will my mantises abdomen explode
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the abdomen
won't just pop all on its own, she would have to fall off a high place for that t ever be a possibility. It is normal for mantises to get that fat. My sphodromantis was even fatter then that when I had her! :blink:
won't just pop all on its own, she would have to fall off a high place for that t ever be a possibility. It is normal for mantises to get that fat. My sphodromantis was even fatter then that when I had her! :blink:
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The abdomen can be damaged or even rupture, especially if the mantid is overfed to the point of being obese, by three ways. A fall on a hard surface or bare bottom habitat (3"-4" can be enough for damage), getting poked by a sharp end of something in the habitat (sticks, aluminum mesh, wire flower stems, etc.), and by injury from another mantid or feeder attacking her.
Although she will not pop sitting still, if she is obese she can also develop additional health problems too, which can be fatal or shorten her lifespan. One recent health problem topic seemed to be caused by a obese mantid, and since the mantid has been getting fed less the original health issue has subsided.
I can't be sure either way by one fuzzy photo if your mantid is obese, but I do know she is a gravid adult (female mantids mated or not will still lay ooths). If she is really rounded like a "balloon", and her abdomen segments are not clearly defined, she is obese which is not normal and is caused by overfeeding.
One of the most common feeding methods is to fed them every other day. For example feed them on day 1, and by the next morning remove all excess feeders day 2, then the following day 3 repeat feeding.
Also with more experience many mantid keepers adjust their mantids feeder intake by looking at their abdomen. By the width of their abdomen you can tell if a mantis is getting properly fed, overfed, or underfed. When a mantid is gravid, feeding them as much as they want every other day is fine and helps promote larger ooths (and if fed every other day will prevent her from becoming obese).
As this has come up before I have created a pictorial chart to help judge a mantids abdomen, to understand their current feeding health - click to enlarge.
View attachment 7102
Although she will not pop sitting still, if she is obese she can also develop additional health problems too, which can be fatal or shorten her lifespan. One recent health problem topic seemed to be caused by a obese mantid, and since the mantid has been getting fed less the original health issue has subsided.
I can't be sure either way by one fuzzy photo if your mantid is obese, but I do know she is a gravid adult (female mantids mated or not will still lay ooths). If she is really rounded like a "balloon", and her abdomen segments are not clearly defined, she is obese which is not normal and is caused by overfeeding.
One of the most common feeding methods is to fed them every other day. For example feed them on day 1, and by the next morning remove all excess feeders day 2, then the following day 3 repeat feeding.
Also with more experience many mantid keepers adjust their mantids feeder intake by looking at their abdomen. By the width of their abdomen you can tell if a mantis is getting properly fed, overfed, or underfed. When a mantid is gravid, feeding them as much as they want every other day is fine and helps promote larger ooths (and if fed every other day will prevent her from becoming obese).
As this has come up before I have created a pictorial chart to help judge a mantids abdomen, to understand their current feeding health - click to enlarge.
View attachment 7102
