# Mantis shed problem!!



## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

Hey guys I have kept mantids for around 3 years now and never had this problem my female _H. unimaculata_ is stuck in a shed. She's been there since this time yesterday, in the same place trying to get her head out of the old skin!

She is kept at high levels of humidity and always has a good drink, so I'm stumped as to how this has happened. I dare not touch her in case she falls, but it's starting to look like the new skin is hardening She was moving a lot last night, but now she looks tired and is less energetic. 

Is there anything I could do? The only thing I could think of was some how try to break the old skin from around her neck?

Any help would be appreciated, cheers:help:


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## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

Here's a pic


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Sadly it dont look too good. The most you can do is increase humidity and hope for the best.


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## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

As I thought Cheers anyway

Scott


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

sdh_22 said:


> As I thought Cheers anyway
> 
> Scott


Sadly theres not much you can do . Its very sad though


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

Aww it's sad when this happens, did to mu ghost the other day except it couldn't get it's legs out, did some DIY, it came out but died shortly after. Humidity doesn't seem to help it comes cases, sometimes it's just a bad moult.


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## Salamanda (May 28, 2008)

such a shame, my boyfriends escaped not so long ago and I found it later on stuck in molt


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## andie (Sep 23, 2007)

vivalabam said:


> Aww it's sad when this happens, did to mu ghost the other day except it couldn't get it's legs out, did some DIY, it came out but died shortly after. Humidity doesn't seem to help it comes cases, sometimes it's just a bad moult.


Humidity can sometimes be to high and is not always the cause of blame for a bad moult. With 3 years experience you shouldnt blame it on anything you have done. Its just something that will happen sadly and will for the most experienced of keepers. Sometimes if the moult isnt to bad you can use a small wet paint brush to carefully remove skin.


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## vivalabam (Aug 8, 2010)

andie said:


> Humidity can sometimes be to high and is not always the cause of blame for a bad moult. With 3 years experience you shouldnt blame it on anything you have done. Its just something that will happen sadly and will for the most experienced of keepers. Sometimes if the moult isnt to bad you can use a small wet paint brush to carefully remove skin.


LOL! I read what I wrote when you quoted me, like did I write that? Seems like I was drunk. :lol2: Yeah that's what I meant, humidity isn't always the issue, it's sometimes just a bad moult. :lol2:


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## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

Well she wasn't gaining anymore so I decided to help her out. Took her out prised her old skin off her forearms and legs. Forearms look fine legs are really messed up all bent from the knee down Head is still stuck in it has tightened around the 'neck' area. have now left her hangin upside down to see if those legs will straighten out. Can't say it looks good


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## tenaciousace (Jan 25, 2010)

That is real bad luck there Mate. I suppose its an odds game we play keepig inverts. We can make as much effort as possible to better our odds. Sometimes tho you get a bad molt. Fingers crossed it comes through.


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## Crab Man (Oct 3, 2009)

Not good when this kind of thing happens, but as has been said it's sadly part of the game. I've had more than one bad molt in the time I've kept mantids. 
Not much you can do now but hope for the best. If the damage is limited to the rear two pairs of legs chances are your mantis will be able to struggle through what will be a pretty uncomfortable instar right enough, but it's doable.
I'm mostly worried about any of the old skin being stuck around the head and maybe affecting the mouth parts, preventing feeding...
Best of luck mate. I really hope she pulls through!


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## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

All four legs are bent but she is still here this morning Slightly less bent and odd looking. Mouthparts are fine she was helping me get the old skin off by chewing her way through it lol


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

well if her forearms and mouth are OK, hopefully she can still eat. You could always hand feed her if her legs don't work well enough for her to walk about much


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## sdh_22 (Jan 16, 2009)

Yeah I'm sure she could survive but how is she going to moult next time?, She has much trouble walking let alone getting upsidedown:s


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## Crab Man (Oct 3, 2009)

Does she still have her tarsal claws? They haven't been broken in the molt?
If they're still intact there'll still be hope. It may just take her a while to get used to the legs being a bit wonky now but these are pretty resillient little creatures, and you'll be surprised at what they can soldier on through  
Seriously, I've had one or two that have come out of a molt looking like they'd been through a spin cycle and they still made it to the next one!

Your mantis will most likely be both weakened and stressed out at the moment following this. See if you can get her to feed and then otherwise keep stress levels as low as possible. She'll need to strengthen up a bit now.


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## andie (Sep 23, 2007)

Might be of some use to others that don't know how to hand feed.


Sometimes our mantids become damaged either through a bad moult or just wear and tear. Providing they are not to bad then they may be able to look after themselves but sometimes a little help is needed.
This little male _Gongylus gongylodes_ has lost the use of both his raptorial arms as well as a front leg and has no way of feeding himself. 
Fortunately hand feeding is very easy with most mantids.










Using a pair of tweezers pick up a slightly squished fly and gently touch the mantids mouth parts with the fly this will usually stimulate a feeding response.










Eventually the mantis will take the fly and will be able to carry on eating , he may occasionally drop the fly but will soon get used to what you are tying to do for him.



















Hope this helps


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## GazzyG (Feb 13, 2011)

Sorry to hear about this, mate.

Had it happen to one of mine once. Heartbreaking to watch them struggling.


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## Crab Man (Oct 3, 2009)

GazzyG said:


> Sorry to hear about this, mate.
> 
> Had it happen to one of mine once. Heartbreaking to watch them struggling.


It is indeed 
But on the other hand it's equally amazing when you get to see the mantis make it through the next molt and come out like brand spankers 
You get to witness a marvel of nature, pat yourself on the back, and you can look your mantis in the eyes and say "you so owe me a pint mate!"


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## reptile boy jordy (Jan 19, 2011)

selina20 said:


> Sadly it dont look too good. The most you can do is increase humidity and hope for the best.


 
this is probably the best advise.:2thumb:


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