# Hello Kitty garden in betta cube tank



## intheabyss (Mar 2, 2016)

Sub-adult Budwing female (her name is Tabby) outgrew her deli-cup so I bought a betta cube tank from PetSmart.
This one: http://www.amazon.com/Elive-01031-Betta-gallon-Black/dp/B00GO03TTY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456903898&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=betta+cube

The lid has multiple large holes in it, good for ventilation. I glued some shelf liner to cover the entire lid, so she can hang from it (and to stop things getting out). She's one molt away from adulthood, so I chose and arranged the sticks so she can't hang from them, but can climb them securely.

Coco-peat substrate with beak moss overlay (I didn't wash this... should I nuke it or something?) and Hello Kitty Happy Meal toys   :wub: 





Introduced her to Miss Kitty. Not sure if they're friends or not.




The other mantids are jealous! My two ghosts just matured, so I want to make them pretty new homes, too.




With the heat lamp on (yes, it's to the side of the bench, because I couldn't get an appropriate fitting/desklamp to hold it above the enclosures... bit bad because the ones closer to it are hot, while the ones further from are cold... not sure what to do about that. Are they affected by temperature fluctuations? Because I rotate them around regularly and am a little worried that one day a particular enclosure will be at 80 degrees, other days it will be at 68-70......)


----------



## Starving Always (Mar 2, 2016)

this is so nice!! what a great setup this is!! im as jealous as the ghost mantis staring XD i somewhat have a lamp i use for heating, (but will plan on using heat mats) and as i would want them to be hotter, id move them closer. now for the many many questions: should i buy heat lamps instead? what watt should i get? does it even matter? i also spotted the temperature meter. how and where did you get it? maybe i can determine where i should have my mantids placed. 

thanks!!!


----------



## intheabyss (Mar 2, 2016)

Starving Always said:


> this is so nice!! what a great setup this is!! im as jealous as the ghost mantis staring XD i somewhat have a lamp i use for heating, (but will plan on using heat mats) and as i would want them to be hotter, id move them closer. now for the many many questions: should i buy heat lamps instead? what watt should i get? does it even matter? i also spotted the temperature meter. how and where did you get it? maybe i can determine where i should have my mantids placed.
> 
> thanks!!!


Thanks!!

I tried this heat mat, but it didn't heat up very much. No idea how it's supposed to heat an enclosure. So I returned it. Maybe I got a faulty one, I don't know. (Yes, I insulated it underneath, but still it only got substantially warm at the end near the cord, the rest of the mat was barely warm).
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0044U4F5I?psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01

This is the globe I use (I have both the 50W and the 75W... depends how many enclosures you need to heat. If it's just one, the 50 will be plenty). I swear when I bought it, the globes were around $7 each, though! The price has gone up a lot!
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002AR3QC/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456949510&amp;sr=1&amp;keywords=heat+lamp

I got a clamp fixture from Lowes
http://www.lowes.com/pd_203198-1373-FL-200NPDQ12___?productId=3122289&amp;pl=1&amp;Ntt=clamp+lamp or
http://www.lowes.com/pd_203213-1373-FL-300NPDQ12___?productId=3122291&amp;pl=1&amp;Ntt=clamp+lamp

But if you're using the 50W bulb, a normal desk lamp would be better, since it's more adjustable (these can take up to 60W only, check when you buy it, make sure it's not a cheap plastic that will melt, and be careful when handling the hot lamp).

Oh, and the thermometer is just the cheapest one they had on Amazon. Test whether its calibrated by comparing it to a known temperature (or place in ice water and see if it zeros. If it doesn't, then push the actual thermometer tube until it aligns with the correct temp). Pretty sure any thermometer will do.
Again, the price has gone up! I'm sure you could find a cheaper one at a dollar store.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000HUADEQ?psc=1&amp;redirect=true&amp;ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00


----------



## CosbyArt (Mar 2, 2016)

Looks great, and gives it some personality. The moss you will want to ensure there are no centipedes or such hiding in it, that can hurt your mantids, other than that any other crawly in it will be a snack. In the moss I have gathered I have found mainly centipedes, spiders, and isopods (and a few earthworms) if anything - depends on how much dirt you left attached as well.

I personally don't worry about heating my mantids, as all species I have kept seemed to do fine at room temperature. With my crickets though I found a heatpad/mat is of little use and used a ordinary *old style lightbulb (*non spiral fluorescent type).

The shelf liner on the lid is a great touch though, and will help with molts.


