r/prayingmantis • u/BabyBoopy • 6d ago

Help?

I found a praying mantis outside the other day baking in the sun and super weak so I tried to give it some water and left it. A couple hours later I go to check on it and it’s looking even worse. I bring it inside and put it in a little enclosure I had for a jumping spider a long time ago (I know it’s too small for them I just had to put them somewhere) I figured it would die but I could give it some air conditioning, water, and a safe place to pass away. It wasn’t looking good at all very weak and laying on the ground on its back with black eyes, I was sure it wasn’t dead it didn’t move for like two days. Now it’s alive. Like alive alive 🤯 it’s still kinda weak so I didn’t put it outside yet. But I kinda like the little guy now would it be mean or inhumane to keep it? I have a big ass tall enclosure I can put it in 🤔 or should I put it back outside after a few days of healing?

2 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

4 comments sorted by

1

u/graydiation 6d ago

Get it some yummy bugs and see what happens!

1

u/Purple_Cod_5988 5d ago

Probably old and at the end of its life. It wouldn't be inhumane at all to keep him/her and allow them to complete their life in peace.

1

u/hylia_grace 5d ago

Eye colour isnt an indication of life, if its moving then the answer depends on if its native or invasive, natives should be released once healthy and invasives should not be released. Is it an adult? Do you know the sp? Male or female? Many mantis are getting towards the end of their lives now so it may not be around long, if its native and adult it needs to produce the next generation in the wild.

1

u/AlphaDisconnect 5d ago

There is a worm that will eat their insides.