# Bugatorium



## hibiscusmile

Here's some pics of my Bug room!






I do not know why the lighting is the color it is, I think it is the type of lamps I use for the Mantis, I cannot get it to take a lighter pic.


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## Ben.M

Wow, that is the neatest bug room i hav ever seen  , but looks fantastic


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## robo mantis

Where you get the cages?


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## randyardvark

> Wow, that is the neatest bug room i hav ever seen  , but looks fantastic


 i agree ben mine is a metaphorical bombsite XD i thought it just came with the hobby obviously im just a slob XD whats in the tine yellow capped containers?


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## hibiscusmile

:lol: You guys are funny, You's made me laugh when I read your comments, Thanks! :lol: I went with white so I can find Escapees!

The tiny yellow containers are incubators for tiny Ooths. If you look closely you can see some with Ooths in them. I buy the containers off a glass supplier of mine.


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## paradoxa

o my giddady gosh pretty impressive....

asll i have is a stupid closet... thingy


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## Rick

The containers are glass or plastic? If plastic I think you would benefit from a hole in the side plugged with a foam plug to aid in feeding and watering. Very nice room though.


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## sufistic

Wow! So neat and orderly! Fantastic room and setup!


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## yen_saw

Nice bugatorium!! Great job


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## Kriss

Very nice, your Bugatorium looks fantastic.


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## hibiscusmile

Their Plastic, they have a 3 1/2" hole in side with grey screening on them, I find I do not need hole with sponge as they never move very much and I don't lose the dinners to much!


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## Asa

That almost looks exactly like mine! Up to the white boards!

But yours doesn't have pepsi bottles littered on the floor :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

Coke!


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## mobilmom

What a great set up. Mind sharing who your contaners came from???


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## Rick

> That almost looks exactly like mine! Up to the white boards! But yours doesn't have pepsi bottles littered on the floor :lol:


Got any pics of yours?


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## hibiscusmile

They are from a glass supplier, sorry they only sell to Glass Companies (those in the trade). My hubbys company (Corporate Glass Services) is a distributor for them. We buy large quanities of acrylic, polycarbonate and acrylic shapes along with the containers. If you are interested in any of the containers just let me know which ones can let you know how much they are.


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## Asa

Urrg! Someone PM me, and tell me very clearly (pretend I'm demented) and tell me exactly how to post a picture.


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## hibiscusmile

Cleaned up and rearranged the Bugatorium today and I think I got some clear pics!











Europeans lurking about!


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## joossa

Wow! Very neat, tidy, and dense.


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## Nick Barta

Great setup. If I am not mistaken, aren't the majority of the round containers plastic? They look exactly like the plastic ones we sell at Mantislace.com. If so, the 4.5 inch insect cup lid fits the container, eliminating the need to cut and screen the side. Although, I bet the mantids don't hang on the lid the way you have it turned to the side, making feeding easier..........Clever are you Hibiscus Queen.

CHEERS!!!

NIck Barta

Mantisplace.com


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## OGIGA

Everything looks so nice! Envy...


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## robo mantis

Hey i just got an idea! Yen can you post a picture of your mantis setup?


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## chrisboy101

thats amazing :shock:


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## hibiscusmile

Yea, clever comes from being old, like the saying "old age and trecheary, beat youth and vitality every time" ha ha ha.

Nick they are not on their sides, it has two bottoms, which is great for molting, (and they do hang from lid, it has screen inside) when they are not on the lid, I can use the slanted bottom giving them enought room and when on the lid I use the standard bottom giving them more room. Yes, they are all plastic!!! :lol: 8) But what I really love about these is the left and right sides are flat, only the front and back are round, WHICH gives you 5 sides to turn the container on giving the most versatile posistion for Mantis Molting!


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## Nick Barta

Flower Lady,

Pretty flexible container!


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## MikhailsDinos

Beautiful, I love your display!  This is why you have such healthy mantis  Again, Beautiful!


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## calmspeak

Hibiscusmile you're awesome what a beautiful setup. I'm new to this and really want to devote a room to bugs. At the moment I have all of my chinese mantis ( 14 nymphs and female adult ) in decorative glass containers in the living room. It looks nice and both of us are into bugs so no problem there but my dream is to have a room full of bugs to lose myself in once in a while  

Do you have butterflies too?


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## hibiscusmile

No just outside, I have been planting flowers for them, and a lot of milkweeD!, I have enticed the Tussock Moth with the mildweed, and the Red mildweed beetle, Alas, hardly any Monarchs, though I did see one fly away from some milkweed in the farmers field today  . Does that count?


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## rbaby

Holy ...


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## Red

Lol, really good job.

maybe i take some ideas from your bugatorium!!!

Regards


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## Sparky

:shock: &lt;&lt;&lt;that's all you need to say.


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## hibiscusmile

Go right ahead, I used the wire shelving becuase it is rubber coated, white (for escapees) and it cleans easily, lets the light from ceiling thru each level, plus it is easy to put up. I used a stud finder (no Nick, not male, I said stud) to put screw every 16" and a lazer level because while I can cut a straight line, I cannot draw one. :wink: I was lucky we had this sitting around outside for a few years, I had to scrub it but it came out really nice. It was a lot of work, but worth every minute I put into it. Later I will take pic of my work area and post it. Thanks for all the feedback!


