# Two New Exo Terra Terrariums



## guapoalto049 (Jan 19, 2011)

My birthday was a few days ago and of course I asked for mantis-related supplies! I got two 12x12x18" exo terra terrariums.












I still like the net enclosures for most mantids, but for those with really high humidity needs I'm giving these a try. Books were cheap this semester so I spent the extra dough on cork backgrounds and a few other goodies (I'll post pictures when they arrive!).

I really enjoy terrarium building, so I'm going for an aesthetically pleasing look with functionality as my main priority. Hopefully the tank lives up to its claim and gets good ventilation. I'm going with glass since my apartment is bone dry in the winter, usually around 25%.

Idolos are going in one for sure and I've got my setup on lock. Any tropical ideas for the second?


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## warpdrive (Jan 19, 2011)

you are going to so love them.

I got a 12x12x12 exo-terra set up with 5 ghosts in it. I didn't make it so neat and tidy like Precarious did. instead I just lined the bottom with spagnum moss for humidity then added a ton of dead ficus branches in a haphazzard way to give them a jungle gym like climbing highways. then for contrast, I took a long clipping from a pothos plant and placed it across the rear under the light. my 5 L5 Ghosts I have in it love it. plenty of room if one wants to be left alone, and if not, it goes to the top to play to "tag" with the others.

simple, looks like a true forest floor and not a sanitary scientific lab project. I'm sure I'll do it up some more in time.

the 12x12x18 will be their final cage and I'll change the other for something else. probably my incomming D. Lobata when they get big enough.

now the 12x12x18 will have more live plants and moss in it for lots of greenery and to help with humidity. try the following plants for a great showcase that will do well with low light and add humidity for your enclosure...

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/product/1744/81/philodendron-wendimbe

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/product/565/78/pilea-tiny-tears

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/product/46356/92/howeara-lava-burst

add something like this right under the light....

http://www.joshsfrogs.com/product/1191/128/neoregelia-hot-pink

all the above can be found in many online places so you don't have to just buy from this vender if you don't want to. once springtime comes you might even be able to pick up a few of the above localy.

use the plias for background and bottom of the terrarium. the philodendron for one side near the frount.

don't over crowd plants at first as they will fill out your terrarium in time.

add stick and twigs for highways and enjoy the show.

I'm sure plenty of people will post pics. sorry, I'm too new and just starting out with babies.

Harry


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## Slinkytreekreeper (Jan 19, 2011)

Are ff and small nymphs ok in these or can they get out through any gaps?

Cheers, they look excellent.


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## warpdrive (Jan 19, 2011)

Slinkytreekreeper said:


> Are ff and small nymphs ok in these or can they get out through any gaps?
> 
> Cheers, they look excellent.


yes, FF can get out and will. this type of enclosure is for mantids that can start eating houseflys and larger foods.

Harry


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## Findarato (Jan 19, 2011)

warpdrive said:


> yes, FF can get out and will. this type of enclosure is for mantids that can start eating houseflys and larger foods.
> 
> Harry


The enclosures look great on the pics. There is probably a way to prevent the escaping of FF.

Around here these terrariums are not offered in shops, and I doubt (may be wrong though) they are designed especially for mantids, since they are not kept as pets by many people. Whenever I ask or tell about mantids as pets in any pet shop around here, I earn a frown or a laugh. I got mine from a friend, but to buy more mantids I have to wait for the terrarium fair which is just twice a year.

If shops here would offer these terrariums I would buy them, so I am left with building mine myself from plastic containers where I make mesh windows into the ceiling (the lid) and one wall.


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## warpdrive (Jan 19, 2011)

Findarato said:


> The enclosures look great on the pics. There is probably a way to prevent the escaping of FF.
> 
> Around here these terrariums are not offered in shops, and I doubt (may be wrong though) they are designed especially for mantids, since they are not kept as pets by many people. Whenever I ask or tell about mantids as pets in any pet shop around here, I earn a frown or a laugh. I got mine from a friend, but to buy more mantids I have to wait for the terrarium fair which is just twice a year.
> 
> If shops here would offer these terrariums I would buy them, so I am left with building mine myself from plastic containers where I make mesh windows into the ceiling (the lid) and one wall.


yes, if you want to go crazy and replace the top screen. then use screen cloth around the door edges by the hinge sides as well as some of the other sides of the door like flaps. then screen off the vent holes that give added ventalation. of course if you're lucky, you didn't miss a spot. yet fruit flys are smart and will find that weak spot that you didn't do well enough.

of course we didn't talk about how bad this will be for feeding young mantids flightless fruit flys in such an enclosure. I hope you have some that can fly. oh, and tons more then if you just keep your babies in deli cups. tons more. enjoy.  

oh, and no, they were made for reptiles to be used in places that are nothing like where you live.

