Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello again. My kids captured a female mantid over a month ago and we have been feeding and enjoying her ever since! We introduced her to a male but they wouldn't have anything to do with each other. I have used her to do several presentations with other teachers and have had a blast. She started acting wierd this week. She used to stay on the top of the cage all the time but now she is on the ground and is struggling with using herlegs and the crickets chewed on her wings, so we took them out because she wasn't eating. She started laying an egg last night which was a shock to all of us. Is this standard behavior for laying an egg? This is her first. I take it she had it fertilized before we captured her. Is that normal as well that they hold fertilized eggs inside them for a while? What kind of behavior should I be expecting from her if she is healthy? She isn't hardly moving and we are worried about her. Also how long till the egg hatches, and can the babies get out thru the mesh holes when they hatch? What do I feed them and where do I get it? Thank you.

Essentially, she is dying. Chinese are slaves to their lifespan-and its about up. See the thread below about the mantis with failing health, that will answer a lot of your questions.

Often times females will try to lay an ootheca right before they die, usually it is small, deformed and doesnt hatch.

I dont mean to sound negative, unfortunately these insects follow a very predictable path through life.

Good luck with her, if you are looking for mantids for the classroom, let us know. We have a special program for educational needs.

-L
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www.Wildeyereptiles.com

Chamaeleo quadricornis
Uroplatus phantasticus
Uroplatus ebanaui
Uroplatus fimbriatus
Uroplatus pietschmanni
Rhacodactylus ciliatus
Rhacodactylus auriculatus
Phyllocrania paradoxa
Blepharopsis mendica
Pseudocreobotra wahlbergii
Gongylus gongylodes
Creobroter gemmatus
Parasphendale affinis
Sphodromantis lineola
Hierodula grandis
Chalcosoma caucasus
Dynastes tityus
Dynastes granti
Allomyrhina dichotoma
Haplopelma lividum
Poecilotheria regalis
Epebophus murinus
Acanthoscurria geniculata

Yeah your mantis is dying. I just had the same thing happen. Even though I have experienced it before I thought I would ask on here. Mine laid five egg cases the time I had her and the she laid the last one just a couple days before she was pretty much done in. But that egg case is just as large and normal looking as the rest. Instead of waiting for the mantis to die you can end it for her quickly by placing in the freezer.

Poor lil mantids...I hate this time of year!! I wish mantids live much longer! And I hate those innoying chewing crickets too. They chewed up my mantid wings and even his abdomen a little bit before he died! Im still upset!!

The ooth is not fertile, but keep it anyways, it might hatch through parthenogenisis, but it is doubtful.

-Andrew