----------



## intheabyss (Mar 2, 2016)

CosbyArt said:


> Looks great, and gives it some personality. The moss you will want to ensure there are no centipedes or such hiding in it, that can hurt your mantids, other than that any other crawly in it will be a snack. In the moss I have gathered I have found mainly centipedes, spiders, and isopods (and a few earthworms) if anything - depends on how much dirt you left attached as well.
> 
> I personally don't worry about heating my mantids, as all species I have kept seemed to do fine at room temperature. With my crickets though I found a heatpad/mat is of little use and used a ordinary *old style lightbulb (*non spiral fluorescent type).
> 
> The shelf liner on the lid is a great touch though, and will help with molts.


Thanks!

Can I ask what your room temperature range is? My husband doesn't like me having the heating on here, so I keep it turned off most of the time, and it sometimes drops down to around 63 inside. That's too cold, right? I try to keep them around 70 degrees with the lamp.

But, then again, the cold didn't seem to affect them during the few days between turning the heating off and purchasing the lamp..... I don't know how to tell whether they're comfortable or not! This girl was pacing around her deli cup which is why I made the new house.


----------



## CosbyArt (Mar 2, 2016)

intheabyss said:


> Thanks!
> 
> Can I ask what your room temperature range is? My husband doesn't like me having the heating on here, so I keep it turned off most of the time, and it sometimes drops down to around 63 inside. That's too cold, right? I try to keep them around 70 degrees with the lamp.
> 
> But, then again, the cold didn't seem to affect them during the few days between turning the heating off and purchasing the lamp..... I don't know how to tell whether they're comfortable or not! This girl was pacing around her deli cup which is why I made the new house.


For me it ranges from about 72-76 F typically in their room they are kept in (can vary through out the day/night as it is a upstairs room and depending on the heat downstairs it rises), and during the spring/summer/fall without AC reaches about 82 F max before I turn on a AC. So if you have an upstairs room that would help, and even higher up on a bookshelf can help with heat.

Regarding Budwing mantids (Parasphendale affinis and Parasphendale argrionina) night time temps of 64 F (18 C) is fine, but daytime temps of 75-86 F (24-30 C), with 79 F (26 C) being ideal. Here is a caresheet about them with the temps; however, many keepers claim to keep their pets in their room temps without issue of 70 F or so. It seems if you raise the mantid from a nymph it gets more accustom to the temps and will not have a problem, and I haven't myself with any I raised from ooth or L2 instar.

Perhaps someone will know more details, but from my experience if the mantid gets too cold it will become very slow, preferring to hold still, and not have much movement - lethargic. I know when it has gotten to about 50 F in here from the balcony door being open at night (as my wife likes the cold at night when sick with fever especially) the mantids haven't seemed to react to it unless they are old/weak and were fine the next day.

I figure especially the native mantid species, would experience even colder/warmer temps outside and still survive so I don't worry too much about it anymore. From the species I have kept (listed in my signature) none have had problems with the temps, including the Budwing I had from L2.


----------



## intheabyss (Mar 5, 2016)

Thank you, Thomas, that clears up the concerns I had!


----------



## CosbyArt (Mar 5, 2016)

intheabyss said:


> Thank you, Thomas, that clears up the concerns I had!


Glad to answer anything I can, best of luck to you.


----------



## LilBuggie (May 7, 2016)

intheabyss said:


> Sub-adult Budwing female (her name is Tabby) outgrew her deli-cup so I bought a betta cube tank from PetSmart.
> This one: http://www.amazon.com/Elive-01031-Betta-gallon-Black/dp/B00GO03TTY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456903898&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=betta+cube
> 
> The lid has multiple large holes in it, good for ventilation. I glued some shelf liner to cover the entire lid, so she can hang from it (and to stop things getting out). She's one molt away from adulthood, so I chose and arranged the sticks so she can't hang from them, but can climb them securely.
> ...






intheabyss said:


> Sub-adult Budwing female (her name is Tabby) outgrew her deli-cup so I bought a betta cube tank from PetSmart.
> This one: http://www.amazon.com/Elive-01031-Betta-gallon-Black/dp/B00GO03TTY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456903898&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=betta+cube
> 
> The lid has multiple large holes in it, good for ventilation. I glued some shelf liner to cover the entire lid, so she can hang from it (and to stop things getting out). She's one molt away from adulthood, so I chose and arranged the sticks so she can't hang from them, but can climb them securely.
> ...


This is so cute! I love HK! I might have to see how to do a shopkins one. Thank you for sharing such a cute amazing idea


----------

