RE: Peacock Mantis with no Appendages - They're Back!

[TrappedMetal]

RE: Peacock Mantis with no Appendages - They're Back!

Well. I bought my Peacock Mantis around a month ago, i discovered today that he's shed, yesterday probably.
He had no appendages at all, just a little stub. I fed him well, half a silverside every day.
He never stopped taking food, and his eyes didnt seem to go opaque, but he's shed. And he has his appendages, fully grown back in one moult, ive had him about 1 month! Even the God of Mantis on this forum expected 9 months or so at least.
I shall try to get a photo of him, although he;s just took a prawn and dissapeared somewhere.
Few questions - will he USE his appendages now? i presume they are still hardening up as they are a bit pale compared to the rest of his body. I tossed a nassarius snail into his burrow, he just scooped it up and threw it out...i hope to god he is waiting until they harden up, rather than i have a "nice" mantis.
Is there anything i can do to stimulate smashing? I might buy it a mithrax crab or similar tomorrow and see what happens there..
Thanks for any advice.
James

 

[Wildinside]

I would imagine he is just waiting for them to harden up. It usually takes a few days until they start to use them again. Last molt my mantis had he didn't use his appendages for about a week. Probabaly just being a careful mantis and seeing as how he is a peacock he is going to be very inclined to smash lots of stuff. Just give him some time and he will be smashing like theres no tomorrow.

 

[TrappedMetal]

Excellent. Read this message so never went and got him a mithrax, i'll hold off food for a bit too and try to induce him with a nassarius snail or something.

 

[justinl]

it generally takes three to four molts for a mantis to completely regenerate it's raptorial appendages. they probably aren't 100% yet. also you should not force a mantis to beat any hard shelled food right after a molt... that could ruin the rapts fast. give the mantis a week or so before you throw any live in.

If you want, when the rapts have hardened, you can throw in live hard shelled food and starve the mantis for a bit. A hungry mantis is a hunting mantis. A full mantis is a lazy one.

 

[TrappedMetal]

Thanks for that, will make sure i give him at least a week.

 

[Gonodactylus]

The raptorial appendages that appear after the first molt are not functional. Usually they cannot even strike. It will take two more molts for them to be functional and three to be back at full power. Keep feeding soft food. It cannot eat crabs or snails until at least the next molt and probably two.

Roy

 

[oceanparadise1]

gosh its threads like these that make me want one!