Help My mantis just ate itself!!!!

[mimic58]

What in gods name please someone shed some light on this why has my beloved pet mantis eaten its own claw :eek: :? :confused:

[thedreadedone]

sorry to sound patronising, but is the claw actually gone?
maybe it was doing some overenthusiastic cleaning?

[mimic58]

the claw is gone there is no two ways it has eaten it :eek:

[Longbord1]

whoa thats crazy!!!!!!!!!!!!!


btw it might be doing it because that limb dosen't work??

mike

[bagheera]

Arthropods will remove a bad limb if it isn't working or is damaged. It regenerates upon the next molt. I have seen T's pull off legs, rather intenionally after a bad molt. :8o

[mimic58]

is there any hope for her now?

[NRF]

Arthropods will remove a bad limb if it isn't working or is damaged. It regenerates upon the next molt. I have seen T's pull off legs, rather intenionally after a bad molt. :8o

Most arthropods, for example spiders (except mygalomorphs) and all insects, do not moult after they have reached maturity. That means that they cannot regenerate anything as adults. Anyway, adult spiders will through off their leg as an escape mechanism (autotomy) if they get stuck or grabbed by an ant.
It often takes several moults for a new limb to reach normal size if it does reach normal size at all.

[mimic58]

i didnt think it was its final molt but it could be i duno it last molted chistmass eve and has not since , maybe i should just give it to the canetoad he could use an exciting meel?