# HOUSING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF MANTIDS



## Nick Barta (Jun 22, 2007)

Picture 1: I use basically four containers for mantis, a small vial with a height of 3.5 inches that is 1.5 inches in diameter for the smallest nymphs. The second container is a vial that is 4.25 inches tall by 2 inches in diameter. On both vials the lid is a soft plastic that is easily perforated with a pin, and we put a plastic washable grating in the vial that is wedged so it doesn't move with allows both the food and the mantis to move about. When a mantis outgrows a vial for width, I move it to a 24 oz. insect cup with increases the diameter for 4 inches wide.

If the mantis needs more height than 4.25 inches, I don't use the 32 oz. insect cups because they are only 5.5 inches tall, and I don't want to have to move the mantis again later; so I used the 4 inch by 4 inch by 10 inch tall mantis mansion.







Picture 2: Before I describe the mantis chamber, I would like to say that I think Rick is probably right, most mantids live at our room temperature. Being somewhat anal, I decided to create a plexiglass chamber around a shelving unit that is 23.5 inches wide by 17 inches deep, by 6 foot tall made of wire shelves so the heat can travel from my heat source at the bottom. This gives me warmer shelves for the desert species and incubation of ooths on the lower racks and cooler shelves for most of the mantis up top.

I also keep fruit flies and house flies on the floor which gives them about 78 degrees temperature. The top is a removable piece of plexiglass, the door is hinged and the corners are reinforced with aluminum angle. The cardboard trays come from Costco, and just fit the 21 inch opening. The unit has 6 shelves spaced about 11.75 inches apart with accomodates 2 high on the 24 oz. insect cups, and one high on the hexagon nymph containers as well as the 4 by 4 by 10 inch mantis mansion. The butterfly net at the top is a breeding place with lots of room for the male to escape. If it is being used we put a plant in there so he has places to hide. I use a ceramic bulb for my heat source, as well as a remotely controlled probe that keeps the temperature at 80 degrees on the middle shelf.

It is important to have a temperature gun to be sure you are not over-heating your stock!






The cost of this unit was fairly substantial between the plexiglass, the shelving, and the heat source/control. You can accomplish the same heat retention by creating a cardboard enclosure which I did to begin with; it does hold the heat as well. I changed to plexiglass because my wife thought the cardboard was ugly, and that even insects need light.


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## OGIGA (Jun 22, 2007)

Pretty awesome set up. Looks like it's a factory in the middle of an office. Approximately how much money did you spend to make that?


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## robo mantis (Jun 22, 2007)

Wow thats nice


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## Asa (Jun 22, 2007)

Uggh... you're making me want to buy from your site, you evil salesman! I have about that amount of mantids but I have to use two shelves because my cages are larger.


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## OGIGA (Jun 22, 2007)

> Uggh... you're making me want to buy from your site, you evil salesman! I have about that amount of mantids but I have to use two shelves because my cages are larger.


Haha, are you getting jealous? Maybe you can start a little business too!


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## Rick (Jun 22, 2007)

Basically the same as what I do. However my deli cups are all slightly larger then yours.


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## Asa (Jun 22, 2007)

> > Uggh... you're making me want to buy from your site, you evil salesman! I have about that amount of mantids but I have to use two shelves because my cages are larger.
> 
> 
> Haha, are you getting jealous? Maybe you can start a little business too!


I have a little business. But it's reduced to myself: I pay, they...give. :lol: 

Okay, that was bad.

I might consider doing business but I'm not really sure how.


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## OGIGA (Jun 22, 2007)

You can just post stuff on the classifieds place at this forum. Or better yet, people already posted what they want.


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## Asa (Jun 22, 2007)

I guess. I never considered making any profit selling these guys. Maybe in the future I will 'spread the joy' around.


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## Ian (Jul 7, 2007)

Lovely setup Nick. It makes me realise how embarassingly unorganised my setup is


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## Asa (Jul 7, 2007)

Ah, I bet he spoofed it up a bit...


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## Red (Jul 17, 2007)

hi, whats your opinion about use a water bottle of 5 liters for a adult of Sphrodomantis viridis ?

regards


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## Asa (Jul 17, 2007)

> hi, whats your opinion about use a water bottle of 5 liters for a adult of Sphrodomantis viridis ?regards


Sounds fine, but you should probably introduce yourself. :wink:


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