Precarious
Well-known member
Net cage is bad advice - period. They don't hold the high humidity this breed needs (as per Tier's advice) and they fall when molting from it.
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Terrarium with lots of twigs
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Peter Clausen
Well-known member
(Some of the posts in this thread have been edited by mutual agreement of the parties involved. Carry on.)
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guapoalto049
Well-known member
I have noticed that my mantids sometimes get eye injuries when using a glass or plastic cage. My L3 Idolos molted today in a butterfly net cage with no problems. As they get a little older, I'm planning on doing a similar setup with a jungle gym of thin branches, as in the picture posted.
It does look like a nice setup though, only time will tell if it works! Hopefully something useful will come out of your experience and we can collectively get this problem solved.
It does look like a nice setup though, only time will tell if it works! Hopefully something useful will come out of your experience and we can collectively get this problem solved.
guapoalto049
Well-known member
Precarious
Well-known member
Maybe try to keep the branches from touching the net so they stay on the branches. The other issue is they need room for their wings so the branches can't be clustered together. We'll keep in touch and see what works.
Eye injuries??? That's a new one to me. What do you mean?
guapoalto049
Well-known member
Some of my female Chinese (why only female I don't know) have been bumping into the sides of the container. This is the only year I've encountered this...the eye turns brown in front where its repeatedly being bumped. Only two Chinese were spotless, and they were the ones kept in net cages.
Quite an odd problem I know, so this may be just a rare case. The points that tier brought up are very interesting, indeed. The fact that this species always changes to bright green when adult suggests (in my mind) a drastic environment change in nature.
What instar are your mantids?
Precarious
Well-known member
guapoalto049
Well-known member
Yeah Idolos, sorry. Mine are the same age! Lets keep eachother posted.
ismart
Well-known member
Wow! :blink: Very nice! 
Sorry if you have mentioned this before, but for the sides, what are using for them to climb to the top?
Sorry if you have mentioned this before, but for the sides, what are using for them to climb to the top?
Precarious
Well-known member
I have branches attched to the framework. Right now I just have 2 vertical branches on each side and another multi-limbed branch at an incline. I can add as many as I need to sides if that becomes necessary. In fact, I could cover the whole backdrop with branches too. There is also a fake plant becasue the Ghosts like them. I'll take that out when it comes time for the Idolos.Wow! :blink: Very nice!
One of the Ghosts laid an ooth in there already!
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Precarious
Well-known member
Absolutely. I'll definitely keep updating with posts. You'll always know what's going on with mine.
Schloaty
Well-known member
I have some young idolo's myself...and I'm toying with the idea of getting a small wooden birdcage...
You know, a cage where the whole thing is made of rungs.
I know that may present a humidity issue for most, but I have an indoor grow chamber ("greenhouse" of sorts) for tropical plants...and I don't allow the humidity to drop below about 40% in there. In addition, I would be able to mist them very easily through the sides.
It's a thought - I haven't really committed to it yet. Depends on whether I can find a cheap bird cage!
It would definately have to be wood, though, so they could grip...I think metal/plastic ones might be too slippery.
You know, a cage where the whole thing is made of rungs.
I know that may present a humidity issue for most, but I have an indoor grow chamber ("greenhouse" of sorts) for tropical plants...and I don't allow the humidity to drop below about 40% in there. In addition, I would be able to mist them very easily through the sides.
It's a thought - I haven't really committed to it yet. Depends on whether I can find a cheap bird cage!
It would definately have to be wood, though, so they could grip...I think metal/plastic ones might be too slippery.
sporeworld
Well-known member
I've had great success with my screen cages (EXCEPT the last molt), filled with artificial plants and those bendable Exo Terra vines (really easy gripping). I keep an old Repti-Breeze blowing (humidity) and daily misting. Since it seems a shame to go "back to glass:, I'll probably just work the stick-frame idea into my existing screen cage. Especially on the top where it won't obstruct viewing.
