# Help - Praying Mantis Spasms?



## Spepper (Aug 6, 2014)

I woke up to find my wild-caught (and only) praying mantis doing this on his back on the bottom of his cage this morning.  I fear it's already too late for him, but I was hoping someone could tell me why this is happening and if there's anything at all I can do for him.  Could it be a parasite?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/114543195@N07/14658061239/


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## Tenodera (Aug 7, 2014)

Could it have been exposed to any unnatural chemicals? From aerosols or insecticides on food or from outside? My first thought was that it would be failing to molt, but that's not what it looks like to me.

There are horsehair worms that parasitize Tenodera; if this is the case there's nothing you can do. 

My only suggestions would be to give it water by hand and put in in a secluded place; if the cause is chemical your mantis might be able to recover.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spepper (Aug 7, 2014)

Since it's been with me (3-4 weeks give or take a little) it hasn't been exposed to any chemicals that I know of.  No chemicals around its cage, and I fed it a storebought cricket once; other times flies I caught from my chicken yard.  No pesticides or herbicides are used anywhere near there though.  That's why I wondered if he could have picked up a parasite from wild-caught food items and they just overcame him finally.

I think he's still alive today, but barely.  Pretty much hanging on by a thread.   I'll try what you said though.


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## Twentytwenty (Aug 7, 2014)

I'm no expert, but the cricket could have been exposed to something. I heard of a cricket bacteria or virus that when eaten by mantids made them vomit and die eventually, it could be something like that. If he sadly does die you can try dissecting him to check for parasites.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spepper (Aug 8, 2014)

If there was worms would I be able to see them?


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## Tenodera (Aug 8, 2014)

A horsehair worm would be long, threadlike, and visible in the container if it didn't escape. I don't know a lot about mantid parasitoids, especially ones that would kill when the host is subadult, so I can't tell you more than that.
I'm sorry about how it's looking.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Spepper (Aug 8, 2014)

Thanks, it really stinks.   But I may do a dissection once he's dead to see if it was horsehair worms.  In the meantime though I'll just keep trying to leave him alone except for giving him water.


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## Cowgirl (Nov 10, 2016)

I have a female praying mantis for 12 weeks and she has been doing really good but when I went to give her water she was having spasms and I don't know why she has been eating her crickets and has laid 2 egg sacks. I don't want her to die she has not been around any chemicals so I don't know why she all of a sudden started having spasms. Please help me.


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## Tenodera (Nov 14, 2016)

May well be age, with yours. Did you get her as an adult? 12 weeks is a good long time for them, especially after laying two oothecae, and this may just be related to her old age. Have any pictures of her or a description of what's happening?


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## Cowgirl (Nov 14, 2016)

Tenodera said:


> May well be age, with yours. Did you get her as an adult? 12 weeks is a good long time for them, especially after laying two oothecae, and this may just be related to her old age. Have any pictures of her or a description of what's happening?


She was acting like she was have seizures/spasms but I never took pics of that but I have a picture I took the day before she started having them. yes she was a adult when I caught her and was already pregnant.


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## Tenodera (Nov 19, 2016)

I'm sorry to say she does look like she's on her way out. The way the joints bend, the broken tarsi, and the discoloration are all signs of old age. You've given her a good life thus far, so just keep her comfortable for the remainder of it. 

My current free-roamer, a Chinese manyis named Maybelline, is also having her age catch up with her. They just need some extra help at this stage, now that normal climbing and prey capture are harder.


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