# Are these good for babies?



## Love2read (Sep 11, 2013)

I'm getting the following mantids next week and need to know if the containers I'm making will be correct for them:

*L3 D. Dessicata(Dead Leaf)

*L2-3 Heirodula Multispina(Giant Asian)

*L4 Hymenopus Coronatus(Orchid)

*L3 Phyllocrania Paradoxa(Ghost)

I've attached a picture of 2 of the containers I've made so far. They're 5"X 5" and the substrate is coconut fiber. There's fiberglass mesh on the lid and the back side of each container. The wood is corkscrew willow from my yard(no pesticides/fertilizers, I live in the country).

I've only ever had adult mantids, so I'm new to having babies and could use any advice you guys can offer to make sure I do right by them! I'm super excited and don't want to screw it up!


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## Love2read (Sep 11, 2013)

Here's a pic of one of the "baby" containers next to a slightly larger one. I have even bigger ones as well, for when they're full-grown.


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## sally (Sep 11, 2013)

They are beautiful! I use paper towel on the bottom for easy cleaning, but if you have just a few mantids replacing the coconut fiber prob. isn't to costly. My deadleafs and ghosts love to hang upside down most of the time, so I use a lot of "ceiling" branches for them to hang on. Good luck with your new babies


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## Love2read (Sep 11, 2013)

Thank you for the compliment and the advice about the ghost/deadleaf containers!  

Each container will only have 1 mantis, except for the ghosts(they'll be kept together for now), so I figured using the coconut fiber would be okay. I mostly like it because it covers up the tacky-looking glue, lol.


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## OctoberRainne (Sep 11, 2013)

The only thing I don't like about these is there are not many long ways sticks or mesh which will save many mantids from mismolting,just looks like you may be short on molting surfaces,something to think about,and the asians,get pretty big quick lol


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## Rick (Sep 11, 2013)

They may work but I wouldn't use them simply due to the fact the lid is angled to the side giving up a lot of vertical space.


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## hibiscusmile (Sep 11, 2013)

That container has 2 sides to the bottom, it can be sat straight up.


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## Love2read (Sep 11, 2013)

Octoberrainne- I've read alot of comments about molting and such, but have had a hard time finding further info about molting specifically, just random comments about it here and there. What all does it involve and what can I do to prepare for a molt to make it as smooth as possible for my mantids? I've only ever had adult mantises, so I've never dealt with a molt before and am unsure what to expect. :/

As Hibiscusmile said, the containers have 2 bottoms, so I can angle it so it has the lid on top, I just liked the side look better.


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## Love2read (Sep 11, 2013)

I also have larger containers for when they become adults.


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## OctoberRainne (Sep 12, 2013)

I would make it so the lid is at the top then? if thats possible,every 2+ weeks sometimes longer when a mantis is older, a mantis sheds its skin,so it usually needs an area that it can stick to or hold onto with just the back legs such as long bark,horizontal,diagonal sticks,or mesh usually on the lid or screen on the top of the cage,so every time your mantis grows it will need about double the space,below it and around it so it has good room to shed and areas where it can hang freely in the air,i just didn't see much inside of it that really said molting perch,i usually use both sticks and mesh and you want them placed so that it creates a hanging space below it,think as if creating a place to swing from or sit below upside down,hope that helps,mantids need to be upside down to properly shed for the most part


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