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## yen_saw

WOW sweet!! Your Bugatorium is like heaven compare to my dumpster. :? with dead flies and containers everywhere on the floor!


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## hibiscusmile

Thanks Yen, we'll have to get you a cleaning company :lol:


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## yen_saw

:lol: thanks!! :wink:


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## hibiscusmile

Here's the work area, it is not very big, but I find you do not

need a big work area, cause you can only work with one or one container of babies at a time. The tray with all the equipment is

where I keep what I need while working with them. When you have hundreds to take care of you need to save any steps you can.

In the tray is an ink pen with labels for recording molts and hatchings.

Or sometime I record when a stubborn one eats. There is honey with a bamboo stick stuck inside it. Every now and then I stop to give one set

of a species a sweet treat. All my tweezers and scissors and some hat pins are there, and in the drawer is a thermometer, measuring

spoons (for making ff food) a funnel and some other things I may need to grab.

There are toothpicks, used for a bad molt stuck on someone, cue tips, my cotton pads, my cricket quincher for me crickets. That's about it for this area,

up above is where I keep the mantis information and the old ooths.

Old ooths sitting there due to I haven't made the board they will be posted on. The information is on each species and what is recordable information

on them, ie hatching, molts, mating, eating, size, and so on!


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## Sparky

wooo! nice laboratory!


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## OGIGA

Everything is so organized!


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## Nick Barta

If I grow up, I want to be like you.  

CHEERS!!!

Nick Barta

Mantisplace.com


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## hibiscusmile

Don't worry Nicky boy, it ain't gonna happen!!! You growing up I mean...


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## yen_saw

Oh boy if i don't know you Rebecca i would thought you are an entomologist working on your research in the lab..... remind me of the movie "The Fly"!!


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## Fisherman_Brazil

Hard to believe! Truly amazing!


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## hibiscusmile

> Oh boy if i don't know you Rebecca i would thought you are an entomologist working on your research in the lab..... remind me of the movie "The Fly"!!


HaH! I had you all fooled, I AM THE FLY!


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## yen_saw

So it is hibiscusFLY... :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

Due to the numerous requests I have on how to make the containers look nice I thought I would just post it here.

Here's how the (Bugmiester, new name precious gave me) makes the mantis houses! First you need the plastic house  , then you need a

drill and a hole saw the size to fit the hole you want to make.






After drilling, you need to debur the hole with a razor knife.

Next, you need some flowers and leaves from Walmart

or craft store.





I use the flower heads, the leaves, and the stems,

depending on what kind of mantis I am going to house. If it

is a Dead Leaf, I like to put a big leaf at the bottom of the

container and a stem with a small flower on it. The stem is

bent with a small pair of needlenose pliers into an L shape

and the L is hot glued to the bottom, kinda like a flag pole

with the flower as the flag! Then I just start hot gluing the

flowers and leaves inside the container.






I try to make sure that there is something every inch

and a half around the container. This is so the mantis can walk

around and has sure footing, otherwise they do not seem

comfortable when trying to move from one place to another.





The last thing I do is hot glue screen to the

opening I made with the drill and the lid.





Now the most important thing about making an enclosure for

your mantis is the Hot Glue! The glue will be sticky even when cold. Sticky glue will trap your mantis and he will lose extreminities

and maybe even his life. I use mineral oil very lightly. VERY LIGHTLY,

I repeat. This is because oil is used to smother insects, fish,

avians and the like. I really prefer to use Ear Wax! But most

of the time I do not have enough of my own to go around.

That's it! Laugh and get it out of your system!  Ok are

you done yet! Good, Sometimes when visitors come I make

em leave their ear wax at the door. ha ha, Or you can use a

greasy forehead, all you gotta do when hubby or misses comes

in from work is just rub their temples like you want to relax them

and walaah! you have grease that won't hurt the mantis!

Rub this on the glue and you should be all set. I do wash the

containers out before desticking them. Usually the only part

you need to worry aabout is the lid with the screen, if you are

careful with your glue when applying it, the flowers and leaves

should cover it up. I do not use a substrate in my containers as

I can easily wash them out once a week very quickly while feeding.

Hope this helps all you DIY-ers!


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## OGIGA

Awesome guide! I am wondering, though, why your hot glue is sticky when cold. The kind I use is not sticky at all when cold and it's just like plastic. I get it from stores like Dollar Tree or 99cents stores.


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## hibiscusmile

I get it from all over, am I missing something, Yen what is your glue called? I noticed the last glue shipment wasn't sticky!


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## yen_saw

Oh boy Rebecca, where do you find all the time for that kind of work!! i am jealous :evil:

I use the low temperature glue stick, it is not sticky when cool.











Well, now you have to buy cotton swab for your ear wax :wink:


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## OGIGA

I use low temperature too... 10 watts.


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## hibiscusmile

Oh :!: so bigger and hotter is not always better! MikHailsDinos you see this? This is where we went wrong, good news we can just clean our ears after the shower now :lol:


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## OGIGA

How in the world did you come up with using earwax in the first place?? :lol: :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

Earwax is good for a lot of things, can't think of one right off the top of me head, but...I guess cause it is a type of wax? I don't know. I'm gonna pretend you didn't ask that question  :lol:


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## MikhailsDinos

:lol: 

It was fun!  Now I can clean my ears again, "Yes" !!

