#9 mantid molting

chuck

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
775
last night i found my #9 on the ground, hunched over. at first look i thought she was dead. then i saw it was molting. still not sure if it was dead, i left it alone for the night. i woke up and find that it is still in its molt, but alive and it has grew its wings. but why was it on the floor molting? i gave it pleanty of room to molt. will it be disfigured? anything i should do to help it?



edit: well i was trying to aid it, i was doing well, got the skin off the ab and back legs, when trying to do the other legs, they ripped off :( so i put it in the freezer :(
 
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Wade

Arachnoking
Old Timer
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Aug 16, 2002
Messages
2,929
I have tried to help molting mantids in the past that seemed to have problems, but it has never turned out well. Being on the ground is not a good sign. It may have fallen during the process.

Hopefully, it will make it.

Good luck,

Wade
 

chuck

Arachnodemon
Old Timer
Joined
Jul 1, 2003
Messages
775
what could have made it to fall? are kritter keeper lids a good ledge to hang from for a molt? it was always on the lid handing around. could a moth have knocked it down?
 

Elytra and Antenna

Arachnoking
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Sep 12, 2002
Messages
2,505
The lid of the critter cage is often adequate but not especially good for molting. Metal window screen works very well.
More caging info and tons of other info in: Praying Mantids Keeping Aliens.
Check out this link:
http://www.elytraandantenna.com
 
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