# Enclosure?



## Tunedbeat (Feb 24, 2008)

Would this make a good enclosure?


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## pedro92 (Feb 24, 2008)

Tunedbeat said:


> Would this make a good enclosure?


Depends on which species. looks like it has alot of ventilation so if you need high humidity it will be harder but it just depends i guess


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## macro junkie (Feb 24, 2008)

Chameleonare said:


> Depends on which species. looks like it has alot of ventilation so if you need high humidity it will be harder but it just depends i guess


it wont be good for nymphs and species that feed on fruit flys because in the pic it looks like the vent holes are to big..


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## Rick (Feb 24, 2008)

If the mantis is small and its food couldn't get out through the holes it would be ok.


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## Tunedbeat (Feb 24, 2008)

Rick said:


> If the mantis is small and its food couldn't get out through the holes it would be ok.


These will be used for P. wahlbergii sub-adults. I was thinking of using coco fiber for substrate and a fake plant. Will this be suitable for the specie I'm keeping?


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## Mantida (Feb 24, 2008)

Tunedbeat said:


> These will be used for P. wahlbergii sub-adults. I was thinking of using coco fiber for substrate and a fake plant. Will this be suitable for the specie I'm keeping?


The only problem is that the site doesn't say exactly how big the cage is. The key of thumb is 3 times high of the length of the mantis and 2 times as wide as how long the mantis is.


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## Tunedbeat (Feb 24, 2008)

Mantida said:


> The only problem is that the site doesn't say exactly how big the cage is. The key of thumb is 3 times high of the length of the mantis and 2 times as wide as how long the mantis is.


I checked on eBay, small size Small 4 5/16"- 5 3/4. If that doesn't work, I also have a few 32oz cups with cloth lids.


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## macro junkie (Feb 25, 2008)

use 32oz cups with cloth lids. much better..


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## OGIGA (Feb 25, 2008)

Looks okay if you're using houseflies or bluebottles. It looks like fruit flies will be a bad idea. Don't forget that your mantis needs a way to climb to the top.


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## Tunedbeat (Feb 25, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> Looks okay if you're using houseflies or bluebottles. It looks like fruit flies will be a bad idea. Don't forget that your mantis needs a way to climb to the top.


Are flies really needed for their diet? Currently, they are feeding on roaches. I have wingless fruit flies, but they are really too small. They are used to feed early instars jumping spiders. I may start getting a colony of crickets going come Spring. But, for now, they will have to live on roaches. And, really, I don't feed anything wild caught to my collection. There are all types of parasites out there.


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## OGIGA (Feb 25, 2008)

Flies aren't _needed_ but many of us use them. I think roaches won't be able to escape so you're fine.


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## macro junkie (Feb 25, 2008)

feeding them jumping spiders :lol:


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## Mantida (Feb 25, 2008)

OGIGA said:


> Looks okay if you're using houseflies or bluebottles.


Lately I've found that the houseflies I've hatched have gotten craftier - a couple twenty were able to get out of the KK slits and into the house.


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## macro junkie (Feb 26, 2008)

Mantida said:


> Lately I've found that the houseflies I've hatched have gotten craftier - a couple twenty were able to get out of the KK slits and into the house.


 :lol: lucky for me only 1 or 2 got out before..and there dam hard to catch..u had 20..lol..i bet your mum wasnt pleased :lol:


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## Tunedbeat (Feb 28, 2008)

Well, I ordered 10 small Pla-houses from that site, but I ended up finding a better enclosure. Today, I stopped by wal-mart and I noticed these Betta fish divided tanks and thought it would make a good mantis enclosure. So, what do you guys think?

I used whatever I could find around the house and coco fiber for substrate.


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## macro junkie (Feb 28, 2008)

wheres the lid?


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## macro junkie (Feb 28, 2008)

Tunedbeat said:


> Well, I ordered 10 small Pla-houses from that site, but I ended up finding a better enclosure. Today, I stopped by wal-mart and I noticed these Betta fish divided tanks and thought it would make a good mantis enclosure. So, what do you guys think? I used whatever I could find around the house and coco fiber for substrate.


oh for 1 walbergie that is way to big..imo.be ok for a giant asian adult tho.its pretty encloser its just big for 1 flowermantis..your going to have to chuck i alot of flys for it to feed.

edit - oh its split..thats not to bad then.


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## Tunedbeat (Feb 28, 2008)

Yeah, it is divided. I got two of these tanks and I only have three flower mantis, so I may need to purchase more mantis.  It's on the big side, but they will grow once they hit adult. So, it will work nicely. I'm starting to think the enclosure decoration will go more nicely with a ghost mantis. I think that will be my next purchase. And, I haven't gave these guys a chance to catch their own food yet. They have been taking food from my hand since the first day I got them.


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## macro junkie (Feb 28, 2008)

they dont grow very big if u know this allready?..what are u planning on feeding them and what sort of lid are u using?

heres an adult


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## Tunedbeat (Mar 6, 2008)

macro junkie said:


> what are u planning on feeding them and what sort of lid are u using?


Right now, I have unlimited supply of roaches. So, I guess that will be their main diet and maybe give them crickets every now and then. I don't like dealing with flies, but might be tempted to give them wild caught ones.

I've noticed alot of people using screen lids, but here's the lid for this particular enclosure.


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## macro junkie (Mar 6, 2008)

do they try and hang from the lid?


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