Rebecca, I thought it was a great idea, &amp; it worked very well. But all this means we can now do as much work as we want, Without waiting for the next day for our ear wax to be ready. :roll:



> Oh :!: so bigger and hotter is not always better! MikHailsDinos you see this? This is where we went wrong, good news we can just clean our ears after the shower now :lol:


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## yen_saw

> Earwax is good for a lot of things


Well it prevents bugs from getting further into your ear :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

True, true Yen, some people go the extra mile for their bugs though! :roll:


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## OGIGA

I better not clean my ears too well now, or else bugs will find their home in my ear!


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## hibiscusmile

:angry: [SIZE=12pt]Been cleaning and feeding all day, My hands are like sandpaper, wish I could shed too![/SIZE]


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## hibiscusmile

hibiscusmile said:


> These Giant Asians are being featured in a music video by EdisonWoods around the 15th of October. The asians are featured in this video with _Julia Frodahl _&amp; her song _Baby Doll_ ! They have been back in the Bugatorium for about 4 weeks now and are doing fine from their Hollywood tour!This is just a picture of one of the mantis from her video, she used 40 of them! This is a link
> 
> to her site with the song she sings with them.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.myspace.com/edisonwoods or http://www.edisonwoods.net/
> 
> She has just finished a tour in Milan and Paris!


When the video comes out I will post a link to it!


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## Rick

I use just plain old non toxic glue for glue guns. It is not sticky at all when dry. You need different glue. Actually I have never seen hot glue that dried sticky.


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## hibiscusmile

Rick said:


> I use just plain old non toxic glue for glue guns. It is not sticky at all when dry. You need different glue. Actually I have never seen hot glue that dried sticky.


I went out and brought what Yen and Ogiga suggested. It worked fine!


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## Mantis_Whisper

If you want to get more butterflies, I advise a butterflybush. I have two in my back yard and I get everything from common butterflies to sallowtails to hummingbird moths. The bushes are really pretty too and they come in pink purple and white. Just a little tip.

Your room is amazing, everything is so clean and organized. *looks at her pathelic exusce for a room, which happens to be covered in bottles amd wire mesh*

Ohhhh, you've got me thinking of plans for my own bug room when I get my own place. *can't wait till she moves out now*

Do you happen to be selling the cups you hold you ooths in? I am in need so some.


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## hibiscusmile

That was funny, "as I pick myself off of the floor where I fell laughing". Thanks for the compliment. Of Course I sell containers, email me at [email protected] and we will chat about it! Ps who do u want to move out :huh: BTW, love the avatar!


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## hibiscusmile

I posted here about Wind! http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?sh...pic=8526&amp;hl=

and this is what I came up with for some wind in the Bugatorium! Whata you think?


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## Mantis_Whisper

hibiscusmile said:


> That was funny, "as I pick myself off of the floor where I fell laughing". Thanks for the compliment. Of Course I sell containers, email me at [email protected] and we will chat about it! Ps who do u want to move out :huh: BTW, love the avatar!


 :lol: Heheh, thank you.

Your very welcome, you room is too amazing to not compliment.  

I'll be e-mailing you later then and I'll be glad to chat.

I was refering to myself when I said she, sorry for not making that clear. I'm still a junoir in high school so I have yet to escape the grasp of my parents.

Heheh Thanks so much. I doodled that ages ago.


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## hibiscusmile

This was under Breeding and Nymph care titled "moving nymphs to a bigger container". I just spent 20 minutes looking for it for someone, so I copied it to here for quick refrence.

I usually have my husband help me, it's too hard to do alone, he has big hands and fingers, but is very gentle,

it comes from handling glass for 30 years, (and of course me)! :lol: 

Only thing is he does not take pictures, I make him stand by and catch all the runaways:}.

I use a white tray with sides, this came from an underthebed sweater container, it was inside of it for small things.

I get setup with everything I need, the babies, their new home and my ever trusty Bamboo Screwer! (I noticed Nick is selling them on his site)

I have always used a bamboo screwer (10-12") to work with my Mantis. It is like a lion tamers whip. I move them with the screwer all the time,

I use it for ff catching (they crawl out of ff container onto it to their doom) and chasing crickets around their containers to get the

mantis attention if they happen to not notice dinner! It is the greatest thing for babies, It is light (weight) and rough (for bugs to grab).

So # 1* is the setup with everything ready...even hubby! *




Reduced: 57% of original size [ 884 x 731 ] - Click to view full image





*#2 is taking off the lid of their current home, notice I am picking them *

off the inside of the lid, these have to come off first, unless an

escapee is on the rim.



Reduced: 53% of original size [ 954 x 645 ] - Click to view full image


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## hibiscusmile

*#3 is catching the ones running up and out onto the rim, notice them on the bamboo and on my thumb!*




Reduced: 64% of original size [ 796 x 582 ] - Click to view full image





*#4 is removing the excelsior and the ones on it all in one move.*




Reduced: 50% of original size [ 1024 x 768 ] - Click to view full image





*#5 is catching any remaining nymphs hiding inside old container. and tapping it on the rim to make them fall inside. (careful you don't hit *

one in the head)! Notice the one on rim under bamboo.




