Wide-arm mantis is very poorly

[iamkeir]

My wide-armed has also become very ill. She's nearly fully mature - I'd say one or two moults to adulthood (and wings).

I have been feeding her on silent brown crickets so this could be the problem but she's done well on them up until now. Moisture or infection could be the other potential issues.

Basically, she's become very weak and stopped eating - even when i offer squidged food to her mouth. Her legs have also darkened slightly and she doesn't seem to be comfortable using them. Her lower body looks slightly drier than usual - not the healthy green I'm used to. Her antennae have drooped a lot too. Her raptorial arms and upper body seem perfectly fine though.

She is pretty old now but I wouldn't have expected her to die before reaching adulthood though.

I did notice her having trouble passing faeces on two occasions where it remained at the tip of her abdomen.

She's kept in a pretty decent sized tank and I would mist her twice/three times a week.

Any ideas?

She just can't stand up, bless her

 

[ismart]

That does not sound good. Usually when wide-arms get sick, they don't recover. Let it play out a bit longer and see what happens? Don't try feeding her for awhile. There ia a possiblity she is about to molt? Has she thrown up at all? Is her mookystanks wet, or dry?

 

[iamkeir]

That does not sound good. Usually when wide-arms get sick, they don't recover. Let it play out a bit longer and see what happens? Don't try feeding her for awhile. There ia a possiblity she is about to molt? Has she thrown up at all? Is her mookystanks wet, or dry?

Hello - thanks for the reply. Another friend of mine said the following:

Looks like a failed moult. I've seen it a couple of times, they just dont even start the split and just seem to give up Deffiniatly a failed moult, full abdomen, slightly off colouration, and the thick wing buds bulging out

Her faeces have been dry and I do think she was due a moult. I'm afraid I'm inclined to pop her in the freezer - I hate to see her suffering like this.

 

[ismart]

This sounds more like sickness to me than a mismolt. You would have noticed the mantises wid buds all plustered/swollen if she were getting ready to molt. A mismolt still does not explain the dried up turds stuck to her abdomen. Maybe it is best to put it out of it's misery. Was she the only one you have?

 

[iamkeir]

This sounds more like sickness to me than a mismolt. You would have noticed the mantises wid buds all plustered/swollen if she were getting ready to molt. A mismolt still does not explain the dried up turds stuck to her abdomen. Maybe it is best to put it out of it's misery. Was she the only one you have?

She is the only wide-arm I have - I also have a miomantis and several ghosts but they all seem fine.

Do you not think her wing buds look slightly swollen in the photo?

I have popped her in the freezer as I don't want her to suffer. Thanks for the responses everyone.

 

[hibiscusmile]

Yes, is not a bad molt, but I really think you could of given her some time, it looked like she was getting ready to molt.

 

[ismart]

Wow! I did not even see your photo till now. My work computer sucks! :angry: Yes your friend was correct. That poor girl is a result of a mismolt. It's obvious the exoskeleton did not split. Sorry to say there was nothing you could have done to help her at this point anyway. Are you in the US? I could send you an adult female. She is rather large, and crazy aggressive! :devil2:

 

[hibiscusmile]

Gee Paul, I don't see that at all? :blink:

 

[ismart]

Gee Paul, I don't see that at all? :blink:

If you look closely her wing buds are plustered.

 

[Rick]

That may be correct. Bottom line is that sometimes mantids fall ill and we don't know why. Happens to all of us from time to time.

 

[iamkeir]

That may be correct. Bottom line is that sometimes mantids fall ill and we don't know why. Happens to all of us from time to time.

Too true.