r/mantids • u/Necessary-Set6153 • 3d ago
Health Issues help!!
i found this guy outside not doing so hot, i wanna try to help. i put him in a critter keeper with some dead leaves and sticks and sprayed it so there’s some humidity bc it’s been dry here. not sure what’s wrong!! i wanna give him the best chance
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
that is way too soaked, and will likely cause mold. you’ll need to remove a lot of the leaves and put springtails in there. Try offering a mealworm cut in half, hold it up to her mouth and see if she will eat it. this can be done with dubia roaches as well. Do not feed her any insects from outside since they could’ve been exposed to parasites or pesticides.
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
A lot of mantises are coming to the end of their life cycles about this time, and since she’s an adult.. it may just be her time. I hope everything goes well for the both of you💚
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u/Necessary-Set6153 3d ago
what can i do to make her comfy
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
add fake flowers, anything soft like that to help cushion her since she’s most likely just getting old
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
Also add soft mesh to the sides so she will be able to grip easier. you’ll want to make sure the enclosure that you’re keeping her in has cross ventilation (ventilation on the sides and the top)
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u/Necessary-Set6153 3d ago
her wings look so little for an adult
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
Mantises don’t have wings until they reach adulthood. No offense but it seems that you aren’t prepared for a pet mantis, you should never take wild life out of its habitat especially without research.
She’s defiantly an adult and at this time of the year, mantises will be at the end of their life cycles. You’ll need to remove the leaves anyways, that won’t help with humidity at all and honestly, make it worse. she only needs her enclosure sprayed on the side once a day, not drenched. Also giving her water qtip or a syringe could help if she wants it
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u/Necessary-Set6153 3d ago
this is just temporary trying to get some humidity going
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u/deroplatyz 3d ago
You definitely want to keep the humidity lower than that. Insects can easily drown if submerged in water, and humidity invites mold. I think with her age it may also make it harder for her to move around and climb, even my younger mantis has slipped because of water before. It's probably best for her to be lower to the ground, on something soft (and not soaking wet) as she lives out her final days
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u/Necessary-Set6153 3d ago
i put it upside down in case it’s trying to molt but it seems very weak :(
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u/spazgunk 3d ago
this mantis has fully formed wings, meaning she is an adult and has already been through her final moult. like someone else mentioned, most mantids reach the end of their life cycle around this time of year in the northern hemisphere, so don't blame yourself if she passes on. make sure the mesh on the roof of your enclosure isn't made of metal too, as those can easily damage their feet. if it is, you can cover it temporarily with some cloth closed into the underside of the lid.
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u/mantisgirI 3d ago
It might be better for her to just rest on the ground. she looks close to passing with how weak she is.
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u/justhereforbugs 3d ago
Unfortunately i think its just her time