Reduced: 55% of original size [ 920 x 768 ] - Click to view full image





*And #6 is a quick mist and some ff and putting out the closed sign!*




Reduced: 58% of original size [ 874 x 703 ] - Click to view full image





Of course as always, this is how I do it, it was easy tongiht for some reason, maybe they did not want to be in pictures! It is fun, and sometimes I just stand there when they get out all over the place

and say "Good Lord" Help!


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## Malnra

Hibiscu .. it seems as if you moved them from the 3 inch tall containers to the 8 inch tall ones (or thereabouts in size). Is it important to use the 2 different sizes or can they just be put into the taller on to start with ? Might I ask what would a potential problem be with skipping the smaller size containers ?


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## macro junkie

this is an amazing thread..thank u for sharing that with us..its helped out alot..i think iv been going wrong..?i was keeping them in tanks like this but now i know there to big..what size would u sergest i have for a female asain prey mantis..?

oh your room is very smart..amazing stuff.


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## Andrew

LOL, you're so careful with them. I just shake the container like heck until they all fall out.


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## yen_saw

Yeah Andrew, i would do the same  but i know Becky always gives her mantids TLC  

Geoff_k, you can glue the ooth directly on the 32 oz plastic cup if you like. Relocate all this little road runners isn't easy, i always need extra pair of eyes and hands to watchout for the one that slip.

Becky, glad the new glue gun works for you, now you have to use your ear wax for some other reasons


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## Mantida

Andrew said:


> LOL, you're so careful with them. I just shake the container like heck until they all fall out.


Hehe I just stick my hand in front of them and try to grab them (though gently).  

Rebecca, you are so organized. Such a wonderful bugroom and methods of transferring your nymphs! My bug "room" is a total dump compared to yours.  :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

Sorry so late with my reply, been busy moving babies,,,ha ha ha . I start with a smaller container because (Just having a little fun)  

A: I have a lot in my incubator and need the room

B: I only have small containers

or C: better for them to find the food

Thats right A &amp; C is the answer! Depending on the ooth size and quanity being hatched I match the container to them. This way they stay in there for a good week and usually after the first molt I move them, then when they molt to the 3rd instar I usually seperate them if they are any good size at all. I must tell you they are stinkers to move. You really need a couple of tango lessons to keep up with them. :lol: 

Yes Yen, I will find another use for the wax. Oh by the way my hubby was making a Wedding Cake Plate for a lady down the street (www.carolsspecialoccassions.com) cause she does wedding cakes and the floral arrangements and he was rubbing the side of his nose and touched the edge of the acrylic and since his nose was greasy (usually is at midnight) it rubbed off on the edge. He then decided face grease was as good as wax! ha ha! Waste not, want not I always say hee hee






mantida: If I stuck my rough hands on them I would probably crush them. The last couple of nights I went to bed with socks on my hands, I had to use baby mineral oil on them they are so rough!

Andrew, I will have to call the SPCI on you! Just shake them!

Macro Junkie, I have my adult mantis in my smallest container you see here in the Bugatorium, and I have not lost one yet. They molt fine in there. I could not believe it myself, but almost 50 have molted in them. Go with something as they say 3 x the height and twice the length and you will do fine. The big containers are ok if you make sure they can find the food. I Personaly make sure everyone catches the food, unless they get flies and then they are on their own, the crickets are dangerous if they get loose and the worms, well let's just say I don't want to be sticking my hand in something with a worm on the loose.

Thanks for the compliments guys, I try to hard most of the time and mantis just because they are bugs is no exception!!!


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## macro junkie

hibiscusmile said:


> mantida: If I stuck my rough hands on them I would probably crush them. The last couple of nights I went to bed with socks on my hands, I had to use baby mineral oil on them they are so rough!


hahahahah - Woman


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## hibiscusmile

Here's a 20 oz clear plastic drink cup with modified lid. The lid has the straw slot pushed out instead of in for the air flow, the lid has a net hot glued to it for the mantis to hang onto. These were good used as houses for the mantis that went to EdisonWoods in the video with the mantis. They can house a mangtis for quite a while.. they make an inexpensive way to house a lot of mantis too.


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## macro junkie

hibiscusmile said:


> Here's a 20 oz clear plastic drink cup with modified lid. The lid has the straw slot pushed out instead of in for the air flow, the lid has a net hot glued to it for the mantis to hang onto. These were good used as houses for the mantis that went to EdisonWoods in the video with the mantis. They can house a mangtis for quite a while.. they make an inexpensive way to house a lot of mantis too.


any pics?


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## hibiscusmile

:lol: That's too funny, could you tell I was tired. I stayed up extra to take pic and didn't put it on here, so much for the age of computers, I still have to do everything...[SIZE=8pt]I can't believe it[/SIZE]...[SIZE=8pt]mmumble. mumble.blah,  [/SIZE]


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## macro junkie

hibiscusmile said:


> :lol: That's too funny, could you tell I was tired. I stayed up extra to take pic and didn't put it on here, so much for the age of computers, I still have to do everything...[SIZE=8pt]I can't believe it[/SIZE]...[SIZE=8pt]mmumble. mumble.blah,  [/SIZE]


i need them cups..im using way to big tubs for what mantis i have..them food isnt easy to feed as it keeps hiding.


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## hibiscusmile

The Bugatorium is in full BLOOM, I think I will have to tell my family and friends goodbye!  We now have liftoff! &lt;_&lt; 

This is half of the ooths incubating!  ps pics same area!


