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Ouch! My tarsus.
I feel this article is important as we don’t know enough about mantids anatomy.
The tarsus and tarsa is a very fine hair like “toe” on the feet of a mantis
The tarsus is hardly visible especially on nymphs and smaller species. You’ll find while observing a mantis how the hook the tarsus on the edge of a surface to hold on.
Commonly seen they will hold on the edge of a container or habitat or a surface that if not carefully considered when caring for your mantis can hurt them. The tarsus can be easily damaged, ripped off even crippling insects if your not careful.
I was in a rush picking a mantis up and brushed he off a piece of mesh a little too rough and the hair like tarsus was stuck to the mesh. fortunately she could still eat and molt though ive learned these small injuries can be fatal.
Commonly seen they will hold on the edge of a container or habitat or a surface that if not carefully considered when caring for your mantis can hurt them. The tarsus can be easily damaged, ripped off even crippling insects if your not careful.
I was in a rush picking a mantis up and brushed he off a piece of mesh a little too rough and the hair like tarsus was stuck to the mesh. fortunately she could still eat and molt though ive learned these small injuries can be fatal.
I hope you will take care regarding this issue as I’m certain this is a painful experience for your pet is mishandled.
Don't rip your mantis from surfaces, mantids will climb aboard your hand or a stick if offered with patience. Remember they are delicate and special animals more evolved than most. For such an aggressive hunter, mantis can be strangely docile with their owners. A further benefit of praying mantis as pets therefore is that they can generally be handled quite safely. In general, a praying mantis will happily walk from hand to hand.
