Well, I just returned home from the LFS to a rather stressful situation.
I had been hearing a *ping* noise all day, and attributed it to one of my G. chiraga, who had a tendency to whack at the heater.
Nope, it was Glaurung (G. platysoma) , my Fave (OK, tied with 2 others, but still...) mantis, in dire peril. The little stinker had got his right dactyl stuch through the slats of the filter, and it was extended, with the wicked spike caught between two of the slats. He was whacking away with his other, to no avail. Poor little fellow was on his back, having dislodged the filter end from the intake, looking like a kid with his hand stuck in a jar.
Needless to say, I panicked. It didn't help that my mother (Who is visiting) also panicked, as she adores the little monsters.
Of course the tools that I needed were lost somewhere, but nevertheless, I went into action.
First, I got a spare kritter keeper, filled it with his water and got it ready. Then, I got a large net, gently positioned it under him and the filter part and sort of scooped him in. He didn't fight much, as he looked exhausted.
Transferred him to the KK. Looked a bit, saw the extent of the problem and decided that my fingers getting whacked were definately worth saving this singularly amazing little mantis's arm.
See, my platy seems to be a mutant. He is outgoing, he interacts with my cats, anyone who comes by, as well as being a gorgeous creature. I take back my earlier statement, he IS my favorite mantis.
Missing the tools that I really wanted, I set about with a pair of toenail clippers, snipping the slats away gently, while holding the filter cap with my other hand...less than an inch from the mantis. I really had no choice, as the positioning of his body meant that I had to hold it at a severe angle to get at the slat.
And...
...He didn't strike me. Now I know that they have individual Recognition. he knows that I am 'the food guy'. I bring him his favorite food, hermits, as he is a very fussy mantis. He throws back thawed scallop and squid, unless it is absolutely fresh . He only likes certain snails.He kills live crabs, but won't eat the, Ect...Ect...And all of this I cater to, because he is my favorite. I'm not saying that he 'loves me', like a dog or anything, but I can't help but think, as we watched each other (He was watching me VERY intently), my fingers millimeters from his unstuck dactyl, that he understood that I was trying to help him. Almost three minutes we did this tense little surgery, and when I finally pried the last slats apart (Having clipped away the end piece), he pulled his arm free, and still he did not strike. He had struck at the piece right before I worked a couple of times, as well as the keeper's wall once, but not me.
I poured him back in, he swam around a bit, then settled into his home cavity, resting from what must have been one exhausting afternoon.
Anyways, I am just glad the my little favorite sea monster is ok.
*************************************************
FOR DR. ROY: I know that they can tear off their own arms, from bad molts. Like a fox chewing off it's leg to escape a trap. Would he have eventually tore the arm off and swam away? Likewise, have you ever known them to show a non aggressive attitude like this when you were helping them out? I know that you must have had some mantis mishaps in all of your experiences.
**************************************************
-Ron/Uriel
I had been hearing a *ping* noise all day, and attributed it to one of my G. chiraga, who had a tendency to whack at the heater.
Nope, it was Glaurung (G. platysoma) , my Fave (OK, tied with 2 others, but still...) mantis, in dire peril. The little stinker had got his right dactyl stuch through the slats of the filter, and it was extended, with the wicked spike caught between two of the slats. He was whacking away with his other, to no avail. Poor little fellow was on his back, having dislodged the filter end from the intake, looking like a kid with his hand stuck in a jar.
Needless to say, I panicked. It didn't help that my mother (Who is visiting) also panicked, as she adores the little monsters.
Of course the tools that I needed were lost somewhere, but nevertheless, I went into action.
First, I got a spare kritter keeper, filled it with his water and got it ready. Then, I got a large net, gently positioned it under him and the filter part and sort of scooped him in. He didn't fight much, as he looked exhausted.
Transferred him to the KK. Looked a bit, saw the extent of the problem and decided that my fingers getting whacked were definately worth saving this singularly amazing little mantis's arm.
See, my platy seems to be a mutant. He is outgoing, he interacts with my cats, anyone who comes by, as well as being a gorgeous creature. I take back my earlier statement, he IS my favorite mantis.
Missing the tools that I really wanted, I set about with a pair of toenail clippers, snipping the slats away gently, while holding the filter cap with my other hand...less than an inch from the mantis. I really had no choice, as the positioning of his body meant that I had to hold it at a severe angle to get at the slat.
And...
...He didn't strike me. Now I know that they have individual Recognition. he knows that I am 'the food guy'. I bring him his favorite food, hermits, as he is a very fussy mantis. He throws back thawed scallop and squid, unless it is absolutely fresh . He only likes certain snails.He kills live crabs, but won't eat the, Ect...Ect...And all of this I cater to, because he is my favorite. I'm not saying that he 'loves me', like a dog or anything, but I can't help but think, as we watched each other (He was watching me VERY intently), my fingers millimeters from his unstuck dactyl, that he understood that I was trying to help him. Almost three minutes we did this tense little surgery, and when I finally pried the last slats apart (Having clipped away the end piece), he pulled his arm free, and still he did not strike. He had struck at the piece right before I worked a couple of times, as well as the keeper's wall once, but not me.
I poured him back in, he swam around a bit, then settled into his home cavity, resting from what must have been one exhausting afternoon.
Anyways, I am just glad the my little favorite sea monster is ok.
*************************************************
FOR DR. ROY: I know that they can tear off their own arms, from bad molts. Like a fox chewing off it's leg to escape a trap. Would he have eventually tore the arm off and swam away? Likewise, have you ever known them to show a non aggressive attitude like this when you were helping them out? I know that you must have had some mantis mishaps in all of your experiences.
**************************************************
-Ron/Uriel