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## pedro92

hibiscusmile said:


> The Bugatorium is in full BLOOM, I think I will have to tell my family and friends goodbye!  We now have liftoff! &lt;_&lt; This is half of the ooths incubating!  ps pics same area!


why are the ooths on top of the containers


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## acerbity

Chameleonare said:


> why are the ooths on top of the containers


I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought this.


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## macro junkie

i have a shed thats 16m2..soon as it warms up im going to copy your design..one thing i wil be doing different is adding a 6inch rvk fan that will draw fresh air fomr out side which will be linked up to a 6inch rvk filter which filters air born containment's and pests..the room is going to be temperature controlled with humidistat and thermostat linked up to the fan.soon as i got a spare 300£ im going to set it up...your set up is great.have u got any windows in it?how are u getting air in there?&gt;i ned to get all these mantids out my bedroom..lol


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## hibiscusmile

:lol: ha ha ha, cause there is no sprinkler system inside the containers yet!  They get a good drink this way, if you just spray an ooth with a shot of water, it mostly runs off, I like to make mine think they are in the RAIN[SIZE=14pt]!  Plus [/SIZE][SIZE=12pt]I could not take a pic of them inside.  [/SIZE]


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## Mantida

*blink*

You must be busy Rebecca. :blink:


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## acerbity

Flea world here in Florida uses a sort of "outdoor" air conditioning, that pretty much amounts to a mister attached to an oscillating fan... If we could crack that futuristic technology it would work well for keeping a bug room / closet humid!


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## hibiscusmile

I Like Mantis said:


> What should I use to house my giant asian? I was going to get 32oz containers to house them but they are only big enough to hold them until 5th instar. Recommendations would be greatly appreciated.


Like you said the 32 oz are not good for long time keeping. Here's an Idea I occasionaly use. This is useful for when you are overrun with nymphs or for some forum member who live overseas, it is not easy to get a lot of different containers like we can purchase here. What I like about this set up is it is

#1 very inexpensive, # 2 only takes a few minutes to make, #3 can be throw out after taking off the screen so there is no cleaning involved.

#1 First I take a box the size I would like my mantis species to be in, this one happens to be a shipping box, 12" x 12" that somehow got the four sides that close cut off :} , I hot glue the bottom closed and of course the top has its ears cut off, then I make a door in the one side and using the same hole saw seen here:







I drill the hole in the door for adding my feeders, the door is big enough to get my hand in if need be, which also is big enough for the mantis to go into.






#2 Then I go and cut some branches or any outdoor fresh leaves and twigs to glue in place inside, making sure I put one hanging over the door a little so the door will not push inside, ( This makes a door stop) and then I put some fresh spaghnum moss on the floor.






#3 Now I cut my screen, in this one I used fiberglass screen, cutting it 14' x 14". I then hot glue it all around the opening and walaa! Good to go. Add the plug and the mantis and your all set. I have 2 female Arizona and two males in here for breeding. I really like this set up, it is warm, misting does not hurt the cardboard, it smells heavenly and the mantis have a nice clean big place to live.


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## d0rk2dafullest

i have had always wanted to see what your setup was like and i might just say so myself...WOW :blink:


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## hibiscusmile

Thanks, it is really full now, ff cultures seeking places to sit, worms under shelves (contained) and ooths taking over and babies everywhere, is where the Mystery Mantis comes in!


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## idolomantis

That box is brilliant! seriously no fance expensive terrria needed just a big box!


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## hibiscusmile

Yea and if I was really smart I would of cut a good size hole in top &amp; make the screen to cover it to, for additional light! Hey but don't stop buying my containers  , maybe not such a good idea after all. :angry: :lol:


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## hibiscusmile

I sent a package to New Orleans and it sat there for 2 whole weeks. From the 22 of September till I got it back on the 7th of October. Inside was a "Mystery Mantis" I sent to the customer because they ordered by express shipment. When the postmistress gave me back the package, I was so dismayed, because I Just knew the baby would be dead. Well I got it home and look at what was inside






with no food or water other than what I gave it the day it left. Now, I have named it Magoo! It is now the Bugatorium mascot! I believe it is a Budwing! But time will tell. It had not molted in the cup, so for two weeks it has sat in the dark somewhere, listening to all the sounds around it and being taken out to the persons house three times and returned to the post office three times and then sent back on a plane to Ohio. Poor little Magoo :blink: . He was a little scared when i opened the cup, but I sprayed him with warm water real quick and thru in 4 hydei f f s and he did a summersault trying to catch the flys. He seems a little under the weather tonight, maybe he is going to molt. He ate this morning, but tonight when I gave him a drink he didn't seem to want it and did not want any flies.

This is how he looked tonight when I put him in a new house with some evergreen leaves for him to hang on, it is a Small Round container so he can have plenty of light and can see out.


----------



## hibiscusmile

So far so good this morning, Magoo is eating and drinking.


----------



## d0rk2dafullest

Thats good, i heard budwings are really hardy mantids. i guess there's ur proof =P


----------



## The_Asa

There was a post a while back describing two budwings who made it two months with no food or water. Very hardy.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Unbelievable !


----------



## hibiscusmile

I can't believe my eyes!

I had raise this Religiosa Female, and Male Chinese, I put them out in the yard yesterday....











