Ughhhh I HATE it when their toes start breaking off...

I don't know about you guys but I get so depressed and sad when these guys are in their last couple weeks of life. For the past 5 years I've been raising mantises I deal with at least a death every couple weeks. It never gets any easier. I'm pretty much bawling right now as I'm writing this holding my Dolce who has had all of her toes crack off. It's heartbreaking to remember them when they were so agile and able to grab onto everything hang upside down on everything and now she can't do anything. Dolce knows what's going on, she's looking at me with her big green sad eyes as I'm crying my eyeballs out here. Does anyone else feel as bad as I do when their mantises die or in the last stage of their lives? I feel like I can't talk to anyone about it maybe only a few people because everyone else would think I'm a wacko. Plus I go through so many dying that it's kind of like old news even to those few that I can talk to.

You're not "wacko".

Everyone grieves in their own way when they lose a pet... It's completely normal. It's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign that you're a very caring and compassionate person.

stacywhite75 said:

I don't know about you guys but I get so depressed and sad when these guys are in their last couple weeks of life. For the past 5 years I've been raising mantises I deal with at least a death every couple weeks. It never gets any easier. I'm pretty much bawling right now as I'm writing this holding my Dolce who has had all of her toes crack off. It's heartbreaking to remember them when they were so agile and able to grab onto everything hang upside down on everything and now she can't do anything. Dolce knows what's going on, she's looking at me with her big green sad eyes as I'm crying my eyeballs out here. Does anyone else feel as bad as I do when their mantises die or in the last stage of their lives? I feel like I can't talk to anyone about it maybe only a few people because everyone else would think I'm a wacko. Plus I go through so many dying that it's kind of like old news even to those few that I can talk to.

Click to expand...

I completely understand. I only had Macchiato for two months since I caught him in him as an adult (Carolina Mantis). He started to lose energy and was barely hanging onto his mesh. I didn't really know he was dying since I'd never owned a mantis. Found him gripping onto a leaf for his life half paralyzed since his lower half was dead. I cried my eyes out and am going to cry my eyes out when Mocha passes. It's something that just comes with this hobby and all you can do is make the best of the time you've got with them since their lives are so short-lived. Personally I find the best way to cope is knowing that they have babies if you've breed them. Their genetic line goes on and you get to raise their children. I don't breed personally but I sent some of her ooths to a breeder and am happy to know their going to get loving homes. Hopefully someone will breed one of her babies and the line will keep going. That's how I find my solace.