# Misting?



## Pet Duck Boy (Nov 20, 2010)

Is it OK to mist mantids directly? (Mainly ghosts) I ask because mine seem to just sit there while I mist them, and after they happily lap up the droplets from their body. Of course I don't want to cause unnessecary problems, like fungus or mold, and a dead mantis.


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## sporeworld (Nov 20, 2010)

I've never seen any problems from it - they're pretty meticulous about cleaning themselves anyway. I've seen them spread their claws to catch it, then lick themselves clean (and, no - it wasn't a threat display).


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## angelofdeathzz (Nov 20, 2010)

No it shouldn't hurt them as long as they can dry off,you don't want them to stay wet for a extended period of time. I mist mine every other day or so. but I also have a heat sorce for all my mantis(even Chinese).

but what they really love is the several pea sized soap on a ropes I hang in there for them, for that deep down clean they crave, there still not getting much use out of the tiny hair dryer I installed though? :lol:


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## LauraMG (Nov 20, 2010)

I usually spray mine directly, not intentionally but because they're in the way like you said yours were. Some really like direct spray like my shields, and some really hate it like my orchids. Either way, not harmful so long as they can dry which requires proper air circulation as angleofdeathzzz said. And BTW angelofdeathzzz, you're silly! :tt2:


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 21, 2010)

So tell me again, what happens if you don't mist them at all? You can leave them for a week, fed but unmisted when you are on vacation, if one escapes from its pot, or if as Rebecca often suggests, you let one live on a plant, it seems to do fine without misting. Misting is about 100% RH and in a pot lowers the temp about F5 as it evaporates. It has no effect on the ambient RH for about 18 hours a day. Do mantids in the wild.get daily ten second bursts of 100% RH?

If you are not sure why you do it, why do it? Because others do? If your friends all jumped off a cliff....


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## angelofdeathzz (Nov 21, 2010)

yes you have good point Phil, but I mist them every other day so they can drink. if I want to raise the RH I use moss and spray it well,no mold and high RH.

Hey I hear cliff diving is a blast.


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## angelofdeathzz (Nov 21, 2010)

Laura G said:


> I usually spray mine directly, not intentionally but because they're in the way like you said yours were. Some really like direct spray like my shields, and some really hate it like my orchids. Either way, not harmful so long as they can dry which requires proper air circulation as angleofdeathzzz said. And BTW angelofdeathzzz, you're silly! :tt2:


well if you think thats silly, then I won't even tell you about the time one of them beat me at Madden 2011 on my PS3, still haven't lived that down.


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## sporeworld (Nov 21, 2010)

I have some mantids with a constant repti-fogger on them, and others that I have standing water or perma-moist sponges for a constant humidity. But I can't see the HARM in misting ANY of them, if there's proper ventilation (especially if they're lapping it up). And, yeah - I experience 10 second bursts of 100% humidity every time I visit Florida - the rain there is crazy!


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 21, 2010)

We're talking about two different things here. Using a reptifogger or, to a much lesser extent, protected standing water, provides an increase in humidity, though one that is often higher than that required by American and some tropical mantids. That is quite different from suddenly raising the RH to 100%, having it drop to ambient over a few hours and then leaving at ambient until the next spritzing determined by an arbitrary schedule.

No, it most probably does no harm, but that is hardly a good reason for performing an unnecessary procedure, if, indeed, it is unnecessary. Turning the lights on in the bug room for seven minutes at 0100 every morning would probably do no harm, but I don't plan on doing it because of that!






It is fun, though to hear you defend the practice without giving any reason for it! Mantids get sufficient water in their food and survive and reproduce quite well without it.


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## Krissim Klaw (Nov 21, 2010)

PhilinYuma said:


> It is fun, though to hear you defend the practice without giving any reason for it! Mantids get sufficient water in their food and survive and reproduce quite well without it.


I like laughing at them when they flick their claws in disgust to try and shake it off or get water droplets stuck on their heads like hats. It amuses me, that is all. Actually that is why I keep mantises to begin with, because they amuse me. I figure since I give them all the free food the least they can do is let me mist them occasionally for laughs.


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## sporeworld (Nov 21, 2010)

It's probably assumed that I am not an entimologist (becuase I can't spell it), but I'll make sure it's clear - I have NO science behind this. Having said that, witnessing my mantids lap up the water I spray DOES sort of suggest that if they don't NEED it, they have some programing that compels them towards it (trace minerals, maybe?).

We may need to define "misting" as well. I KNOW that in the containers that I "mist" (defined by me as a dew-like quantity on EVERYTHING in the enclosure) that it takes hours for it to evaporate entirely - I can see it bead up.

So, beyond habit, as Phil rightly suggests, I think I "mist" because (a) that's what I read I was supposed to do on almost all the forums and caresheets, ( B) most seem to respond favorably to it (ie: drinking), and © to prevent any molting problems.

