Different sized smashers?

[Crawling68]

I just noticed my mantis right smasher is smaller then his left, will it eventually grow to the same size?

 

[Gonodactylus]

It is regenerating and will get bigger each molt. As a rule of thumb, after a raptorial appendage is lost, it will be about a third normal size after the first molt and non-functional. The next molt it will be a little more than half normal size and work, but have little power and will not be used. The third molt it will be 3/4 size and functional. The fourth molt will return it to nearly normal. This process can take a year in a large individual of a species, a few months in a small one.

Roy

 

[dave3d]

Roy,
During the time a raptorial appendage is being regrown is it common for the molting cycle to be more frequent?

I got a G. Terna a couple months ago and one of his appendages was smaller than the other and he has molted twice since he's been in my care.

-David

 

[Gonodactylus]

I don't know the answer for every species, but for N. bredini, molting rate is not accelerated if one raptorial appendage is lost, but it is if both are. This well could vary from species to species.

Roy