Slow-Mo roach

[hundefrau]

Hi guys

I need your input about the behaviour of one of my newer adult females.

So in the last few weeks four nymphs molted into adult females. For two of them things went as usual. The other two apparently got startled into hiding before they stretched their wings.

I noticed that one of the females with wrinkeled wings just... doesn't do much compared to the other roaches and seems to live in slow-motion, both while being held and in the enclosure. Like, she moves reeeeally slowly and mostly hides away under leaves and hiding places. and she doesn't seem to notice food in front of her with her maxillary palps. Not even when I put it right under her mouth.

I'm honest, I do not know if she actually eats anything, as I am away for uni most of the day, but her abdomen looks still rounded. I'll try to feed her baby food tomorrow to see if she wants to/manages to eat that at least.

She is also, even now, still rather pale and her antennae are squiggly, not straightned like the others'.

 

So my questions are:

1) Are there actually any disadvantages the wrinkeled-up wings could cause for the two ladies?

2) Should I be worried about the slow-mo roach (I know this is a rather vague question) and do you think there is anything I can do to make life easier for her, since I don't want to give up on her without trying...?

Thank you in advance

[Test Account]

It seems that wrinkly wings should have no statistically significant bad effects on roaches. Tenebrionid beetles with really messed-up wings can live normal lives easily, so 

 

 

 

 

When insects become lethargic and slow-moving, often they are near death. If they eat, they often recover from their weakness. If they refuse food, they are usually doomed to roach heaven, no matter how hard the keeper tries to save their lives. If I were you, I would isolate that female in a comfortable small box, try stimulating the palps with fruit/water (more digestible than normal roachfood?), and hope for the best. There might be a small chance your peppered roach makes it, so good luck!

[Hisserdude]

I doubt the wings are the problem, it's more likely she sustained some other injuries when she molted. I'm hesitant to say something's wrong with her though, especially if she's still rather plump.

[Test Account]

11 hours ago, Hisserdude said:

I doubt the wings are the problem, it's more likely she sustained some other injuries when she molted. I'm hesitant to say something's wrong with her though, especially if she's still rather plump.

Agreed. I have had some Zophobas adults slow down and mysteriously die after molting, though, so I was speaking from experience. The plumpness is a good sign, if the roach refuses food for a few days it may still have energy to recover.

[hundefrau]

Mhh okay, I'll see if she eats anything over the next few days.

Thanks for your input, you two

[hundefrau]

2 hours ago, hundefrau said:

Mhh okay, I'll see if she eats anything over the next few days.

Thanks for your input, you two

Update: Sadly, I had to send her over the rainbow bridge way sooner than expected. I just found her in the enclosure, convulsing and clearly in pain/suffering. So I decided to let her go.

She actually had a little wound on the side of her abdomen with a crust on it. I suspect she did sustain the injury when she was still white and soft, maybe when she was startled.

I know I did the right thing... but I still feel like I have failed her :/

[Hisserdude]

43 minutes ago, hundefrau said:

Update: Sadly, I had to send her over the rainbow bridge way sooner than expected. I just found her in the enclosure, convulsing and clearly in pain/suffering. So I decided to let her go.

She actually had a little wound on the side of her abdomen with a crust on it. I suspect she did sustain the injury when she was still white and soft, maybe when she was startled.

I know I did the right thing... but I still feel like I have failed her :/

Aww dang it, that sucks, so sorry to hear it. You definitely did the right thing, and injuries like that are usually flukes, I doubt there was anything you could have done differently that would have prevented it.