Dealing With The Death Of A Mantis

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stacywhite75

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Dec 31, 2019
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Location
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Does anyone else find it extremely sad and difficult to get over when you lose a mantis? It seems like I'm losing one on a weekly basis (be it from old age or mismolt) and it doesn't get any easier (especially a mismolt death.) I've attached a photo of my most recent loss from old age, Harley.

20200823_142010.jpg

 
Just because our mantises cannot love us doesn’t mean we aren’t attached to them. Your words don’t bring any solace.
Ah, but we should admire them for what they are, and not despair when the inevitable occurs. Are you a science fiction buff? Alien (1979) is classic.

ASH: You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? A perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
LAMBERT: You admire it...
ASH: I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality...
 
Ah, but we should admire them for what they are, and not despair when the inevitable occurs. Are you a science fiction buff? Alien (1979) is classic.

ASH: You still don't understand what you're dealing with, do you? A perfect organism. Its structural perfection is matched only by its hostility.
LAMBERT: You admire it...
ASH: I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality...
I know the quote and yes, it's something I admire about mantises. It doesn't change my previous words though. We are humans, not aliens. Let people grieve their pets mate. Our mantises are more than just the perfect predator to us. They have temperaments/personalities, unique quirks, etc.

Neurotypicals emotions work differently mate and we (usually) grieve people/pets we're attached to. Even if we accept that death naturally comes, that doesn't change how we feel. If you didn't know already, your first comment is considered rude. If you'd like me to explain why, I'm willing to.
 
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I'm not a total cad. I grieved when my Shelfordella lateralis colony crashed. They'll flourish for months, and then collapse like a house of cards. My cricket success has made up for that, however. I've got a particular generation of Acheta Domesticus that is still chirping after 4 months. Not bad for Petco descendants.
 
I know the quote and yes, it's something I admire about mantises. It doesn't change my previous words though. We are humans, not aliens. Let people grieve their pets mate. Our mantises are more than just the perfect predator to us. They have temperaments/personalities, unique quirks, etc.

Neurotypicals emotions work differently mate and we (usually) grieve people/pets we're attached to. Even if we accept that death naturally comes, that doesn't change how we feel. If you didn't know already, your first comment is considered rude. If you'd like me to explain why, I'm willing to.
Mantids have personalities. I have seen it in my mantids.

When Anainah died I cried. Fought for her life because somehow she didn't eat. I had to force fed her. I got her to sub adult stage. Even she was just an insect, I cared for her. Happy that she had eaten a few bites..
 
Does anyone else find it extremely sad and difficult to get over when you lose a mantis? It seems like I'm losing one on a weekly basis (be it from old age or mismolt) and it doesn't get any easier (especially a mismolt death.) I've attached a photo of my most recent loss from old age, Harley.

View attachment 13702
I'm sorry for you loss. It totally sucks to lose a pet even if it is an insect. We spend a lot time and effort taking care of them; from setting up their habitats, caring for their food, feeding them, interacting with them. We form emotional attachments, and its totally natural to be upset, cry, get angry etc at the loss. Insects don't understand what's happening, but we do, and that's enough.
I can empathize with you, I had several Carolina mantises that I was raising and of my final 4, 3 of them mismolted and I had to euthanize my female. Only two males are left. I'm sure that all of us here have had similar situations. In any event, I hope that you're feeling better.
-Leo
 
Does anyone else find it extremely sad and difficult to get over when you lose a mantis? It seems like I'm losing one on a weekly basis (be it from old age or mismolt) and it doesn't get any easier (especially a mismolt death.) I've attached a photo of my most recent loss from old age, Harley.

View attachment 13702
I remember my first mantis, a ghost mantis. I had to go to the hospital and I thought she'd be fine while I was gone. When I got back home (about a week later) I found her dead and covered in mold. I ugly sobbed for probably half an hour. It sucks. I've been desensitized over how many deaths I've dealt with. I'm so sorry for your loss.
 
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