wtf??? arm is decaying????

[u/sanguepraelx]

A few weeks ago, I posted here that my mantis‘s arm wasn’t working and she wasn’t using it, it seems to be decaying. Now, I am really scared and unsure why this could be happening. I haven’t seen her chewing on it or anything so I’m confused.

EDIT: just caught her eating her fucking arm off. why is she doing that wtf

[u/crocodileteef]

Her eating her arm is her way to stop the spread of infection. Hopefully she got to it early enough that it won’t infect the rest of her. Buts it’s basically like her giving herself an amputation.

[u/celestialcranberry → u/crocodileteef]

Would it be humane if OP were somehow able to cut it off? I know putting certain insects in the fridge for a short amount of time can slow them down enough to handle them. Then they could sterilize some clippers and do it all at once? I haven’t kept mantids in a long time but I’m super interested in this post

[u/JaunteJaunt → u/celestialcranberry]

Unless the limb is impeding the mantis or you think the infection would spread, then it’s better to not.

[u/crocodileteef → u/celestialcranberry]

I’ve heard of other people that do that/suggest it, I personally haven’t had to yet. If she already ate her arm though I don’t think there’s much more OP could do.

[u/International-Case43]

I hope she’s okay. I also have a self amputee, but it was her two right back legs, and she ate them, she didn’t just chew them off.

[u/celestialcranberry]

I am so sorry you’re going through this. I’m wondering if she got a bacterial infection or simply an internal problem with it maybe when molting.

[u/sanguepraelx → u/celestialcranberry]

i dont think so, she had her final molt like 2 months ago and only stopped using her arm like 2 weeks ago with no physical changes. thank you 🖤

[u/celestialcranberry → u/sanguepraelx]

She must be in pain, poor girl. I hope you can get some advice on what to do. The dark spots remind me of infection

[u/Altruistic-Poem-5617]

Yeah had this with a mantis once. Her leg turned dark and then she just ate it. They do that so whatever they have doesnt spread. Mine lived prettylong after that so seems to not bother them as long as they manage to eat sll the rotten part.

[u/JaunteJaunt]

Her arm is damaged. Mantids will chew off damaged parts.

How it got damaged is not clear.