And today when I went outside,( it of course could be another male)






this is them in the Bugatorium.

I found them in the process of mating...
















Has anyone ever seen this behavior between two totaly different species?


----------



## The_Asa

Yes. Chinese and Giant Asian. Nothing comes out of it though...


----------



## hibiscusmile

I don't get why she is putting up with him? :huh: Today my son brought in a female chinese from the yard and we let her near him on the ceiling, he jumped on her after my son left and they both fell on my head!  I need a rest.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here are the pics I said I would post today, the first one is the Large CAge, it is 19" tall, and I drill a hole in the back of it for a vent and one at the bottom for my clean out hole. I just take to the slop sink and rinse some water around the bottom and it gets cleaned out. This doesn't work when I use it on the side, then all the babies have to comeout for their sat nite bath :lol: 






and here is the vent


----------



## hibiscusmile

This is what I call my ugly vase! I made it for the orchid female on it! She has front crippled arms and I let her stay here and she gets to eat the escaped flies I catch for her each day!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thought I would post a few pics of the house that is housing the Bugatoriums stuff while renovating the new room,

Hallway into my office







inside office






I am stuck in that little cubical~

Here is start of family room that now only has a rocker left in it and the tv
















Opposite wall leading out of family room, opps sorry supply room hahaha!






New Bugatorium, needs stuff moved and must finish painting for the cubboard guy to

make my new cubboards











I painted the ceiling the other day, took two gallons, and then I went to lay down!


----------



## Katnapper

LOL!!! Love the new pics!  My hubby has been sort-of patient with all of my "stuff" that has been taking over the dining room... so far. But he's mentioned several times he wants it cleaned up and put away.... but I don't know where else to put it all!  He's already stressed that the spare bedroom was "IT"... that's all I get for my bugs. But it's not enough room for all the bugs and supplies too!  Your room looks nice and big.  I hope your remodeling goes well (and quick!), and you get things situated soon. You'll have to let us see pics when it's done!


----------



## Rick

hibiscusmile said:


> I can't believe my eyes!I had raise this Religiosa Female, and Male Chinese, I put them out in the yard yesterday....
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And today when I went outside,( it of course could be another male)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> this is them in the Bugatorium.
> 
> I found them in the process of mating...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone ever seen this behavior between two totaly different species?


Seen it. I used to find carolina males on the backs of chinese females. Now that is funny.

Chinese and giant asian:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Hey Kat, if u could just come over for a wee bit, I could get it done, oh yea and on the way, could u pick up the others too!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Oh yea! Wanted to say hooray! yippee! and so forth, I just sent out the 3000 mantis cup! Course this was on Monday June 15th. The same day of Ralphs death. So it was a happy day and a sad day. here is pics of 21 boxes I shipped that day with 80 mantis in them!


----------



## Katnapper

:blink:


----------



## yen_saw

hibiscusmile said:


>


No kidding!! Imagine that many boxes for mantis packing it will keep you awake the whole night Rebecca


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, I have to start packing on sat for this bunch, usually a whole sunday is what it takes and then most of the day monday for the feeders to be packed and the mantis, I dont pack them until they go out, but I get it all ready, cause my postmistress yells at me if I get there anytime after 3pm. shes a beast :blink: and I usually come home crying, you'ld no idea what a bully she is!


----------



## revmdn

No excuses! Get to work! ( insert whip cracking noise)


----------



## hibiscusmile

ow! u hit me sores


----------



## Katnapper

Here... let me help... :lol: 






And here's Rebecca Monday afternoon... 










Here's for you to imagine and feel better with the postmistress, Rebecca...


----------



## revmdn

Kat, as funny as that is, it's not quite what I meant.


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> The same day of Ralphs death.


Who is Ralph?


----------



## hibiscusmile

hahaha, that is funny, thanks, havnt laughed in a week, now me tummys sore too! :lol:


----------



## agent A

what's wrong? you must be sad!  when you're sad I'm sad


----------



## agent A

Katnapper said:


> Here... let me help... :lol:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> And here's Rebecca Monday afternoon...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's for you to imagine and feel better with the postmistress, Rebecca...


That's not very nice. I think katnappy should be nicey wicey!


----------



## hibiscusmile

oh I'm ok, I 've married, a little disease wont hurt me much, I am a tough old lady!


----------



## agent A

Oh you're not that old!


----------



## kmsgameboy

WOW!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Posted this one today under " what do you name your mantis"?

The girls all get L names today, I name my girls after victims of crimes and famous people!

Theres Lucy, from Charlie Browns "Lucy", Liddy, from a girl I knew years ago who died in an auto accident, Lulu, cartoon, Lauren from Bacall, Lalo, I think Rob Stewart song, Lori mermaid, Lacy for Lacy Petterson murdered by her husband, Lila a girl in jr. high I knew, Lois supermans' and so on!






I put this here, cause I didn't want to write about murder in the other post.


----------



## mythal

Oops, wrong place.


----------



## Opivy

I think you accidentally posted in the wrong thread Mythal - and eh, that's not racist - we're all guilty of it.


----------



## mythal

^ Ah, yes. Thank you. Wonder how I managed to do that.

hibicusmile's room looks quite nice and a bit cleaner than what one would expect. I just hope that I had a spare room like that, although I would be sorely tempted to transform it into a miniature rainforest, with a few different species roaming around freely.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here is the new cubboards in the Bugatorium, not quite finished yet, but soon! I hope..