Noteworthy: I have 3 HUGE colonies of Ghosts in the same cages, and not a single one will perch on the top or sides of the screens. But nearly every Idol I had perched on the top - their entire lives! Nice, big, roomy place, and they all crowded up on the roof. Violins did the same. But Orchids...? Now, they RESPECT my interior decorating! Good girls! ;-)
Noteworthy: I have 3 HUGE colonies of Ghosts in the same cages, and not a single one will perch on the top or sides of the screens. But nearly every Idol I had perched on the top - their entire lives! Nice, big, roomy place, and they all crowded up on the roof. Violins did the same. But Orchids...? Now, they RESPECT my interior decorating! Good girls! ;-)
Precarious
Well-known member
I'd love to be able to just use a net cage. They are nice and roomy. Unfortunately I did some experiments and found it impossible to maintain humidity much above that of the room without constant maintenance spraying. Who's got time for that? The only other option would be to humidify my room and that's not an option for me.
I do use my net cage to mate adults sometimes since they won't be molting again.
I currently have my Idolo L4s in a plastic enclosure with very high humidity and high heat and they love it. Plenty of hang space on vines and sticks. Of course they gravitate to the plastic screen on the lid so if I keep them in it beyond next molt I'll just glue twigs to the lid.
I'm using the large glass enclosure in this post for my adult ghosts at the moment. They've laid 4 ooths in it so far. They like climbing the wooden framework and bamboo mat as much as the branches. I've made a similar enclosure for my Heterochaeta occidentalis where I have one wall all vertical twigs (similar to the violin roof) and bamboo mat on the back surface. They love hanging from both as well as the vines and screen. There are 4 in there and there is one on each surface!
I guess they like variety.
sporeworld
Well-known member
Yeah, I had the Repti-Breeze pouring light fog into the Idol cage most of the day. I kept an eye out for mold or mildew, which didn't happen. The cage would get a little clammy at times, and I'd give it a rest. I paniced a bit when I read someone posting that they liked it dry. That hadn't been my experience.
Precarious
Well-known member
Yeah, from what I've heard from those who've successfully bred them the humidity should be so high it sometimes fogs the glass.
sporeworld
Well-known member
I've got about 7 cages side-by-side, and had considered sliding a sheet of plexiglass (or just celophane) to keep in more humidity, but I restlessly spray them when I need a distraction from work (their SOLE reason for existing in my office)! If anything, they need tiny Mantidae rain gear!
Sort of on that topic, has anyone noticed Dead Leaf mantids drinking water off the plants obssesively? As soon as they hear that spray bottle, they perk up and start hoovering it up. Thirsty? Well, when they've had enough and relax a bit, I spray them again - and they start right back to hoovering! I'm thinking it's OCD, and they just don't like me mucking up the place....
Sort of on that topic, has anyone noticed Dead Leaf mantids drinking water off the plants obssesively? As soon as they hear that spray bottle, they perk up and start hoovering it up. Thirsty? Well, when they've had enough and relax a bit, I spray them again - and they start right back to hoovering! I'm thinking it's OCD, and they just don't like me mucking up the place....
paddythemic
Well-known member
I like the idolomantis/violin/ghost housing ideas you guys have.
The stick matrix thing is something I want to explore more. (see pic). Although the net seems good for motion, the glass/solid walls seem better for humidity control.
I am keeping 80-83f and 60% humidity for my idolos. I am also trying to "spot humidify" during estimated molt dates. My L2'S both made it to L3 so far... I had 2 casualties before switching to this method.
As I write this - one mantid is hanging from a stick and the other is hanging from a vent. I am hoping that they can use the sticks below them to pull themselves out of the molt if they are too tired to "jack-knife" out of their molt. Do you guys find that (all things being equal) the time between molts is fairly consistant?
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Precarious
Well-known member
I haven't been keeping track of time between molts but mine have kept pretty consistent pace as far as keeping up with each other. The only exception being one who is a runt. He's a full molt behind and his last one didn't go too well. He somehow lost a leg.
I like all the sticks you've got going. I worry that 60% isn't enough humidity though. Maybe fill a shallow tray with wet moss and keep the globe on it if you want to be extra safe. Might boost it a bit.
sporeworld
Well-known member
Anyone notice any need for day/night humidity vairance...? I have my lights all on timers, so it would be easy to put the humidifier on it too. Just not sure there's any need...
