# Strange black "stuff" coming from ghost mantis legs?



## Ratmosphere (Mar 20, 2017)

I'm calling it "stuff" because I can't tell if it's a fluid or something else. Anybody know if this is normal? If it's not, what is it?


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 22, 2017)

Anyone?


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## Bunyan van Asten (Mar 22, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> Anyone?


I don't know what this is, but i think you should put "URGENT" in the title to get some quicker replies.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Andrea82 (Mar 22, 2017)

Is it coming from her abdomen?
This is also the mantis who had trouble molting?
Did you feed it, if yes, with what?


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## Andrea82 (Mar 22, 2017)

Bunyan van Asten said:


> I don't know what this is, but i think you should put "URGENT" in the title to get some quicker replies.


That doesn't always work, the US is still asleep or working, Europe is at work


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 22, 2017)

The "stuff" is coming from the joints of the legs, where the leg meets the abdomen. Yes, this is the one who had trouble molting. She is showing no interest in food and has not ate since her molt. I rubbed cricket guts on her raptors to try and get a feeding response but no luck.


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## Tenodera (Mar 22, 2017)

If it's not continuing to flow, it looks to me like hemolymph which has scabbed, it tends to darken considerably. It's coming from the joint of the trochanter and coxa correct? It's probably a wound she sustained during the strained molt. She may be alright, I have had some adult mantids with pretty profound injuries who have lived normal lives (one was hit with a weed-eater). Make sure she's well-hydrated and try feeding her again later today or tomorrow.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 22, 2017)

Thank you so much! I'll try to hand feed her later tonight. I left two flies in her enclosure today but I doubt she will eat them.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 23, 2017)

So yesterday I held my ghost mantis and tried to get her to eat. She took a few bites from a dead cricket for 30 seconds and then refused to have any more. It's hard to get her to eat at this point. Her back is also curved in so she cant stand up straight.


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## basin79 (Mar 23, 2017)

Give her some honey water (water with honey mixed in). She'll take that eagerly.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 23, 2017)

How would I offer that to her?


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## Andrea82 (Mar 23, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> How would I offer that to her?


With a blunt tipped syringe or an eyedropper. You can also just offer a bit of pure honey on a little stick or spoon.

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 23, 2017)

Awesome! Thanks guys!


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 23, 2017)

Just tried the honey method. She showed absolutely no interest in it even when I put it right to her mouth.


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## basin79 (Mar 23, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> Just tried the honey method. She showed absolutely no interest in it even when I put it right to her mouth.


That is really odd. Honey is like a drug to them usually.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Andrea82 (Mar 24, 2017)

Is she scared of the stick/spoon/syringe? My P.paradoxa is easily scared. I fed her honey once, but i had to be really patient and persistent to get her to eat it. 
Can she bring her raptors to her mouth? If yes, you could try and put some on her raptors. She'll clean them and and get the nutrients that way. 
She is not able to hunt food herself?


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## Tenodera (Mar 24, 2017)

Could you get a pic of her from the side so we can see the curvature, and how the abdomen is doing? That is surprising how little she wants to eat.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 25, 2017)




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## arizonablue (Mar 25, 2017)

Oh dear. Poor little thing. Honestly, between the bad molt, hemolymph indicating injury, and her not eating ... I'd suggest putting her in the freezer and putting her out of her misery.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 26, 2017)

I can't just give up on her like that. I have new house fly pupae that will hatch soon and I'll keep trying to feed her.


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## 1Lord Of Ants1 (Mar 27, 2017)

Looks pretty bad. It's possible her thorax is bent in such a way that it's constricting her esophagus preventing little to any intake at all. Can she drink?


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 27, 2017)

I see her drinking water from her raptors when I spray the enclosure.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 28, 2017)

Dumped three small crickets in the enclosure last night. I saw her eat one which is really good news! I woke up this morning and saw there is only one cricket left in there. Pretty hyped on the results! I don't usually use crickets and will switch to flies once they hatch.

Reactions: Like 2 | Optimistic 1


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## arizonablue (Mar 28, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> Dumped three small crickets in the enclosure last night. I saw her eat one which is really good news! I woke up this morning and saw there is only one cricket left in there. Pretty hyped on the results! I don't usually use crickets and will switch to flies once they hatch.


That's great! I hope she pulls through for you!


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## basin79 (Mar 28, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> Dumped three small crickets in the enclosure last night. I saw her eat one which is really good news! I woke up this morning and saw there is only one cricket left in there. Pretty hyped on the results! I don't usually use crickets and will switch to flies once they hatch.


Fantastic.


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## Ratmosphere (Mar 29, 2017)

She ate the rest of the crickets that I gave her. Starting to think she will pull through this!

Reactions: Optimistic 1


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## Ratmosphere (Apr 4, 2017)

She's back to feeding on house flies! No more crickets.

Reactions: Like 3


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## GingerC (Apr 4, 2017)

Yay! I just had to say though, from the pictures you provided, she's a really pretty mantis!


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## Tenodera (Apr 5, 2017)

That's wonderful progress, let her know I'm impressed with her! She is very pretty, hopefully will live one of those long, leisurely ghost mantis lives.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ratmosphere (Apr 5, 2017)

Thanks guys! I'm thinking about getting more pretty soon.


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## Ratmosphere (May 4, 2017)

Update: Ghost mantis no longer stays near the top and climbs branches, she found her new spot at the bottom of the enclosure. Her head nearly touches the ground as well. This makes me think she's coming toward the end of her life.

Reactions: Sad 1


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## VolkswagenBug (May 4, 2017)

If she dies, my condolences on your loss. At least she was doing well for a month.


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## Ratmosphere (May 13, 2017)

Well, looks like she laid a dud ootheca! She's back towards the top of the enclosure now and active!

Reactions: Like 1 | Optimistic 1


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## Tanner Dzula (May 13, 2017)

Ratmosphere said:


> Well, looks like she laid a dud ootheca! She's back towards the top of the enclosure now and active!


thats awesome to hear!! hopefully everything goes well!!

Reactions: Agree 1


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