# Ghost Colony Terrarium



## agent A (Jan 12, 2010)

I am gonna use plexiglass under a screen (keeps ff's in, holes will be drillede and covered with mesh), 20 watt light tube on top of lid (light+heat), fake plants hot glued inside, and a big sponge all wet for humidity. Good ideas? I'm gonna get them soon, they are gonna be L2. I'm gonna wait to put them in there, so I can test and if needed, improve it. suggestions welcome! thanks! :lol:


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## batsofchaos (Jan 12, 2010)

Sounds good, just make sure you there are plenty of perches for them. Ghosts are fairly communal, but will eat each other. The best way to minimize cannibalism is to make sure they all have plenty of places to hang from away from each other, and to feed them abundantly. Other than that, it sounds good.


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## ABbuggin (Jan 12, 2010)

What is the size of the container?


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## agent A (Jan 12, 2010)

oh, it's a 55 gallon tank


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## ABbuggin (Jan 12, 2010)

agent A said:


> oh, it's a 55 gallon tank


 :blink: Seriously?

Um, well that's a problem. Your gonna want to wait until like L5 to put them in there. They would never find any food otherwise. I would personally look for a smaller container for only 6 ghost mantids. Like the size of a 1 foot mesh cube. That would be perfect.


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## agent A (Jan 12, 2010)

ABbuggin said:


> :blink: Seriously? Um, well that's a problem. Your gonna want to wait until like L5 to put them in there. They would never find any food otherwise. I would personally look for a smaller container for only 6 ghost mantids. Like the size of a 1 foot mesh cube. That would be perfect.


when they reproduce and all. Also, is 20 watts going through plexiglass enough to keep them at the right temperature?


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## batsofchaos (Jan 12, 2010)

I agree with AB that you might want to go with a smaller tank until you have more ghosts. Before then and they might have trouble finding the food. A colony in full-swing would be at home in that size of a container.

Temp-wise, Ghosts are pretty forgiving. The suggested temps are 75-85 F, but they're perfectly fine at 70 (which is what I kept mine at until I was ready to mate them). The 20 Watt light should be just the ticket, unless you keep your house cold.


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## Rick (Jan 12, 2010)

agent A said:


> oh, it's a 55 gallon tank


That is WAY too large. I'm sitting right here looking at one and it would asinine to use that for a few mantids.


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## ismart (Jan 12, 2010)

Rick said:


> That is WAY too large. I'm sitting right here looking at one and it would asinine to use that for a few mantids.


+1

If you put 6 L2 ghosts in a 55 gallon tank you will surely send them to an early grave.


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 12, 2010)

ismart said:


> +1If you put 6 L2 ghosts in a 55 gallon tank you will surely send them to an early grave.


Yes, and you won't even be able to find where they are buried!


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## yeatzee (Jan 12, 2010)

You were planning on putting six L2 ghosts into a 55 gallon tank? :blink: :blink:  

Im keeping 5 l4's in one of those small critter keepers and they still seem to have trouble finding food (Remember, this is a type of species that will not move towards prey one bit, but will sit there until food is close enough to grab.)

I suggest raising them normally until they are bigger and maybe using a divider to make a smaller habitat for them if you must have them in your mega container. If all works out, try the next generation in there (will be way more than 6 I presume) and let us know how it works. (I say this selfishly because I am curious to see the results :lol: .)

edit: i think you'll be surprised by how small they are at L2


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## agent A (Jan 13, 2010)

I will put them in the bigger cage when they get older. I am testing it now to be sure it is safe and has the proper temp and humidity. Will a big wet sponge release humidity for them? Do I need a fogger? I'm using an infared light for heat, and a tube fixture for light. I'l tell you all how it goes. I will keep them in a smaller thing until adulthood, but the smaller cage will be in the giant one! :lol:


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## Opivy (Jan 13, 2010)

I recently got 5 at L2 - my first experience with these guys =0

I've been keeping em' all separate - don't want to risk it.


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## Rick (Jan 13, 2010)

agent A said:


> I will put them in the bigger cage when they get older. I am testing it now to be sure it is safe and has the proper temp and humidity. Will a big wet sponge release humidity for them? Do I need a fogger? I'm using an infared light for heat, and a tube fixture for light. I'l tell you all how it goes. I will keep them in a smaller thing until adulthood, but the smaller cage will be in the giant one! :lol:


You do realize how small the adults are?


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## ABbuggin (Jan 13, 2010)

Rick said:


> You do realize how small the adults are?


Lol, Alex, the adults are barely 2" long.


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## batsofchaos (Jan 13, 2010)

Yeah, I wouldn't use that big cage unless you're keeping 60+ mantids together.


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## 3.1415926 (Jan 13, 2010)

batsofchaos said:


> Yeah, I wouldn't use that big cage unless you're keeping 60+ mantids together.


Ant those many mantids will be immpossible to feed.


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## Katnapper (Jan 13, 2010)

10dor1fro32 said:


> Ant those many mantids will be immpossible to feed.


