# My enclosures.



## joossa (Dec 12, 2008)

Just thought I’d share some examples of what I use to house my mantids in. All of them have a mesh top that is either held on with a rubber band or the original lid with a large hole cut into it. They all have multiple sticks and paper towels for substrate.


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## The_Asa (Dec 12, 2008)

I like the bowl one best!


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## Rick (Dec 12, 2008)

With plastic containers cut a hole in the side for feeding. You can then plug it with a foam plug. Since most mantids spend time on the lid it will be much easier since you won't have to remove the rubber band and the mesh.


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## shorty (Dec 12, 2008)

Very nice enclosures. Where did you get the glass containers? And I use labels on my enclosures similar to yours. What do you write on your labels?


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## joossa (Dec 12, 2008)

shorty said:


> Very nice enclosures. Where did you get the glass containers? And I use labels on my enclosures similar to yours. What do you write on your labels?


Only the fish bowl is glass; the rest are plastic. I got the tall containers from the dollar store and the rest were in my kitchen at some time or another.

I use two labels:

-The permanent label is the red/clear one. This one is for ID purposes. It includes: capture date, gender, and mantid number.

-The second one is a small post-it and is a feeding log. I write the day, and what I fed to that mantid that day. I can usually fit up to 8 days on one post-it, so I end up using new ones about once every week.


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## Katnapper (Dec 12, 2008)

I love the Dollar Store for containers!  I bought a whole bunch of containers there for my mantids. Will have to post pics...  (one of these days, been meaning to get around to it). That's a good idea with the post-it notes. I've been trying to think of a way to label the containers without marking on them, that wouldn't be a hassle... not get in the way, easily removed, not too easily removed so as to get lost...


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## shorty (Dec 12, 2008)

joossa said:


> Only the fish bowl is glass; the rest are plastic. I got the tall containers from the dollar store and the rest were in my kitchen at some time or another.I use two labels:
> 
> -The permanent label is the red/clear one. This one is for ID purposes. It includes: capture date, gender, and mantid number.
> 
> -The second one is a small post-it and is a feeding log. I write the day, and what I fed to that mantid that day. I can usually fit up to 8 days on one post-it, so I end up using new ones about once every week.


Nice, I will be checking out the dollar store! I use very similar labels except mine are missing the capture dates. I do have the mantid number as well as gender, though. I also have a feeding log, but mine is kept in a notebook. I keep track of what they eat, when they eat and in what quantity. I also write down dates/times they are misted, molts, instar level, and have a "Notes" section where I write down observations made on them. I am a very organized person, but more importantly, I use this because of my lack of a memory.


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## Giosan (Dec 14, 2008)

Haha Dwight Schrute!


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## Tiara (Dec 21, 2008)

I use mason jars (canning jars) with screen hot glued to the top. I will post pics soon. They seem to work good and they are very cheap. 12 quart size containers for ten dollars at shaws. (thats a grocery store LOL  )


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