# What is everyone keeping their idolomantis in?



## Andrew (Apr 21, 2008)

Well, it's pretty much complete! Just needs a couple of little tweaks and such. My _Idolomantis_ ought to be here Tuesday, I can't wait!

It's 4 feet tall on a 2.5 foot square. With non-metal screen...the exact type has escaped my mind. :blink: 







I'm going to keep them in THIS until they get big enough to put in that cage.

So, to everyone else that's bought some, what've you guys got set up for them?


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## ABbuggin (Apr 21, 2008)

I have something VERY simalar, but unforutnately it wont be keeping any idolomantis.  But Gongylus gongylodes instead.


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## Trademark (Apr 21, 2008)

Cooool. Did you make the panels of screen yourself, or did you buy them? All I can find are the metal ones and such. Maybe I should just break down and get a butterfly house, lol. Your enclosure looks very nice, though! Mine's not terribly exciting, it's just a one gallon plastic fish tank with sticks. ;p


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## Malnra (Apr 21, 2008)

Right now I have them in 32oz deli cups which are inside a fishtank with a screen top (mostly covered by plastic wrap) to keep them at about 95degrees 70% humidity during the day. At night it gets to about 78 degrees and maybe 85% humidity.

They are currently L2. once they get to adult it will either be the cage type you have (i have looked at them already myself ;- ) .... ) OR a terrarium that is of good size. It just depends. I will probably get a much smaller cage like that (pop up i think they are) and see how well that one fares as I try to maintain the higher temp/humidity with the others.

I dont know if I have all males or females or a mix ... I actually dont want to know at this time .. LOL ..... when they are L3 or L4 it will probably be pretty obvious what sex they are (i am thinking) and will confront that issue at that time.


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## mrblue (Apr 21, 2008)

at the moment i have 5 L2 nymphs in a 72 litre container. i am getting another 10 L1/2 soon and will split them up into two groups of five in identical 72 litre containers. however when i move home in about a month i will start building the group of ten a mesh container that will be much larger. i don't have the time or space to do that right now, and it would be impractical as the mesh i am planning on using is not D.hydeii proof, which is what the small nymphs are currently feeding on. hopefully by the time i get round to finishing off the mesh containers the nymphs will all be on bluebottles.

i like your inclusion of that small hinged door at the bottom, this will no doubt prove very useful for adding flies without having exisiting ones escape, and for cleaning up. by the way, which of the sides/panels are hinged/openable?

ps - i've been looking at my nymphs closely and while they seem to have the same number of segments to my naked eye, the third to last segment (from the tip of the abdomen) is different in some nymphs than others. two have a tiny "spike"/protrusion on this segment. in the other three this segment has no protrusion. i'm guessing that as they get older, the last 3 visible segments will somehow merge or develop into sexual organs in the "females", and in the "males" the last two visible segments will merge/develop. i know next to nothing about mantid biology though.

this is just a hunch and guesswork, i am in no way saying this is how to sex them at second instar. having said that, i would bet £5 that i've called them all correctly (two with protrusion = males, three without = females). i don't see any other reason why they would differ in this way, other than differing gender. time will tell i guess. has anyone else noticed this difference in their L2 nymphs?


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## OGIGA (Apr 21, 2008)

That's quite a large enclosure. You're planning to have a lot in there, right?


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## Andrew (Apr 21, 2008)

Trademark said:


> Cooool. Did you make the panels of screen yourself, or did you buy them? All I can find are the metal ones and such. Maybe I should just break down and get a butterfly house, lol. Your enclosure looks very nice, though! Mine's not terribly exciting, it's just a one gallon plastic fish tank with sticks. ;p


Made them. I bet if you bought the butterfly house, you wouldn't regret it.  

That is, if we're thinking about the same thing.



mrblue said:


> i like your inclusion of that small hinged door at the bottom, this will no doubt prove very useful for adding flies without having exisiting ones escape, and for cleaning up. by the way, which of the sides/panels are hinged/openable?


None of the sides open up, but the lid pops right off.



mrblue said:


> ps - i've been looking at my nymphs closely and while they seem to have the same number of segments to my naked eye, the third to last segment (from the tip of the abdomen) is different in some nymphs than others. two have a tiny "spike"/protrusion on this segment. in the other three this segment has no protrusion. i'm guessing that as they get older, the last 3 visible segments will somehow merge or develop into sexual organs in the "females", and in the "males" the last two visible segments will merge/develop. i know next to nothing about mantid biology though.this is just a hunch and guesswork, i am in no way saying this is how to sex them at second instar. having said that, i would bet £5 that i've called them all correctly. i don't see any other reason why they were differ in this way, other than differing gender. time will tell i guess. has anyone else noticed this difference in their L2 nymphs?


