Is there anyone here that has kept a peacock and recovered the molt? Did it have the same spear like dactyl?
The first molt I recovered I let dry with the spear closed up as I didn’t know it was there. Once the molt dried there was no way to open it as it solidified into place when it dried out. At one point when I was looking ad the dried molt I thought it looked like it opened further but didn’t want to break it trying to pry it open. This time while the molt was still wet BINGO. Sure enough.
I kept several years ago.
The smasher have spears too.. in fact it is in the photo, it is just that the right one is closed.
When hand feeding a mantis, even a smasher, it is the spears that are dangerous due to infection if they get you...