In the one-to-a-deli-cup method, I can see a reduced need (and, they could always just drink any condensation that builds up from the humidity foam on the bottom). But communal living means out-of-sync and almost perpetual molting, and a (seeming?) need for humidity boosts now and then.

But Phil may be right - it might all be for no benefit. If someone wants to suggest a reasonable experiment, I'd be happy to conduct it and record the results. My ambient air in the office is crazy low, but I can keep the control group at home with more reasonable numbers.

Any suggestions...?


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## LauraMG (Nov 21, 2010)

Krissim Klaw said:


> I like laughing at them when they flick their claws in disgust to try and shake it off or get water droplets stuck on their heads like hats. It amuses me, that is all. Actually that is why I keep mantises to begin with, because they amuse me. I figure since I give them all the free food the least they can do is let me mist them occasionally for laughs.


 :lol: My orchid always looks at me like she wants to eat my face off because I sprayed her! She can't even stand it if I give her a light breeze by blowing on her and flicks at me the same way. So, of coarse, what's my favorite thing to do to her???? You guessed it! :tt2:


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## Krissim Klaw (Nov 22, 2010)

Laura G said:


> :lol: My orchid always looks at me like she wants to eat my face off because I sprayed her! She can't even stand it if I give her a light breeze by blowing on her and flicks at me the same way. So, of coarse, what's my favorite thing to do to her???? You guessed it! :tt2:


Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh someone will call the ASPCA on us for mantis abuse.


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## LauraMG (Nov 22, 2010)

Krissim Klaw said:


> Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh someone will call the ASPCA on us for mantis abuse.


NOT MANTIS ABUSE! Are they gonna take all my mantids and place them with foster homes????


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## PeterF (Nov 22, 2010)

A lot of laws don't regard insects as animals. Not sure if the ASPCA is included.


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## Pet Duck Boy (Nov 22, 2010)

Peter J F said:


> A lot of laws don't regard insects as animals. Not sure if the ASPCA is included.


It was just a joke.


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## LauraMG (Nov 22, 2010)

Peter J F said:


> A lot of laws don't regard insects as animals. Not sure if the ASPCA is included.


Mr. Serious Pants :tt2:  Bugs deserve humane treatment too!!! :lol:


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## PeterF (Nov 22, 2010)

Laura G said:


> Mr. Serious Pants :tt2:  Bugs deserve humane treatment too!!! :lol:


As a matter of fact when I do wear pants they are quite serious.

I would point out though, that many many people don't agree with you about bugs deserving humane treatment. We get phone calls every day from people who want bugs gone "right right now".

From carpet beetles to western corn rootworm, everyone wants bugs dead asap. Never mind that the whole country is freaking out about bedbugs.


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## Krissim Klaw (Nov 22, 2010)

Peter J F said:


> As a matter of fact when I do wear pants they are quite serious.
> 
> I would point out though, that many many people don't agree with you about bugs deserving humane treatment. We get phone calls every day from people who want bugs gone "right right now".
> 
> From carpet beetles to western corn rootworm, everyone wants bugs dead asap. Never mind that the whole country is freaking out about bedbugs.


Clearly you have not heard of PETM (People for the Ethical Treatment of Mantids) In 2009 they passed the Mantis Rights Act that states all mantises must be given clean water, food, and an enclosure at least three times their length in height and twice their length and width. Shortly after this law a secondary law was passed stating that mantises must get vaccinated for rabies since it was recently discovered a virulent insect strain had appeared in crickets. They must also wear county wide licenses at all times and most ordinances demand you bag any mantis poop and dispose of it properly when walking them in public places. :hammer:


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## PhilinYuma (Nov 22, 2010)

"Put not thy trust in princes" says Psalm 146 (somewhere near the top, I think). Mantis laws will come and go according to the fickle will of the electorate, but the spiritual values of the Great Mantis Goddess (BbHN) are immutable and eternal (this does not make a lot of sense, but then some of our finest religious utterances don't, either).

It is a basic tenet of those who serve the Goddess that the joy that she affords mankind who enslave and often torture her flock (Multiple Malicious Mistings are on the increase according to the CIA [Courageous Insect Assassins]) must be repaid, yea, tenfold,and Mea Culpas and Acts of Contrition from the sinners (i.e. you lot) just won't cut it any more. The Goddess expects what religious leaders have always demanded, cold cash. At the moment, she'll settle for $5.00 per mantis in your so-called care. This is only due once per year (at the moment) but the National Donation Date just happens to be the day after tomorrow.

Donations can be sent to my PayPal account (mark them "gifts), or you can stuff bills in an envelope and send them to:

PhilinYuma (Everyone knows him)

His House or Sunny's House,

Yuma, AZ 85364.

I shall be waiting.

And we must take care not to let this thread get off topic.


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## LauraMG (Nov 23, 2010)

:lol: You guys are the best! My face hurts and my tummy hurts from laughing now!


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## PeterF (Nov 23, 2010)

Laura G said:


> :lol: You guys are the best! My face hurts and my tummy hurts from laughing now!


Sounds more like symptoms of tachnia larvae to me.


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