Molting - Lost Eye Site?

[J2FcM]

Motoko just finished her most recent molt and I've noticed some behavioral changes;

I would describe her now as;

A - clutsy and dopey

B - Extremely brave now

or

C - partially blind now so she doesn't see "threats" and she moves more clutz like.





Anyone have this experience?
Physically she looks the same... I will try to get a better look at her eyes, I notice mabe seeing less of the "black line of Mantis focus" running down them.

[Tangalong]

How long since she molted? Is she eating? No experience yet in molting..maybe soon. but sure hope yours comes out of it...pulling for her.

[J2FcM]

She finished molting, and really coming out, smacking stuff, about a week ago.
I believe shes eaten a hermit, and she hunts down food I throw in.
Just seems like she is blind now... before she would flare at me, and run from me, not she just meanders aimlessly outin the open a lot more than usual. Or will half swim then fall in the air, then just chill, and go back in her burrows.

[gozermantis]

my O. scyllarus is like that too after recent molt like 2 weeks ago. i think its cause she feels better more protected with new molt. she is my little badass. out swimming like a maniac running and smashing **** to build build BUILD!

[gozermantis]

not so clutsy and dopey tho

[J2FcM]

Yeah -

I believe mine has lost vision.. I am easily able to touch her without her taking any notice.

She never flares at me, and I can easily go up to the glass and take her picture while shes right there.

And, when I put my tongs it, when they touch her antennae or get very close she turns to it, and will grab with her smaller limbs and try to drag the tongs in. Before she would recognize them and duck out of their way and smack them.

Motoko is a G. Smithii.

[micstarz]

I don't think so...how long have you had her?

Pre-molt behavior features territorial displays and constant rebuilding of homes plus skittishness.

Now that her molt is done she may be more comfortable, and maybe this is her actual normal behaviour, whie you though her pre molt behavior was the normal behavior.

Read Dr. Roy (Gonodactylus)'s sticky article about molting...

[J2FcM]

Well, lets say a typical day;

I'd wake up in the morning; she'd be peaking out flaring at me.

I'd come home at night, put in some food...
If I used tongs it would make her peak out and eventually she would hit my tongs when they got close, or if hungry she would fly out and "air hump" the food off.
If I just dropped the food in she would cautiously approach it, and if I came to the glass she would back up or run away.

Basically, she always reacted to me.

During Molts she did the typical. Ran around in circles for a week. Dragged rocks everywhich way. Eventually stopped taking food.
Then *poof* gone for about a week.... comes out one day with slightly different coloring... roughly a week after she's back to the same color and smashing stuff.

But; after this molt and about a week.

She is out in the open much more often, and she looks totally unaware of her surroundings (rabies?). She never reacts to me outside the glass.
Her reactions to my tongs are only when the tongs are right up in front of her or touching her. And she grabs the tongs like they are food.

totally different Mantis now. no more hide and seek. no more caution. just randomly walking around out in the open apparently ignoring everything and look much less graceful.

the last molt was a little stressful.

[J2FcM]

my little puppy was investigating some pulsating star xenia today... poor thing shes blind... reaches out and grabs stalk\star... erm? Oh, why not rip it off and spit it out??? Blind taste test!!!


ugh.

[micstarz]

Oh....poor thing D:

PM Dr. Roy!


Eliminate some of the hazards like toxic things and things with claws...

Maybe she didn't exactly pull all the way free from her old shell?

[wally43]

thats sad man i really feel bad for u, my mantis is molting right now this kinda scares me man i hope everything goes well, i really do feel for u i would be heart broken if something happen to coraline (my mantis) and my girlfriend she loves her too so good luck i really hope she gets her sight back
wally

[Gonodactylus]

I've seen O.s have their eyes stuck in the molt skin and lose their vision. I've never experienced this unless the molt skin was not shed.

Roy

[Thurge]

Dr. Roy, I know you have said that if an eye is lost in a fight, unlike raps that can be regenerated, the eyes can not. Is this a situation where if the next shed is clean, the sight can be regained, or is it gone for ever?

[Gonodactylus]

They cannot regenerate an eye if the optic lobe is lost. I don't know if they can regenerate the retina if the underlying ganglia are intact. They should be able to repair the cornea and cones if that was the sole damage.

Roy

[Tangalong]

J2FcM, just checking to see if she is any better.

[J2FcM]

Not really... I believe she only has "peripheal" vision... anything directly in front of her she can't see, but if I go far to her side, she will often react and turn towards me... effectively blinding herself as she can't see me when she turns head on.

I guess on the bright side she is eating and walking around still...

[Tangalong]

It may heal itself...nature does wonders...just stay positive. I looked at Bree's eyes again today...they are definitely bigger...actually can't see the square pupil (can't remember name of that) just looks like the eyes and stalks are covered with loosening skin. I couldn't see the rest of her...still in the burrow. She did take 2 little pieces of silver sides and a piece of thawed mysis shrimp. She grabbed them like she was really hungry.

Hang in there...

[J2FcM]

Now its just annoying, Motoko is almost always out of her burrow just investigating and hitting and feeling everything. She spent about 20 minutes smashing at the glass cleaning magnet in my tank. The coral are in more danger than ever when the shrimp goes blind!

[Tangalong]

Poor Motoko. She has to be confused. Wonder how long before she will molt again and if there is any way to encourage one? I have read a little more iodine/iodide can encourage molting, but I would have to know for sure from an expert before I put any in. Just a thought. She will probably get to know her way around by doing her prowling.Don't give up on her yet..

[bheld]

My peacock only has one eye and I can confirm that they can't grow it back! ha...she obviously doesn't have the best vision but still manages quite well. Sorry about the whole blind thing, I can half-relate! ha

[Thurge]

Tangalong, since you say that you can see the loose exoskeleton, I would take that as a sign that you mantis' sight should come back after a successful molt.

Bheld, I would love to see a picture of your Peacock. I seem to remember a post form Dr. Roy from way back, that if a mantis lost an eye it doesn't come back as an eye it will generate another structure in its place. I can't remember if it was an antennal scale, or atennule.
Also is that your Acan in your avatar?

[Tangalong]

So far, my Mantis' sight is fine...she can see when I show her the "green straw" and comes out to get fed. I don't think she can see as well as normal though due to the loose exoskeleton as you say...She doesn't come all the way out and that makes me pretty sure things must look a little blurry now. I'll be glad when she is finished.