# Basic ghost mantis habitat check (with picture)



## Viceroy (Aug 22, 2021)

i will move them to smaller containers soon.

does a habi have to have substrate? can i just scoop some dirt from my lawn?


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## hibiscusmile (Aug 22, 2021)

They actually do good together until like 5th instar or more. Don't use dirt from yard, to many germs and bugs in it. You

do not need any substrate at all.  You have to much excelsior in there too,


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## Viceroy (Aug 22, 2021)

thanks. do containers need cross/ventilation? do they need a textured top for the mantis to grip for molting?


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## ceojac (Aug 26, 2021)

Viceroy said:


> thanks. do containers need cross/ventilation? do they need a textured top for the mantis to grip for molting?


Yes, they will need a textured top although the fabric lids you already have on them will work. You will also want to remove a lot of that excelsior and possibly replace it with something that will take up less space, like a small twig. Your mantises will need unobstructed downward space to molt (abt 2x their body length is recommended) and if there are obstacles in the way it could cause potentially fatal molting issues, so a simple and spacy enclosure is often better.


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## ceojac (Aug 26, 2021)

Also, cross ventilation is good but not entirely required for small nymphs, once they get larger they will benefit from having more ventilation and space though.


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## ceojac (Aug 26, 2021)

Substrate is not required, but it can help to retain humidity if their containers seem to get excessively dry, however there is probably not enough space for any in those containers. Instead, you can put a layer of moist paper towel on the bottom if you want to, and this will be easy to clean and replace. If you had taller containers you could add a thin layer (~1/2 in) of either moistened coco coir or sphagnum moss (the whole kind, not the powdered messy stuff) as these retain humidity quite well. You can find these substrates at pretty much any garden or hardware store.

Ghost mantises however do not have highly demanding humidity requirements, but a little humidity is not bad for them.


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## Viceroy (Aug 28, 2021)

ceojac said:


> Substrate is not required, but it can help to retain humidity if their containers seem to get excessively dry, however there is probably not enough space for any in those containers. Instead, you can put a layer of moist paper towel on the bottom if you want to, and this will be easy to clean and replace. If you had taller containers you could add a thin layer (~1/2 in) of either moistened coco coir or sphagnum moss (the whole kind, not the powdered messy stuff) as these retain humidity quite well. You can find these substrates at pretty much any garden or hardware store.
> 
> Ghost mantises however do not have highly demanding humidity requirements, but a little humidity is not bad for them.


there's a lot of mantis turds on the bottom of my containers. is this a concern? would a substrate assist with this? do i need to clean the enclosures out?

also: the fruit fly culture i bought was DOA. these guys don't need to be fed more than a couple times a week, yeah?


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## ceojac (Aug 28, 2021)

Viceroy said:


> there's a lot of mantis turds on the bottom of my containers. is this a concern? would a substrate assist with this? do i need to clean the enclosures out?
> 
> also: the fruit fly culture i bought was DOA. these guys don't need to be fed more than a couple times a week, yeah?


You'll want to clean their droppings out every other week. Substrate can extend that cleaning time by a little, just keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn't get gross. Paper towels are quite easy to take out and replace for cleaning, they are probably the most convenient thing you can use but you still have to replace them regularly.
 

They will do fine with feeding every 2-3 days. If you are struggling to find fruit flies, I know that the Petco's and Petsmarts near me carry cultures. I wouldn't rely on them though, they usually don't last long as the colonies die out quick but they are good for backup feeders. You may be able to purchase the materials for a fruit fly culture yourself (deli cup, excelsior, fruit fly media) and start your own longer lasting fruit fly culture.


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## Viceroy (Aug 28, 2021)

ceojac said:


> They will do fine with feeding every 2-3 days. If you are struggling to find fruit flies, I know that the Petco's and Petsmarts near me carry cultures. I wouldn't rely on them though, they usually don't last long as the colonies die out quick but they are good for backup feeders. You may be able to purchase the materials for a fruit fly culture yourself (deli cup, excelsior, fruit fly media) and start your own longer lasting fruit fly culture.


tried that, ordered the culture from josh's frogs and it was doa. i made a topic about it. any other solutions? i have all the stuff i need to keep the culture going after i get a starter, excelsior, containers, repashy superfly...


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