----------



## hibiscusmile

Oh yea, how do u like my caulking?


----------



## Katnapper

Yay!! Looks like you've got a nice big room to work with. I bet it will be nice!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea, it is 24 x 24! I can't wait, and I told the girls all about it! how excited they are, all laying ooths to celebrate :lol:


----------



## sbugir

Nice, and that is a nice caulking job! Unless of course you photoshopped it


----------



## PhilinYuma

I'm sorry, Rebecca; I must be slower than usual, tonight. Are you caulking the countersunk nails instead of spackling them and taping the corners? It looks nice, though. Also, yr bug room should smell really nice. I see that you have a blue 5 gallon bucket of Fascination there. That should cover up a lot of problems.


----------



## ABbuggin

Is this in addition to your other space, or is your bug zoo moving there?

BTW, looks great.  I wish I had half of that room at home!


----------



## [email protected]

[SIZE=14pt]Wow looking good Rebecca your room is comeing to shape.[/SIZE]


----------



## hibiscusmile

Phil, u not slow, I should have your mind! Those are dry wall screws, we use them all the time, and I just caulked the seams, hubby wants me to paint the screw heads? He is what the guys call Annal! haha, is that a no no word?

Andrew, haha, plenty of room for the zoos! But this room with those long cubboards have to hold all my inventory too!

Lemmi, I wish I had time to photo shop!


----------



## ismart

hibiscusmile said:


> Yea, it is 24 x 24! I can't wait, and I told the girls all about it! how excited they are, all laying ooths to celebrate :lol:


Wow! I'm so jealous right now! &lt;_&lt; :lol: 

The room looks great!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Actually that is a bucket with tools, and I don't know what the name on it is, it is my brother in laws!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Time to update the Bugatorium progress! We are up and running, not done, there are a few bugs to work out yet... haha bugs! but all in all, a lovely room! I love it.

The room is about 22 x 24'. The north and south sides are all cubboards and counters for web site supplies. The east side has a fridge to the right as soon as u enter and the left side is cubboards and tools.

This is the south wall: notice the coffee pot. The girls insist on having coffee with their morning TV " the weather channel" to see where their babies may be going and how the weather there is! (it is hot distilled water, but I tell them it is coffee!)








and the shelves above hold the girl



s and their babies. And this is the view of the length of the south side, with shelving to the left, holding more supplies and more containers with mantis inside.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Had to cut this into sections (the posting not the room



 ) due to allowance of photos.

This is the view from the west end .






This is the east wall with cubboards next to bug fridge.






Here is the north side:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Still the north wall: 





and showing the east wall to the right with cubboards and tools: 





Here is front wall, or part of it which is west, it is going to be a window seat area, but not finished. ok, did not take pic of that, will have to wait.

As soon as you enter Bugatorium there is in center of room an 8' x 6' table with cubboards underneath for my shipping area.






here is side I work on for shipping:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Cubborads filled with web site supplies:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here is rest of counters with supplies underneath.










Opposite end of table with extra contaiers:


----------



## hibiscusmile

I promised the girls we would have tv in the new Bugatorium and we do! Its 32" of noise and we have our old pc in there to so we can be connected to our mantis friends!











We use the tv as a pc monitor! Even I can see it from across the room





Here is my drinking birds, wanted these since I was a teen and first saw them, so I finally got some, they have to be watered morning and night or they won't drink.






Here is the front (west view), too much light coming in so only took pic of ends.






 Feeding/cleaning cart, and shipping cart:











Thats about it for the room I think, just have a few items to finish, the light switch plate and some cornor round on top of counter edges and touch up of paint on the walls in a few places and I will be all done!


----------



## revmdn

Awesome.


----------



## Katnapper

It looks GREAT Rebecca!!!




You have so much room and it's so organized, I'm jealous.


----------



## Rick

Wow. I am most curious about how you feed and water everyone. That seems to take the longest.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks Kat, it took a lot of sweat and tears to get it here, and best of all I paid for it, labor and all Myself!

The feeding is actually the fastest chore I have now, Rick. One would never believe it, it use to take almost 6 hours, now I am down to 2.5 if I feed them all or 1.5 in the am and the other 1 at night. I have streamlined it and am most happy with it now, I even get time to laugh at some of the things they do.

Also cleaning their cages used to take a whole day or two, now I feed and clean on thur. and it only takes about 3 hrs. That's what I do best is organaziation and figuring out how to make it simple. Took me a couple years, but I got it down pat now.



Sorry if I sound proud, it's just I worked so long and hard on this and I am so happy with it, I can't help myself. If you saw what I worked in for years before, u would understand why. The room was an L shape, about 6' x 10 x 6 x 8' and all the mantis and feeders were in there and no windows and no air and no room for anyones butt but mine



! I use to drop things so much, I usually came out of there bent over



and needing one of these to get around in! :tt2:


----------



## beginner entomologist

Well, It's official! I am a slob.  

I now have a summer project! You've inspired me! I'm gonna tear apart my "bug room" and completely redo it. It's currently just housing 3 different species of roach and a "few" dozen dead insect display cases and 2 pinning tables. I am forced to keep all my mantids in my bedroom because I'm afraid that the no pest strips that I put in the display cases will harm the mantids.

