# Jar covers?



## micheleinvirginia

For those who use jars, what do you use as a cover? Right now I have netting over the top held in place with a rubberband, but everytime I want to open it hes clinging to it upside down and Im afraid to knock him down and hurt him. The rubberband goes flying while Im trying to hold the netting in place so he doesnt fall. I tried cutting the plastic screw cap and put netting on that but I just made it look messy. Are there any better ideas that work and look nice? I also tried cutting a hole in the side to put food in but messed that up too.


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## Jolt

For my cages that have no tops, I use a piece of posterboard that is cut to fit the shape of the jar. Its really easy to take on and off......and the mantids can hang on it nicely.


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## micheleinvirginia

What about the bigger guys.. they cant knock it off crawling around? I dont want any escapees.. my cats go in that room and sit on the windowsill :shock:


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## Jolt

Yeah, If you have cats and dogs that can get in contact with the cage then the posterboard isnt a good idea......


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## ellroy

Hi Michelle,

I am using large plastic yoghurt pots which have clear plastic tops, I cut the centre out of the top and use the remaining rim to hold on a piece of mesh rather than an elastic band. This way when I take off the top it doesn't disturb the mesh to much and I have time to gently lift it off. I was also thinking of glueing a piece of mesh to the lid so it all comes off in one.

Hope I've explained that ok and perhaps it's useful,

Cheers

Alan


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## Rick

Michele, I use the plastic deli cups with the breathable lids. I cut a hole in the side and stick a foam plug in it. Then I use a funnel to get the food in through the hole. I get them from fruitflies.net or flyfarm.com I get the foam plugs from carolina.com The plugs are for fruit fly vials.


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## yen_saw

Nice Rick! very spacious for a little budwing nymph eh :wink:

I was not aware that Carolina.com sells the round plug foam too, I made the plug foam from cutting a piece of big square foam and it is usually not round enough so the fruit flies still manage to escape from the edge...grrrr. Will order it from them, thanks for the info!

One question, will the wood stick mold in the container? I use fake plastic wood stick because of molding problem.


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## Rick

The sticks haven't molded yet. They are really not needed though since both mantid and fly can climb the sides. They are helpful though when feeding crickets because the crickets will climb the stick.


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## micheleinvirginia

I think I'll try the delicups for the little guys, but I really wanted to use these gallon jars. Wonder if I could stiffen some screen?


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## Rick

Well you could use some of that fiberglass screen. It's rather stiff.


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## micheleinvirginia

What is that? Can I bend it and mold it to the shape of the jar opening?


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## Rick

Just window screen that's made from fiberglass. It's just stiffer than netting.


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## dino

> I cut a hole in the side and stick a foam plug in it. Then I use a funnel to get the food in through the hole. I get them from fruitflies.net or flyfarm.com I get the foam plugs from carolina.com The plugs are for fruit fly vials.


I dont really use that method....I did it once on one of my Chinese mantids and I place 2 crickets in the container....the next day the crickets had found a way up and started chewing through the foam stopper....both of the crickets were lost....but I found them the next day it happened. The foam stopper idea is kinda risky.


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## Rick

NEVER had a problem with this method. If you feed the mantis only what it will consume quickly you don't have to worry about crickets chewing on things.


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## dino

It is still kinda risky because even one cricket can chew through the foam stopper....and escape before the mantis eats it.


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## DeShawn

You can use canning jars without the middle part of the lid.









You can just use your fingers to hold the mesh down a bit while you twist off the top. Very easy, and not too expensive either.

DeShawn


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## infinity

wow, wish i had that many jars... I am doing the same thing... I have chinese mantids about 2 weeks old and 2 have just moulted for the first time- i'm just using little plastic cups with lightly woven muslin/ elastic bands. I agree, it's a bit fiddly to remove the muslin but it's so light that even if it's folded over the mantids, they don't seem to mind. I think the only problem now is identifying which are up top waiting for prey or which are moulting. But thanks for the foam stopper idea  

I'm just feeding them on blackfly/ greenfly on the foxgloves, geraniums and nasturtiums i have in the garden- they're slow so not a problem to catch and they're small enough not to 'bug' the mantid  - 5 or so at a time allows the matid to make up it's own mind about when it's hungry

Happy though, 25/30 are still alive!!!


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## micheleinvirginia

Hey wow.. that is a good idea. Wish I would have thought of that. I ended up making covers out of plastic canvas for mine. I will try your idea for my smaller guys tho.. thanks


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