Will its claw heal?

[Zapins]

I caught this mantis about a week and a half ago. The first few days I had her she was able to move her claw and use it to eat, however, I noticed a dark spot in the joint. The past 2-3 days she has not been able to open it at all. I'm not sure what caused the damage or what the damage is exactly but she can still squeeze it shut if something is placed in the claw so the muscle is still working there.

Is this an infection? Is there something I can do to help her regain function?

If you need more pictures let me know. I can do some higher res ones if you need more detail.

 

[Orin]

It's most likely a response to physical damage, the melanin build-up is like a bruise. It will not heal but as long as she has a working arm she should be fine.

 

[sinensispsyched]

First of all, great macro.

Second of all, I think that Orin's diagnosis is correct. I have fortunately never had this happen, but as long as it still works somewhat, it should be fine.

 

[Graz73]

My mantis just had something similar. Her claw went from fine yestrday to all black after she bit a hole into it . I wonder if I should amputate or let her figure it out herself...

 

[Zapins]

Yikes.

I had hoped it would heal. Unfortunately it seems she will be a 1-claw mantis for the rest of her life.

Well... as long as she is still eating and healthy.

I fed her a few small crickets and shes sitting under a fluorescent light. The temperature there is 89F, she seems happy enough at the moment.

The other day she laid a small egg case, approx. 1/2 inch long and maybe 1/8 inch tall. With any luck it will be fertile and in a few weeks I'll get another try at raising babies. My first mantis' eggs hatched while I was on a week long vacation so they didn't have food or water, none of them made it.

Thanks sinensispsyched I've got a passion for macro photography and mantises make great subjects. I've got a lot of other macro shots from my first mantis. Maybe I'll make a new thread with more shots. But here is one of the closer macro shots. I didn't focus-stack it so the quality isn't as high as it could have been :mellow: .

 

[Sticky]

Your close-up picture is beautiful. I wish I knew some where who did good close-ups and steady clear photos. I am terrible at it!

 

[Graz73]

Yeah, great photo! Post more of those!

 

[Zapins]

Thanks Sticky & Lou, one of my other hobbies is photography.

The camera I used was a canon 5D mark 2 with 100 mm macro lens, 580 ex 2 flash. Some of the pics I used a tripod for and others I did by hand. Settings were F11, shutter speed 100, ISO 800.

I'd love to get the MPE-65mm lens to take even better macro shots (fill a 35 mm picture with an ant's head in full detail) but the thing is $900 bucks and I don't have the cash saved up... yet.

Also, I did post 2 threads with some pictures last night:

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27718

http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=27719

 

[Zapins]

Unfortunately my mantis died a few days ago. Not sure why, she just sort of slowed down quickly and didn't move the next.

I wonder if her malformed small egg will hatch...?

Do Chinese mantis eggs need a cold period to hatch or can they hatch without a cold period?

 

[ismart]

Chinese ooths do not require a diapuase. If left at room temp. I should hatch in 4 to 8 weeks.