# Mending Net Cages



## cloud jaguar (Jul 18, 2009)

A couple of people have posted on here lately that their mantids were injured because they used TAPE to mend damaged net enclosures. This is a sure way to kill or severely maim your mantids because the tape rips out their guts, snaps off their legs, etc.

Net cages do suffer some damage but the best way that I found to fix them in a way that does not injure the mantids is as follows.

1) buy "Shoe Goo" glue - it is designed for repairing the soles of shoes etc and is very strong yet flexible.

2) locate hole to be repaired in the net.

3) make a very small ball of shoe goo and pit it at the area of the hole.

4) with spit moistened fingers, squeeze the ball onto the torn area of net cage until it is very thin and also securely attached all the way around the hole. It can be left a bit thicker than the net itself since when it dries it will shrink a bit and become thinner.

5) let dry completely for 24 hours.

6) et voila! put mantis back in there.

Shoe goo also works pretty well for securing ooths although i prefer Liquid Nails for that purpose.

Anyways, STOP USING TAPE!


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## [email protected] (Jul 18, 2009)

Or you could even sew it back together just put the needle through all of the holes around the hole(the ones intact) then just pull it shut like a old coin purse.


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## ABbuggin (Jul 19, 2009)

I agree with the shoe goo, I use it for everything (even my ooths).


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## Katnapper (Jul 19, 2009)

Hey, thanks for the Shoe Goo tip.  I've only used it in the past for tennis shoe holes... but I think I might pick some up to have on hand and try.

I've been taping holes in my net cages with clear packing tape. I cut out 2 rectangles the same size (a little larger than the hole) and apply them on both sides of the hole, so they stick to each other and leave no sticky side out. It's been working very well so far... holding up well and nobody has gotten stuck (not even fruit flies). But I do like the idea of "better safe than sorry," just in case.

I have hot glued around the edges of the taped sections on a couple of them, to ensure no movement and that the tape pieces will forever be stuck to each other with no possibility of coming apart or shifting. And that's worked very well also. But I don't always want to take the cages downstairs and fire up the glue gun when I'm busy in the bug room.

I've also had good luck with hot gluing shut a few small gaps in edge seams that were missed in sewing by the manufacturer. Those spots drove me crazy for a bit :angry: , trying to figure out where all the escaped fruit flies were coming from (as they're not always easily spotted like a hole somewhere else in the mesh)!


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## Zephyr (Jul 19, 2009)

I use hot glue on my roach and mantid screens. Works in the same way as the shoe goo stuff, except you have to wait a sec for it to cool before touching it. (Duh. lol)


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## PhilinYuma (Jul 19, 2009)

Chase said:


> Or you could even sew it back together just put the needle through all of the holes around the hole(the ones intact) then just pull it shut like a old coin purse.


I agree. It is by far the most secure and least unsightly way. I'm glad I'm not the only one who practices the manly art of sewing. :lol:


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## Katnapper (Jul 20, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> It is by far the most secure and least unsightly way.


Uhuummm.....  well, I think it depends on how skillfull you are with a needle....




along with your choice of thread color!  :blink:


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