# Non-toxic Superglue?



## collinchang635 (Aug 4, 2008)

Would non-toxic superglue or non-toxic glue be suitable as a adhesive for mantid cages? :huh:


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## The_Asa (Aug 4, 2008)

You mean to attach objects to the cage? I use a glue gun for that (low heat)


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 4, 2008)

Cyanoacrylate gel/liquid is safe once dry. At least it is for marine aquariums, which can house some of the most sensitive invertebrates on the planet, so I think it would be safe.

The non-toxic stuff should be okay as well.


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## Rick (Aug 4, 2008)

Get you a cheap glue gun. The glue those use is non toxic.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 6, 2008)

Thanks for the replies!


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## Orin (Aug 7, 2008)

Any hot glue gun works for cage assembly, it would be difficult to use superglue to make cages (hot glue is a terrible idea for hanging oothecae). The one thing to watch out for is some plastics don't stick to the hot glue --they seem to but if you flex it when cooled it comes loose.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 7, 2008)

Orin said:


> Any hot glue gun works for cage assembly, it would be difficult to use superglue to make cages (hot glue is a terrible idea for hanging oothecae). The one thing to watch out for is some plastics don't stick to the hot glue --they seem to but if you flex it when cooled it comes loose.


So what should I use for hanging oothecae? Besides hot glue, is there anything else I can use for sticking stuff to my mantids cage?(I have a lot of plastic)

Where can you find glue guns? Can you find it in a local DIY shop?


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 7, 2008)

Any regular dept store has them, look in the craft isle.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 7, 2008)

hibiscusmile said:


> Any regular dept store has them, look in the craft isle.


I'll try that today


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## Rick (Aug 7, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> So what should I use for hanging oothecae? Besides hot glue, is there anything else I can use for sticking stuff to my mantids cage?(I have a lot of plastic)Where can you find glue guns? Can you find it in a local DIY shop?


A low temp hot glue gun works fantastic for hanging ooths. I let it cool a couple seconds before attaching. I use a very small drop.


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## Orin (Aug 7, 2008)

Rick said:


> A low temp hot glue gun works fantastic for hanging ooths. I let it cool a couple seconds before attaching. I use a very small drop.


 If you're careful you can get away with hot glue guns with large oothecae and not even know you killed a few eggs. If you're not careful or the oothecae are small it's another story. Superglue works great for hanging oothecae.


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## Rick (Aug 7, 2008)

Orin said:


> If you're careful you can get away with hot glue guns with large oothecae and not even know you killed a few eggs. If you're not careful or the oothecae are small it's another story. Superglue works great for hanging oothecae.


That is the reason I let it cool and only use a very small amount. I could see a possible issue with small ootheca that are not well insulated but not with the larger ones which have lots of protection. Superglue contains some nasty stuff which is why I won't use it.


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## Orin (Aug 7, 2008)

Rick said:


> Superglue contains some nasty stuff which is why I won't use it.


I understand the hesitation but superglue is used on living soft and hard corals in reef aquaria (and has been used on various oothecae) with no ill effects.


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## ABbuggin (Aug 7, 2008)

I just use silicone (aquarium sealant). I've been using it for years and it does no harm to ooths.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 9, 2008)

Well my friend and I found two Tropidomantid ootheca and used superglue to stick it to the lid of a container. One day I got back from school and found that the ootheca had hatched and only one nymph had survived. Is this because of the superglue? Should I have used a glue gun? BTW I'm not going to buy a glue gun because they are very expensive from where I come from (Malaysia). A normal glue gun costs about 60 ringgit ($20). A good glue gun costs about 150 ringgit ($60)


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## Rick (Aug 9, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> Well my friend and I found two Tropidomantid ootheca and used superglue to stick it to the lid of a container. One day I got back from school and found that the ootheca had hatched and only one nymph had survived. Is this because of the superglue? Should I have used a glue gun? BTW I'm not going to buy a glue gun because they are very expensive from where I come from (Malaysia). A normal glue gun costs about 60 ringgit ($20). A good glue gun costs about 150 ringgit ($60)


Nobody can tell you if the type of glue had anything to do with it.


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## riegs22 (Aug 10, 2008)

You could try just pinning them, I have never tried this but it seems like if your careful it could work.


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## Orin (Aug 10, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> Well my friend and I found two Tropidomantid ootheca and used superglue to stick it to the lid of a container. One day I got back from school and found that the ootheca had hatched and only one nymph had survived. Is this because of the superglue? Should I have used a glue gun? BTW I'm not going to buy a glue gun because they are very expensive from where I come from (Malaysia). A normal glue gun costs about 60 ringgit ($20). A good glue gun costs about 150 ringgit ($60)


It sounds like you're saying the ootheca hatched fine but the nymphs died. In that case it's pretty much a certaintly that external conditions killed the nymphs. Glue attached to the ootheca couldn't harm them when at the point they died they're no longer in the ootheca.


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## jason_mazzy (Aug 13, 2008)

I would suggest 100%silicone sealant, clear if U can use it. it is non toxic and is used in everything. We use it to make or repair Saltwater aquariums, that hold invertabrate 1000x more sensitive to chemicals than land inverts.


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## collinchang635 (Aug 14, 2008)

jason_mazzy said:


> I would suggest 100%silicone sealant, clear if U can use it. it is non toxic and is used in everything. We use it to make or repair Saltwater aquariums, that hold invertabrate 1000x more sensitive to chemicals than land inverts.


Where would you be able to get this? Would you be able to get in in a local DIY shop?


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## TylerFerretLord (Aug 14, 2008)

Probably, just avoid the 'anti-fungus' or 'anti-bacterial' kinds. Those are great for bathrooms, not so much for keeping animals.


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## Orin (Aug 15, 2008)

I Like Mantis said:


> Where would you be able to get this? Would you be able to get in in a local DIY shop?


Yes and you can also find small tubes of the glue at many pet shops. However, it is only non-toxic AFTER it dries.


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## Peter Clausen (Aug 16, 2008)

I bought a low heat mini glue gun at a craft store the other day. Four bucks!


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