# FOAM STOPPERS!!!!!



## drolkp (May 2, 2009)

i trying to find foam stoppers... if i can avoid it i'd rather not order online.

i live in daytona beach, fl. any where close is cool too.


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## Rick (May 2, 2009)

Right here:

http://www.carolina.com/product/drosophila...tby=bestMatches


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## PhilinYuma (May 2, 2009)

Rick said:


> Right here:http://www.carolina.com/product/drosophila...tby=bestMatches


No doubt about it, these are the best bungs around. They are very flexible, last for ever and you can pop them in yr autoclave once a week to sterilize the mantis spit. You can get the same thing if you buy a a vial of ffs from somewhere like PetCo, but that's a rather expensive proposition.

I cut 1"(2.5cm) square holes in my pots and fill them with plastic sponge. The cheapest way is to go dumpster diving until you find some -- it's used to pack electronic equipment or pad crib matresses and is shaped like egg crate material -- but you might want to autoclave it before you use it!

Or you can go to your local auto parts store, buy a block sponge and chop it up. Incidentally, this kind of store is a great place to meet other mantis keepers, who flock in to buy plastic pads, funnels for ffs, ooth glue, etc. Just go up to some guy in a wife beater (like 'Lectric) and say "Don't you love those orchid mantids? The pink ones are so cute!" Let us know how many new friends you make!


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## Rick (May 2, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> No doubt about it, these are the best bungs around. They are very flexible, last for ever and you can pop them in yr autoclave once a week to sterilize the mantis spit. You can get the same thing if you buy a a vial of ffs from somewhere like PetCo, but that's a rather expensive proposition.I cut 1"(2.5cm) square holes in my pots and fill them with plastic sponge. The cheapest way is to go dumpster diving until you find some -- it's used to pack electronic equipment or pad crib matresses and is shaped like egg crate material -- but you might want to autoclave it before you use it!
> 
> Or you can go to your local auto parts store, buy a block sponge and chop it up. Incidentally, this kind of store is a great place to meet other mantis keepers, who flock in to buy plastic pads, funnels for ffs, ooth glue, etc. Just go up to some guy in a wife beater (like 'Lectric) and say "Don't you love those orchid mantids? The pink ones are so cute!" Let us know how many new friends you make!


Yeah you could easily make your own I guess. I bought a bunch of the ones from carolina a few years ago and am still using them.


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## tnienhaus (May 4, 2009)

Rick said:


> Yeah you could easily make your own I guess. I bought a bunch of the ones from carolina a few years ago and am still using them.


I just make my own...its not hard


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## jacksun (May 4, 2009)

Buy a piece of foam the thickness you want, then go to your local tool store and buy a "wad punch" in the diameter you need. Use the wad punch to cut your own plugs from a sheet of foam. Wad punches are around $5-$10, are hardened steel, and designed for punching holes in soft material. You just place the foam on a piece of wood, place the wad punch on the foam, press down and then hit it with a hammer and voila, a foam plug.


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## PhilinYuma (May 4, 2009)

Cool idea!

Two comments about your finished pot, though.

What is that green thing stuck to the under surface of the lid? I assume that it is there to give extra purchase to the pot's inhabitant, but wonder if it doesn't reduce circulation.

In practice, you may find that the position of your port is rather high; mantids will probably perch on it, which defeats its purpose. Preferences vary, but I cut mine about an inch from the bottom so that it's too low for perching and clears the substrate.


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## Rick (May 4, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Cool idea!Two comments about your finished pot, though.
> 
> What is that green thing stuck to the under surface of the lid? I assume that it is there to give extra purchase to the pot's inhabitant, but wonder if it doesn't reduce circulation.
> 
> In practice, you may find that the position of your port is rather high; mantids will probably perch on it, which defeats its purpose. Preferences vary, but I cut mine about an inch from the bottom so that it's too low for perching and clears the substrate.


I thought the same thing about the pad being stuck to the top. It is not needed really if using the wire screen or cloth covered lids. . I put my holes right in the middle.


