# Best place to get moss and excelsior?



## dgerndt (Dec 17, 2010)

I'm getting an ooth next week and I'll be raising the adorable little nymphs, so now I'm in need of excelsior and moss. I've looked at a few sites, but I don't have any experience with what kinds of moss or excelsior to buy or how much. So I was hoping some more experienced mantis keepers could give me some tips on the best types of moss and whatnot, and where to buy it all from.  

I'm not sure if this changes anything, but here's a little more info on my mantids: The nymphs I'm going to be raising are Gambian Spotted-Eye Flower mantids, so they're pretty tiny and communal. I also need the moss to help keep moisture levels higher for my miomantis enclosure. It never wants to stay higher than 20%.

Thanks everyone!


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## GreenOasis (Dec 17, 2010)

You can get excelsior at any store that sells fake flowers...here, I can find it at Hobby Lobby...probably Michaels' too, but I haven't looked there.

You want to get "orchid" moss for the enclosures. Don't get that "Mosser Lee" stuff, it's not good. I can find orchid moss at Lowe's &amp; Home Depot around here. Look in the gardening/houseplant section.

Good luck! My Gambians just hatched out the other day, and they ARE tiny! :blink: (Hope you have melanogasters!)


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## dgerndt (Dec 17, 2010)

GreenOasis said:


> You can get excelsior at any store that sells fake flowers...here, I can find it at Hobby Lobby...probably Michaels' too, but I haven't looked there.
> 
> You want to get "orchid" moss for the enclosures. Don't get that "Mosser Lee" stuff, it's not good. I can find orchid moss at Lowe's &amp; Home Depot around here. Look in the gardening/houseplant section.
> 
> Good luck! My Gambians just hatched out the other day, and they ARE tiny! :blink: (Hope you have melanogasters!)


Thanks! I was actually looking at your site for moss...  I saw some excelsior at Michael's, but I wasn't sure if it was safe for mantids. It said "for decoration only" on the bag. I'll check Home Depot for the moss, and then Lowe's to look for the best price. :lol: lol!

Congrats on a successful hatch! And yes, I have PLENTY on melanogasters. (Too many if you ask me)


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## GreenOasis (Dec 17, 2010)

Yeah, I'm having trouble getting the moss in right now...sorry. I'm working on it, but it's kind of tough having to go through a guy in New Zealand to get it shipped up from Chile! :blink: (Still waiting on a response about the shipping cost!)

One thing I have learned through mantis-keeping...You can NEVER have too many flies!


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## Allyn Loring (Dec 17, 2010)

Maybe a little premature but good to keep in mind for future reference ,Home Depot or even Lowes gets their fountain supplies shipped with tons of excelsior and if you time it right you can score some for free, those craft stores kill you!!! And if you are really addicted there is a web site called "paper mart" I bought a 29lb bale three years ago and have barely put a dent in it about 1/3 of the bale.every year I'll generally set up 500-600 32oz cultures!!


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## hibiscusmile (Dec 18, 2010)

I have both on my site.


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## Rick (Dec 18, 2010)

I get both locally. Moss from Lowes or Home depot and excelsior from crafts store. Buy it local and save on the shipping. I actually don't use moss anymore because paper towels make cleaning easier and they are cheaper. I actually don't like excelsior either, but if you want to use these they will work and you can get them local.


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## PeterF (Dec 18, 2010)

Do you need the excelsior for the nymphs or for the FFs?

I have never bothered to use it for either.

I don't know that the nymphs need anything. But that's your choice.

As for the FFs. A twist of wax paper in the jar works quite well.


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## dgerndt (Dec 19, 2010)

Well I got some excelsior from Meijer (local grocery store) and I saw moss was cheapest at Lowe's, so that's where I'm probably going to buy the moss. Paper towel doesn't hold much moisture for me. It gets dry extremely quickly.

Thanks for all the tips. I'll make sure to try and get in on some of the free excelsior from Home Depot. I have a family member who works there and will know exactly when shipments come in.


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## mongoslade2110 (Dec 22, 2010)

try goshes frogs he has some good stuff


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## Rick (Dec 22, 2010)

Deby said:


> Well I got some excelsior from Meijer (local grocery store) and I saw moss was cheapest at Lowe's, so that's where I'm probably going to buy the moss. Paper towel doesn't hold much moisture for me. It gets dry extremely quickly.
> 
> Thanks for all the tips. I'll make sure to try and get in on some of the free excelsior from Home Depot. I have a family member who works there and will know exactly when shipments come in.


I used moss for many years but found the paper towels work much better. They can dry out fast, but you don't want them soaking wet all the time anyways. Do what works best for you. I don't really use excelsior too much anymore. It often falls down and balls up at the the bottom. Some people like to cram fruit fly cultures with it for reasons I still haven't figured out.


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## dgerndt (Dec 22, 2010)

Rick said:


> I used moss for many years but found the paper towels work much better. They can dry out fast, but you don't want them soaking wet all the time anyways. Do what works best for you. I don't really use excelsior too much anymore. It often falls down and balls up at the the bottom. *Some people like to cram fruit fly cultures with it for reasons I still haven't figured out.*


I just got a fruit fly culture a few days ago that was just packed FULL of excelsior. The fruit flies couldn't even climb around. It was ridiculous! All you need are a few fluffed up strands.


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## hibiscusmile (Dec 22, 2010)

Yea I hate that, the flies think they are in jail :lol:


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## dgerndt (Dec 23, 2010)

hibiscusmile said:


> Yea I hate that, the flies think they are in jail :lol:


lol! :lol: Exactly!


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## lancaster1313 (Dec 23, 2010)

It looks like there is a coffee filter in the ff cultures that I get locally. They seem to be doing well that way.


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## dgerndt (Dec 23, 2010)

likebugs said:


> It looks like there is a coffee filter in the ff cultures that I get locally. They seem to be doing well that way.


I've been using coffee filters for my fruit fly cultures, as well. I've bought cultures that use excelsior, though.


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## nebrakacinese (Dec 28, 2010)

I tried old TP rolls read on the internet, then I tried coffee filters works well.


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## dgerndt (Dec 28, 2010)

My coffee filters seem to melt into the fruit fly medium once I get larva.


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## hibiscusmile (Dec 29, 2010)

They do tend to fall apart, I use both corrugate rolls and filters if the medium is too wet.


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