Harry


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## Findarato (Jan 19, 2011)

warpdrive said:


> yes, if you want to go crazy and replace the top screen. then use screen cloth around the door edges by the hinge sides as well as some of the other sides of the door like flaps. then screen off the vent holes that give added ventalation. of course if you're lucky, you didn't miss a spot. yet fruit flys are smart and will find that weak spot that you didn't do well enough.
> 
> of course we didn't talk about how bad this will be for feeding young mantids flightless fruit flys in such an enclosure. I hope you have some that can fly. oh, and tons more then if you just keep your babies in deli cups. tons more. enjoy.
> 
> ...


Well, FF's have time all day long to look for any way out.  

The next time I have small mantid babies, I will use the four glass terrariums my friend made himself, because the lid might hurt them when I close it. These have tight sliding doors at the front, and FF's can only escape when that is opened. Some FF escaping while pouring them inside is a normal condition.

I didn't understand: for what are reptiles used that is not possible in Austria? Sorry, maybe I'm stupid, but didn't get that. I assumed the enclosures were built for reptiles that live on branches and like climbing, otherwise they would be more wide than high. (which is how all terrariums you can buy here, look like, not suitable for mantids.)

My plastic containers are now inhabited by L6 Hierodulas, and their food can't escape.


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## warpdrive (Jan 19, 2011)

oooops, sorry, I thought you lived "down under", not up in Austria.

oh, and yes, they make terrariums in wide, "fish tank" looking ones as well. made more for frogs or ground walking reptiles.

but yes, just build your own like your friend. if you have a glass or mirror builder store or factory, they can cut the glass to any size you want. even make a feeding hole so you can plug it up with a sponge or tape.

I used to have a place near me before they closed up and went out of buisnes. they made all my fish tanks for almost no money. they made them any size I wanted and even guled it together for me at no extra charge.

try to look up a place like that...it can also be only partial glass with say a wood back.

Harry


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## packer43064 (Jan 19, 2011)

I bought a 12x12x18 for my GF for Christmas. It will hold a female Chinese mantis. It'll more than likely need to be fixed up for the mantis. IDK if the sides of the glass meet, but if not then I'll put silicone on the sides and just put plastic wrap on top to keep humidity in.

Post pics as you get this started up!


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## guapoalto049 (Jan 24, 2011)

New Terrarium with hood and fogger on:


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## guapoalto049 (Jan 24, 2011)

Just temporary by the way until I get some time to get a nice little setup.


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## warpdrive (Jan 25, 2011)

I'm kind of wondering just how bad your room'd humidity must be in order to have to use a humidifier like that. for me, just a light misting once or twice per day is all I need to keep the humidity way up. I do also use a cool mist room humidifier, but to humidify my rooms, not the enclosures.

Harry


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## guapoalto049 (Jan 25, 2011)

Haha yeah my room is terrible, the RH is like 25% on the average. I'm a college student and the heating elements in my apartment dry the place out pretty bad.

At home its not much of a problem, usually around 45-50% in the room so hand mistings are fine. The fogger was cheap and I figured it would help keep my room humid too so its a win-win.


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## warpdrive (Jan 25, 2011)

even with RH levels low in the 20s persentile range, you will find that the zoomeds and exo-terras will keep your babies at 60% and well above that at night with a misting or two a day. no joke.

test it out with some moss on the bottom and you'll see. heck, I'm drying out my enclosure as it doesn't even need a misting the past day or two.

Harry


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## guapoalto049 (Jan 25, 2011)

I should have tested it out first. Right now I've got repti bark in the bottom and I just leave the fogger on its lowest setting while I'm on campus during the day and it stays at about 70% in the tank, while also elevating the RH of the room.

When I mist mine good they get up to about 55% then drop over two hours back to ~25%. Do you cover the top with anything?


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## warpdrive (Jan 25, 2011)

guapoalto049 said:


> I should have tested it out first. Right now I've got repti bark in the bottom and I just leave the fogger on its lowest setting while I'm on campus during the day and it stays at about 70% in the tank, while also elevating the RH of the room.
> 
> When I mist mine good they get up to about 55% then drop over two hours back to ~25%. Do you cover the top with anything?


nope, do not cover the top or you wont get air flow with the light on.

just ust Spagnum moss instead. then get a dish and fill it with moss too. this way you lightly mist all over, but mist the heck out of the dish that the moss can be changed every few days.

test away from the lights. it will always be dryer there. test near the frount, on the side. say right above the dish.

Harry


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## guapoalto049 (Jan 25, 2011)

Never used sphagnum moss, guess thats what I need. I also got an under tank heater to try, seems like it could promote good airflow and humidity.


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## warpdrive (Jan 26, 2011)

guapoalto049 said:


> Never used sphagnum moss, guess thats what I need. I also got an under tank heater to try, seems like it could promote good airflow and humidity.


if your gages are still outside the enclosure, on the top screen like the last photo, put them inside like I said. this will give you a better reading of just what is going on "inside" the terrarium.

then retest and see if you get better results.

(BTW, digital hygromiters are far better for acurate results)

Harry


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