I need advice please

[MantisNewbie]

Hi I just recently purchased and received my mantis, I know you need to lightly mist them down once a day but the problem is that i mist the habitat and then after an hour all the water is just gone. I can’t seem to create humidity what am I doing wrong. 

 

[Synapze]

Are you only misting the glass or are you misting the substrate? 

 

[Mystymantis]

Do you have a hygrometer in there to measure the actual humidity? Even if you can't physically see the water droplets it still could be humid in there. If you are only misting the glass/plastic walls of the enclosure the water droplets will go away pretty quickly. If there is nothing in the enclosure to hold the humidity, that is a substrate of some sort like coconut fiber or paper towel the water will go away quickly because there is nothing to retain the water. What kind of enclosure is it and is there any substrate? To help keep the humidity, if there is no substrate, add a substrate. Or spray the substrate directly if there is one in there. Be careful that there is adequate ventilation though because high humidity causes mold if there isn't enough air flow. 

 

[MantisNewbie]

Because she’s only a baby and she’s a Malaysian flower mantis so she’s very small she’s in a large plastic tub that I got from Mantis Mayhem which is where I got her from. The lid has evenly spread about 1 inch holes with a fabric layer stuck to it to allow ventilation without letting her or her food out. I spray the entire enclosure, she has moss and sticks and fake leaves in there, at the bottom of the enclosure is some paper towel because I heard that’s the best thing to use for a new mantis. 

 

[MantisNewbie]

I don’t have a hydrometer because they’re quite large the ones I’ve found and wouldn’t stick to the curve. 

 

[Synapze]

Try a meter with a probe. They are inexpensive and the probe fits perfectly in one of the ventilation holes in the lid. I purchase a bunch from eBay. 

 

[Mystymantis]

Yeah I have the same problem with the 32 oz cups with the hygrometer not sticking to the curve. You could get one with a probe like Synapze suggested those things are pretty cheap and very useful.  In my experience 32 oz cups with the mesh lid do seem to keep a decent amount of humidity especially with a substrate which you said you have. I don't know the particular requirements for that mantis species, but if it needs high humidity usually spraying around 2 to maybe 3 times a day should be fine?  I don't know for sure though since I haven't kept that species.

I would worry about spraying too much and mold starting to grow. In my experience it is better to have a slightly lower humidity then have mold growing which can kill your mantis.

 

[MantisNewbie]

Okay thank you for your help  I will get one and tell you how it goes!! 

 

[MantisNewbie]

Synapze is this the one you get ?