Interesting, I'll take a look when mine get here.



OGIGA said:


> That's quite a large enclosure. You're planning to have a lot in there, right?


Yen said it ought to be enough for 12 adults. :mellow:


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## mrblue (Apr 21, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> That's quite a large enclosure. You're planning to have a lot in there, right?


i think with this species the bigger the better. they need alot space for the final moult.


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## Malnra (Apr 22, 2008)

L2 aappear too big to eat hydei. they can take regular flys easily. well .. maybe they could catch hydei but it would take quite a few to make a meal. at least my L2's appear to be a little big for hydei's ... surely they are the same size as yours


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## mrblue (Apr 22, 2008)

if they are indeed second instar then i'm sure they are the same size. however this is a problem i have encountered, i mention it in my blog also. they can readily take D.hydeii at second instar, although as you mention, it does take alot to fill them up. this is not such a problem for me as i've got too many fruit flies (better too many than too few). from my notes from the last time i kept this species, i fed them D.hydeii during second instar, then D.hydeii and M.domestica during third instar, then switched to bluebottles at fourth instar. ideally greenbottles would be fed during second and third and maybe fourth instar, amongst other things, but i don't have a reliable source for either greenbottles or curly wing flies, so i have to kind of jump straight from D.hydeii to bluebottles. not ideal, but possible and necessary.

ps - i noticed this being more problematic last time i kept g.gongylodes, there is a certain instar where they are too certainly too big for D.hydeii but not yet big enough for bluebottles, and it can be hard geting them through this if you dont have a source for grenbottles or curly wings. or if curly wings dont hatch, as they are notorious for (not?) doing. i will hopefully be getting some greenbottle magots soon though, and this should help see the idolos through to the fourth instar, then its FEASTING time! :lol:


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## macro junkie (Apr 22, 2008)

my female pre sub adult had frute flys for 2 hole days because i ran out of flys..she could catch them easy...took loads to fill her up tho

i use mantis place net cages to house mine in.40 - 60 watt bulb per 1ftx1ft cage

at 1st instar my idols where eating green bottles.


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## Gurd (Apr 24, 2008)

Mine are currently in a homemade 10" cube net cage

Here are pics of 1 of the net cages I've made

Front






Side






the sponge is blocking a feeding hole that is the same size as my d.i.y fly feeding tube pooter, it saves quite a few escapees  

Shameless plug I know but if anybody (uk only coz of postage) wants to buy a custom made net cage PM me for details


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## Malnra (Apr 24, 2008)

They look nice gurd and the mantis has plenty of screen to crawl on.


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## Guest_jen7hatton_* (Apr 25, 2008)

Andrew said:


> Well, it's pretty much complete! Just needs a couple of little tweaks and such. My _Idolomantis_ ought to be here Tuesday, I can't wait!It's 4 feet tall on a 2.5 foot square. With non-metal screen...the exact type has escaped my mind. :blink:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I imagine you live someplace hot and humid. I live in Colorado where it is very very dry. I have mine in a 18x18x24 inch glass terrarium. I was going to get all screen but I figured it would let too much heat and humidity escape. I have a uv light and a basking lamp. I have the coconut substrate for humidity. I can get the humidity up but then the heat lamp just dries it out again. I have not been able to achieve the heat I am looking for. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know! I am new to the idolomantis species.

Your cage looks great by the way. I have to look into trying to make one I guess!


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## Andrew (Apr 25, 2008)

I live somewhere that can get pretty hot, but not humid.  I think I'll just stuff the whole cage in my greenhouse when the time comes. B)


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## MikhailsDinos (Apr 25, 2008)

Nice setups guys!

You mentioned that you live in Colorado? I live in Highlands ranch, close to Denver. I have 10 nymphs from Yen.

Thanks again

Mikhail



Guest_jen7hatton_* said:


> I imagine you live someplace hot and humid. I live in Colorado where it is very very dry. I have mine in a 18x18x24 inch glass terrarium. I was going to get all screen but I figured it would let too much heat and humidity escape. I have a uv light and a basking lamp. I have the coconut substrate for humidity. I can get the humidity up but then the heat lamp just dries it out again. I have not been able to achieve the heat I am looking for. If anyone has any suggestions please let me know! I am new to the idolomantis species. Your cage looks great by the way. I have to look into trying to make one I guess!


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## Birdfly (Apr 29, 2008)

I have 19 in this 2x2x2 ft polystyrene cube


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