# URGENT Mantis Shedding Problem



## RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou

My spiny mantis is stuck in shed, managed to get nearly all of itself out, but its been the same as it is now since last night
it looks like its just its front legs that need to come out, 



will post a piccy when thyve uploaded


is there anything i can do to help it?


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## RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou




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## Captainmatt29

Ok that piccies isnt very clear as to the issue but i assume the head is still stuck? i believe the mantis will free itself eventually though


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## Danhalen

At that size, there is probably very little you can do. In regards to freeing the stuck moult, you could try upping the relative humidity - the theory is that it will help to soften the old exuvium. 

Your best bet would be to put it in a cricket box lined with a few layers of warm (not hot), wet kitchen roll. Then put the container somewhere like the airing cupboard, or on top of the fridge - somewhere warm, but not hot. A heat mat would likely prove too warm.

There's always the chance that the front legs will drop, but then the mantis will not be able to feed without assistance.

If the mantis is healthy and mobile, you could try and snip the bulk of the exuvium away with some fine scissors, being carful not to snip the trapped legs within.


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## Sollytear

Increase humidity, but u dont have long before it dies. Ur best bet may be to remove it urself, using tweezers, nail sissors, and wet cotton wool bud (the 1s for ur ears). Worst case scinario, it looses its legs, then ull have to hand feed it up to next instar. I have done this before, its not so hard, just takes alot of patience!


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## spicewwfc

Poor thing. I had one do this a few months back but it was its back legs. It ended up losing both of them because i wasn't there to help. It moulted again last week and both legs are there good as new. 
If it loses its front legs it will still take food from tweezers just crush it first and put it in its mouth this should stimulate the feeding reflex. It takes a lot of patience and a steady hand. It should be fine aslong as it can escape from the skin. 
When you notice you mantis stop feeding and its abdomen dosent shrink make sure you mist it every day this should help stop this happening again.
Good luck.


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## RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou

HIs back legs are all bent 


still not out


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## beckyl92

sorry to say but he isn't gonna make it to his next moult. they need their back legs to moult.
in the mean time wet where the skin is stuck and gently rub it. it will eventually come off.
don't leave him like that he won't beable to free himself.


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## FreakOonique

Spit on your fingers and gently rub at the old skin thats stuck. Its most likely a humidity issue to why he has got stuck. I agree with Becky, in that state he wont make next moult. Can you get a clearer picture of the damage to his legs? If its just his raptorial arms you can just hand feed him, but not all mantids take to it, and sometimes you have to think about its quality of life


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## Ozgi

Which bit of it is actually stuck in the shed? It looks as if all of the legs are free and it's just the fore-arms that are stuck? If that is the case you may be able to get the old shed off if you are very very careful. But by now it's body will have hardened and it may leave it disfigured.

What instar was it when you bought it? It looks like it is shedding from 1st to 2nd instar. Unfortunately at that stage there are always a few nymphs that don't shed properly and don't make it. I wish people would stop selling such young nymphs, they need a shed or 2 to weed out the weak ones. :devil:


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## RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou

Sadly, he died not too long ago

it was his forearms and part of his head, his legs where all bent backwards

R.I.P "Lucky"


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## invertasnakes

:sad::sad: sorry for your loss hun :sad::sad:


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## Danhalen

RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou said:


> Sadly, he died not too long ago
> 
> it was his forearms and part of his head, his legs where all bent backwards
> 
> R.I.P "Lucky"


Gutted! So sorry to hear that


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## RawrIsDinosaurForILoveYou

hopefully the other one will do ok, it should shed soon, so i'll up the humidity a little bit,
i hope i dont lose an orchid


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## FreakOonique

Hun, there is clearly an issue with how they are kept. How are you keeping them? I'd like to help if I can


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## Ozgi

Tamz said:


> Hun, there is clearly an issue with how they are kept. How are you keeping them? I'd like to help if I can


Unfortunately it does happen to the younger nymphs, no matter how good the set up is. I had some die when shedding from L1 to L2 and the set up is fine. It's just nature's way of weeding out the weak ones. This is why they shouldn't really be sold at 1st instar.


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## Captainmatt29

The same happens to stick insects alot too, very sorry to hear about that


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## FreakOonique

Ozgi said:


> Unfortunately it does happen to the younger nymphs, no matter how good the set up is. I had some die when shedding from L1 to L2 and the set up is fine. It's just nature's way of weeding out the weak ones. This is why they shouldn't really be sold at 1st instar.


Yes but its good to hear her set up to make sure its spot on for next time


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