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## mantidian (May 14, 2009)

how do you cut holes at the sides of the containers?

and where do you get sponge sheets?


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## hibiscusmile (May 14, 2009)

I sell the plugs on my site!


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## Rick (May 14, 2009)

mantidian said:


> how do you cut holes at the sides of the containers?and where do you get sponge sheets?


I use a razor blade. The holes are not round but it doesn't matter as the foam will expand to seal it.


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## PhilinYuma (May 14, 2009)

Rick said:


> I use a razor blade. The holes are not round but it doesn't matter as the foam will expand to seal it.


Yeah, cutting is the way to go. Hibiscusmile has a pic of her about to drill a hole in one of her larger pots with a hole cutter:http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=7094&amp;st=80&amp;start=80 , but the walls on a deli cup are a bit thin for that, and if you don't already have one, it seems like an unnecessary expense for a few holes.

Rick's single -edged razor works fine, but if you're uncomfortrable with one of those, you can use an Exacto or other hobby knife to keep your fingers further from the blade. It's not a bad idea to mark out the hole first with a felt-tip pen until you get used to it, and _be sure_ that the hole is _smaller _than the plug!


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## rensallar (May 14, 2009)

I cut squares into the sides of my containers. The first couple I cut - ended up with little cracks in the container, because they are kinda flimsy. I figured out if I made 2 vertical cuts first, and then don't try to make 2 horizontal cuts.. but instead make a diagonal cut connecting the ends of the vertical cuts, then just use scissors to make the horizontal cuts.. I didn't get the cracks.

Maybe my blade was just not very sharp and that's why I ended up with cracks though.

I tried to draw it out using characters, but it was reformatted by the forum.. so just use your imagination


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## Laemia (Jun 13, 2009)

I use small scissors to cut the holes in 32 ounce containers for the foam stoppers. I mean like cutucle scissors. If you don't want to use aany kind of blade they work also.


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## PhilinYuma (Jun 13, 2009)

Laemia said:


> I use small scissors to cut the holes in 32 ounce containers for the foam stoppers. I mean like cutucle scissors. If you don't want to use aany kind of blade they work also.


Yeah, this is a good way to go, and you don't get any cracks.


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## lectricblueyes (Jun 13, 2009)

PhilinYuma said:


> Yeah, this is a good way to go, and you don't get any cracks.


To avoid cracks, I use an exacto knife and place a piece of foam behind the wall of the cup where I am cutting. This stablizes and strengthens the plastic and it also allows me to "flatten" the plastic while I am cutting. I make squares too, it's difficult to cut circles. I don't get cracks anymore ever since I started placing something behind the plastic.


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## lectricblueyes (Jun 13, 2009)

Oh, and another thing. I cup strips of fiberglass screen and hot-glue them to the inside wall of my cups. Ever see how those noobs have to climb the "rope-wall" in basic training? It's like that. It allows feeders (crickets) and mantids to climb up to the lid. I've found some of my flower-type mantids are picky and won't go down to the bottom in order to get a cricket. Better to allow the cricket to deliver himself to the lid. lol


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## Katnapper (Jun 13, 2009)

LectricBlueyes said:


> I cup strips of fiberglass screen and hot-glue them to the inside wall of my cups.


I've been planning to do that for a while now myself.... just haven't gotten around to it yet! lol


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## PhilinYuma (Jun 13, 2009)

LectricBlueyes said:


> To avoid cracks, I use an exacto knife and place a piece of foam behind the wall of the cup where I am cutting. This stablizes and strengthens the plastic and it also allows me to "flatten" the plastic while I am cutting. I make squares too, it's difficult to cut circles. I don't get cracks anymore ever since I started placing something behind the plastic.


Oh, foam! That's a good idea Dave! I've always stabilized the plastic by putting my finger inside the cup, but that means that I always have to keep a paper towel handy to wipe blood off the blade. I'll try that!


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