Not true.


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## agent A (Jan 14, 2010)

I thought they were 3 inches long. &lt;_&lt;


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## batsofchaos (Jan 14, 2010)

Much closer to two. My biggest female is 2.2 inches from top of the crest to tip of the abdomen laying flat. The males are a little longer with their full wings, hitting closer to 2.5, but they're much skinnier so they end up using less space.


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## agent A (Jan 14, 2010)

okay. I'm gonna put them in a small cage, and the small cage is still going in the large one. I'll use a huge wet sponge for humidity.


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## yen_saw (Jan 14, 2010)

agent A said:


> okay. I'm gonna put them in a small cage, and the small cage is still going in the large one. I'll use a huge wet sponge for humidity.


 also allow plenty of ventilation if possible, they can tolerate good range of humidity no problem.


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## agent A (Jan 14, 2010)

yen_saw said:


> also allow plenty of ventilation if possible, they can tolerate good range of humidity no problem.


don't worry, I have a mesh screen with mesh netting under it (to prevent fruitflies from escaping- the origional mesh is not fine enough to hold in fruitflies)


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## agent A (Jan 16, 2010)

time for pictures!!!

infared light, the pop up port-a-bug has 8n phyllocrania in it







a nymph (sorry for the blurr)


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## ABbuggin (Jan 16, 2010)

Just make sure not to let them go in that large of an enclosure. You wont be able to say we didn't warn you.  

They would do awesome (when a bit bigger) in one of the 1ft. cubes from livemonarch.com...even as adults.


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## agent A (Jan 16, 2010)

ABbuggin said:


> Just make sure not to let them go in that large of an enclosure. You wont be able to say we didn't warn you.  They would do awesome (when a bit bigger) in one of the 1ft. cubes from livemonarch.com...even as adults.


alright. they seem to like each other. they like being close to each other.


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## yeatzee (Jan 16, 2010)

agent A said:


> alright. they seem to like each other. they like being close to each other.


At younger instars yes, but keep them overfed just incase


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## agent A (Jan 16, 2010)

yeatzee said:


> At younger instars yes, but keep them overfed just incase


okay!


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## agent A (Jan 28, 2010)

need more help. First off, 3 molted to L3 just fine! Yay! How much fake foliage do I need in the tank to provide preches for when I put the mantids in whenever they get to be adults?


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## PhilinYuma (Jan 28, 2010)

agent A said:


> need more help. First off, 3 molted to L3 just fine! Yay! How much fake foliage do I need in the tank to provide preches for when I put the mantids in whenever they get to be adults?


Like your question about the sex of the nymphs, the answer is to check as you are putting the branches in and decode when the arrangement looks good to you, and you have at least several perches for each mantis.

BTW, I see that you posted at 1418, your time. Do you always get out of school that early, or is Thursday a "short day"?


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## agent A (Jan 28, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> Like your question about the sex of the nymphs, the answer is to check as you are putting the branches in and decode when the arrangement looks good to you, and you have at least several perches for each mantis.BTW, I see that you posted at 1418, your time. Do you always get out of school that early, or is Thursday a "short day"?


we got out early today, because this stuff called snow fell like crazy and made the roads unsafe.


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## Rick (Jan 28, 2010)

Either that is one huge tank or one very small net cage.


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## yen_saw (Jan 29, 2010)

Rick said:


> Either that is one huge tank or one very small net cage.


I agree.

You don't really need that tank. Or you need it for the light?


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## kamakiri (Jan 29, 2010)

I think a tank divider could be used to make smaller compartments as needed and would be completely adjustable.

Tank divider

I've only used them for fish, but they stay in place even in a dry tank. I might need some adjustment at the hood/light area to completely block it off for feeders, but this it what I'd use in the same situation with 6 ghosts in a 55 gal.



10dor1fro32 said:


> Ant those many mantids will be immpossible to feed.





Katnapper said:


> Not true.


Gotta agree with Katnapper here...somehow I'm feeding over 100


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## agent A (Jan 29, 2010)

I kinda got compulsive with the tank size (ocd), and the pop up net cage thingy is pretty small. oh yeah, Yen was right, at about 50% humidity 4 ghosts molted to L3 no problem! score 1 for team yen! (not that anyone is keeping score [and then at yens house theres this white board that has like a chart and scores are tally marks  ]) I might put gsefm in that tank, I'm planning on getting nymphs in June again, they seem to breed more prolificly (from others' experience, not mine though, but I'll give them another shot)


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## Schloaty (Feb 2, 2010)

Sweet set up.

I have seven ghosties in a two gallon hexogon. One lousy fake grass plan (3" pot) in there, and a screen top.

Seems like plenty of room, and keeps the food closer at hand....er....claw.

I love this species. They're so docile, my 2 1/2 year old loves to hold one and have it walk on her had. My five year old likes them to walk on her face (I worry about that girl).

I know I'm humanizing them a bit, but they are the "friendliest" of the species I've ever kept (lobatas being the most ornery).


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