you are feeding the females heavily my instinct would be to drop it down some. Although they need nutrition to help make their oothecas I often wonder if there is a point at which less is more. Human mothers can over eat when pregnant and that can result in negative effects. I know these are bugs not people, but I can't help but wonder if there is a point where our ability to provide and their gluttony can result in a negative as far as ooth and overall health.

 

[Mvalenz]

Yes. I did feed them a lot when I was expecting ootheca. Then they all seemed to stop eating. Like it was a sign that the end was near. My budwing stopped eating about a week ago. She is at the bottom of a stick with the tip of her abdomen resting on the bottom of her enclosure. I am starting to think that the inactivity and lack of appetite is a sign that the end is coming soon. I hate losing these guys, but I guess its the circle of life. I just wish they would stick around a little longer.

 

[agent A]

my female just laid her third ooth this morning :clap:

 

[Krissim Klaw]

Yes. I did feed them a lot when I was expecting ootheca. Then they all seemed to stop eating. Like it was a sign that the end was near. My budwing stopped eating about a week ago. She is at the bottom of a stick with the tip of her abdomen resting on the bottom of her enclosure. I am starting to think that the inactivity and lack of appetite is a sign that the end is coming soon. I hate losing these guys, but I guess its the circle of life. I just wish they would stick around a little longer.

I do notice a slow down right toward the end and the appitite can dwindle the last few days. Lack of appitite can also mean the female wants to lay though usually they become more active if that is the case. Having seen other users posts on this species I've seen several other mention low ooth production with the girls so maybe it is a species thing?One question I have for you is do yours eyes darken at night? My boy Lazarus's eyes stay a light brilliant green even in dark and this is the first time I've had a mantis that doesn't get the darkened night eye look. I wasn't sure if it is a species trait or if he is just a strange boy. XD

 

[Mvalenz]

I do notice a slow down right toward the end and the appitite can dwindle the last few days. Lack of appitite can also mean the female wants to lay though usually they become more active if that is the case. Having seen other users posts on this species I've seen several other mention low ooth production with the girls so maybe it is a species thing?

One question I have for you is do yours eyes darken at night? My boy Lazarus's eyes stay a light brilliant green even in dark and this is the first time I've had a mantis that doesn't get the darkened night eye look. I wasn't sure if it is a species trait or if he is just a strange boy. XD

I remember my males eyes doing that. I don't remember seeing it with my females so much though.

Agent A, that's awesome! How big are your ooths? I think mine are a kinda small.

 

[agent A]

I remember my males eyes doing that. I don't remember seeing it with my females so much though.

Agent A, that's awesome! How big are your ooths? I think mine are a kinda small.

the first one was bigger than a thumb the second was the smallest the third was slightly smaller than the first