# HELP MY MANTIS HAD A BAD MOLT!!!



## Bonsai (Apr 10, 2018)

My mantis had a bad molt and it’s legs are all crooked and bent and antennas too!!! I’ve had this mantis for about three months now and I don’t know what to do!!! What can I do to help it besides hand feeding it? ((

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## chanda (Apr 10, 2018)

Unfortunately, there really isn't anything you can do, other than trying to keep it fed and hydrated and hope that it survives until the next molt - and that the next molt is more successful. Hand-feeding is worth a shot, if it will accept it. (I've had some mantises that took food readily from tongs - and others that absolutely refused to go anywhere near it.) If it does accept food that way, it will have a better chance of eating than if it had to chase down its prey or wrestle it into submission - and the more it eats, the sooner that next molt will arrive. If your little guy is timid and refuses to accept prey from tongs, you could also try dropping in pre-killed prey. If you crush the head of a roach nymph, it will continue to kick and wiggle for a while, attracting the attention of your mantis, but will be incapable of purposeful movement like running away or burrowing.

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## basin79 (Apr 10, 2018)

Bonsai said:


> My mantis had a bad molt and it’s legs are all crooked and bent and antennas too!!! I’ve had this mantis for about three months now and I don’t know what to do!!! What can I do to help it besides hand feeding it? ((


Obviously it's a guess but judging by that pic there's far too much deco in there. Like my PM stated mantids need 3x their length in height to moult. If they don't have that room they are forced to bend.

Reactions: Like 2 | Agree 1


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## Bonsai (Apr 10, 2018)

Thank you so much! I moved him to a bigger container and hopefully he will survive.

Chanda, Thank you for the information! I am definitely going to try that!

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## Bonsai (May 6, 2018)

Thank you for the advice once again! My mantis has moulted one of his back legs but the other broke hopefully he can survive

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## Bonsai (May 31, 2018)

Update! My mantis’s back legs broke after the molt but grew back! Her back legs are small but are still movable and working!

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## basin79 (May 31, 2018)

Bonsai said:


> Update! My mantis’s back legs broke after the molt but grew back! Her back legs are small but are still movable and working!


Fantastic news!!!!!!!!!!


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