Chinese Mantis concerning behavior

[Alysani]

My L4 Chinese Mantis is displaying very concerning behavior, it happened over night and I have no idea what caused it. He cant walk very well at all, his Raptorial legs are held very very high up and his front set of legs keep curling together underneath him. This has been going on for at the very least 6 hours. the most recent development is when I tried to put him on his stick he fell off like all the other times, he laid flat on his back on my hand and was throwing up some kind of brown stuff.. He was not directly misted and had plenty of fruit flies to eat. I put about 12-14 in there before bed and they all disappeared over night so I know he was at least eating before this happened. yesterday my other mantis was doing something similar but less severe, that one though recovered after only 3 hours. I was thinking maybe he over ate or it got too cold for his liking?

 

[Ferrachi]

Can you tell if he's pooping ?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

My L4 Chinese Mantis is displaying very concerning behavior, it happened over night and I have no idea what caused it. He cant walk very well at all, his Raptorial legs are held very very high up and his front set of legs keep curling together underneath him. This has been going on for at the very least 6 hours. the most recent development is when I tried to put him on his stick he fell off like all the other times, he laid flat on his back on my hand and was throwing up some kind of brown stuff.. He was not directly misted and had plenty of fruit flies to eat. I put about 12-14 in there before bed and they all disappeared over night so I know he was at least eating before this happened. yesterday my other mantis was doing something similar but less severe, that one though recovered after only 3 hours. I was thinking maybe he over ate or it got too cold for his liking?

Pictures would help, it’s more than likely an issue with your flies, a pic of that culture would help too. Give the mantids honey water, it gives them energy.

 

[Alysani]

Can you tell if he's pooping ?

He is pooping. he was recovering just fine and then all of a sudden today within minutes declines again along with my other mantis. the vomiting one proceeded to vomit some more and now is having trouble walking. the other mantis accepted some honey and is having more trouble walking then the vomiting one, I dont know what im doing wrong and the only thing I can think of is that the temperatures got too high or something. it got up to 90f in the room they are in. I moved them to a temperature controlled room that stays around 80f-85f

 

[Alysani]

Pictures would help, it’s more than likely an issue with your flies, a pic of that culture would help too. Give the mantids honey water, it gives them energy.

I’ll send all the pictures I just took. The greener mantis is the one that was vomiting, the brown one is the one that just has issues walking. There is a picture of their old enclosure and the smaller ones I just moved them to so it’s hopefully a bit safer. There’s also pictures of the fruit fly culture.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

First, 90° all the way down to 80° is too warm for Tendora, they need it around 70-75. Second, it looks way to moist in there with way too little ventilation to cope. Moisture is a great breeding ground for bacteria and disease. That vomit is from overeating, not disease. It seems you fed them too much. If it was bacterial then it would be black. I would guess it’s a mix between moisture and warmth that’s killing them. The fruit fly culture looks fine.

 

[Alysani]

First, 90° all the way down to 80° is too warm for Tendora, they need it around 70-75. Second, it looks way to moist in there with way too little ventilation to cope. Moisture is a great breeding ground for bacteria and disease. That vomit is from overeating, not disease. It seems you fed them too much. If it was bacterial then it would be black. I would guess it’s a mix between moisture and warmth that’s killing them. The fruit fly culture looks fine.

The brown mantis never vomited, he only ate two flies today. ill try cutting back the food a bit. they really need it that cold? im not sure how I can get it colder for them, im in california and it averages 90-100 every day, next week will be down to roughly 80, any tips for that? its moist in the enclosures because I had just barely misted them a few minutes before I took those pictures, i usually mist once or twice a day.

 

[Alysani]

First, 90° all the way down to 80° is too warm for Tendora, they need it around 70-75. Second, it looks way to moist in there with way too little ventilation to cope. Moisture is a great breeding ground for bacteria and disease. That vomit is from overeating, not disease. It seems you fed them too much. If it was bacterial then it would be black. I would guess it’s a mix between moisture and warmth that’s killing them. The fruit fly culture looks fine.

It looks like one is getting worse. the one that wasn't vomiting is now just floundering around with its raptorials and body flat on the ground and is vomiting up the honey water I gave him earlier. The other one is about the same as earlier.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

It looks like one is getting worse. the one that wasn't vomiting is now just floundering around with its raptorials and body flat on the ground and is vomiting up the honey water I gave him earlier. The other one is about the same as earlier.

If it’s floundering around and vomiting up honey you need to euthanize.

 

[Alysani]

If it’s floundering around and vomiting up honey you need to euthanize.

is there really no chance for it? how would I euthanize it?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

is there really no chance for it? how would I euthanize it?

If it’s floundering around, can’t walk, and is vomiting, it’s not worth letting it suffer anymore. Put it in the freezer for half and hour.

 

[Alysani]

If it’s floundering around, can’t walk, and is vomiting, it’s not worth letting it suffer anymore. Put it in the freezer for half and hour.

ok, thank you for all of your help.