Praying Mantis legs stuck on sticky humidity gauge

[Flurff]

So my cousin has been raising two ghost mantises and today she called me in a panic saying that her mantis got stuck on the humidity gauge's sticky part. I can't find anything that might help her unstick her mantis. Any ideas?

 

[basin79]

Well apart from tell her humidity gauges are absolutely useless and not needed you could try using a small soft paintbrush and "paint" some tepid water around the foot to see if the adhesive loosens.

Failing that cut most of the pad away and hang the remaining upside-down and fees the mantis as normal. Fingers crossed a moult isn't long off. Although even with only a small piece of the pad remaining the mantis might get stuck again.

 

[Braden]

Maybe you could just cut as much as you can away and put her in the enclosure. She can molt right out of it and they don't really need to move besides catching prey. But if possible maybe pull ever so lightly. hope she makes it

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Maybe you could just cut as much as you can away and put her in the enclosure. She can molt right out of it and they don't really need to move besides catching prey. But if possible maybe pull ever so lightly. hope she makes it

She can’t molt with that on her feet. Do what @basin79 said.

 

[Poonjab]

Q-tip and olive oil. Dab enough olive oil over feet. Allow it to soak. Slowly break free with qtip

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Q-tip and olive oil. Dab enough olive oil over feet. Allow it to soak. Slowly break free with qtip

Rinse feet after, don’t let it groom the olive oil off.

 

[Grace18]

It doesn't look like too much of it is stuck on the gauge. Perhaps use a very thin material (Like the edge of a toothpick) and try to gently pry the legs off of it. I had a similar situation involving a dragon fly's wings stuck together and managed to get the wings unstuck. It flew away afterwards.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

It doesn't look like too much of it is stuck on the gauge. Perhaps use a very thin material (Like the edge of a toothpick) and try to gently pry the legs off of it. I had a similar situation involving a dragon fly's wings stuck together and managed to get the wings unstuck. It flew away afterwards.

A mantis that small is much more delicate than a dragonfly.

 

[Grace18]

Maybe a lubricant like nail polish remover or baby oil then use the toothpick?

 

[The Snark]

WHOA! PLease wait! Do what they do with fine art restorations. Get your Q-Tips out and try various water-solvent mixtures, gradually increasing concentrations on a piece of it away from the animal. Once you find one that works, very slowly and gradually neutralize and remove the goo with the swabs, being very careful to keep the artwork, animal, unbothered/intact. Yes,, it can take hours, working with a magnifying glass if need be, but almost any glue or varnish or whatever can be removed.

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Maybe a lubricant like nail polish remover or baby oil then use the toothpick?

Nonono! Those are toxic and mantids clean themselves by eating off inpureties!

 

[The Snark]

Watch this video at 7:15 on. Your animals deserve the same meticulous attention to details.He is removing varnish while leaving the original paints entirely intact. Note the solvents used evaporate immediately, which presents the least possible harm to the painting, or to your animal.

 

[viper69]

Maybe a lubricant like nail polish remover or baby oil then use the toothpick?

So you want to kill it

 

[Braden]

She can’t molt with that on her feet. Do what @basin79 said.

Right Right, they molt hanging. my bad