Any ideas on solving this problem?  

Thanks for giving me all these crazy ideas hibiscusmile!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Cant u use diatomaearth in the pinning boxes? This way it will kill the beetles and hopefully not get out to the mantis.

that was funny, official slob


----------



## hibiscusmile

I got some new house flies today, well pupae, and I took some pics of them with the new ones from Chuck. Notice the different sizes,















These really looked good when they showed up today, I am so tickled to of found them....

I am offering 1 order free to all forum members with just the price of 6.50 shipping that I charge for fly shipping. They will go out monday, tue and wed next week depending on when u order them. I have took the same amount of each and placed in my bottles to hatch, I can't wait to see these new flies! wahoo!



Just email me at [email protected] yahoo.com or send the 6.50 at www.paypal.com to me at [email protected]. Then let us know how the flies do! I havent had them hatch yet, but they were very fresh when I got them, so by monday they should hatch. If something changes or I don't see them hatch I will refund, but I don't see that happening. Also if u regulary get flies from me, make sure u leave me a note so I can include the free ones too!!! Please don't be shy about ordering, this offer is just for mantisforum members!


----------



## PhilinYuma

A very interesting post, Rebecca. I too have noticed that Chuck's fly pupae (anyone's I imagine), vary in size. There are several possible reasons for this. Remember that in nature, flies, like everyone else, are there to reproduce, not win a place in the Guinness Book of Records for their size, so size in itself does not make any difference to the success of the species.

The easiest way to produce a supply of pupae of the same size is to remove the breeding medium a day or two after the flies start laying, so that the larvae are about all the same age. (I never do this myself. It is extremely wasteful of medium). With a homogeneous population like this, you can grow maximum sized flies by letting them pupate when they are ready, or produce smaller pupae/flies by "flooding" the medium with water before the maggots are ready to pupate. They will flee the water, which would drown them, climb to a drier area, and, without food, pupate, producing smaller flies.

I have chatted with Chuck about the problems introduced by the changes made over the last year in dry dog food (beef and lamb meal are out; chicken is in) and the considerable effort that he has expended in trying to make an optimal feed mix, adding things like carotene and one egg to every 5 gals of medium (!). I suspect, though, that in this case, the smaller pupae represent a shorter growth period due to higher temp. I shall call him tomorrow, and then make a post explaining why I was wrong!

Fortunately, Chuck sells his pupae by weight, so if they are smaller, you get more per gram!


----------



## Rick

Sure they are not bluebottles?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Rick, not blue bottle, should of took pic of it too, I will today.

Thanks Phil, please don't tell Chuck I am cheating on him



. These are not his



. I bad girl.



But really don't tell him.

I was not really refering to the diff in size to indicate good or bad producing pupae, just wanted to point out the difference in it. The ones I got were really fresh and wet, I mixed them with cornmeal and the end product is like the picture. You guys gonna try them?

This was by weight too. I order 600 grams from him and 600 from this new supplier.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Well I only had two people who wanted to try the new flies, thats too bad, I told hubby he had to help eat the extra and for some unknown reason, he woke up today feeling really bad.


----------



## hibiscusmile

It seems like no one is listening anymore, I guess I will talk to myself! hey self! Yea, wahts up? Did I tell you about the time..... No and I don't wanna hear it now either :tt2:


----------



## Ricky Ortiz

I want some free flys


----------



## Rick

Speaking of flies I need to go order some.


----------



## hibiscusmile

So those of you who got the new flies, Let me know how u like them when they hatch!


----------



## [email protected]

The flies are good, mantis love them. I think these are even more ninja like than others h34r: h34r: h34r: h34r: Had one escape and have yet to kill/catch him... Thanks for the flies!


----------



## Rick

hibiscusmile said:


> So those of you who got the new flies, Let me know how u like them when they hatch!


Are they the small ones? You sent a small cup that has very small pupa in it. I was at critical stage and since many of the bb's hatched in the box I was able to feed everyone. Usually I hate when that happens but this time it was a good thing. :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

HAHA, yea probably, send so many I forget. I was out of my bbpupae so had to send hers! Hers is always older.


----------



## davestreasurechest

hatched in normal time and are the small houseflies perfect for hungry nymphs that bb are too big and hydei to small! thank you!



hibiscusmile said:


> So those of you who got the new flies, Let me know how u like them when they hatch!


----------



## PhilinYuma

hibiscusmile said:


> So those of you who got the new flies, Let me know how u like them when they hatch!


I like 'em Rebecca, and they like me. The adults aren't noticeably different in size from the others. I'm training them for the Great Fly Food Experiment starting tomorrow!


----------



## Katnapper

I like them too... thank you Rebecca!  I'm also using them to try to start my own housefly breeding program.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks for the updates and Kat, you just can't suffer enough, can you?


----------



## Katnapper

hibiscusmile said:


> Thanks for the updates and Kat, you just can't suffer enough, can you?






That's me....


----------



## hibiscusmile

Lot going on in Bugatorium today and this week! I am tired and tired of making containers! Had the B. medinca's hatch today along with a tendora species, lobata and some lineola along with creos, ants, chinese, miomantis, double sheild, sheild, violin, ghost, grass, boxers, camelomantis, long neck, bud and I don't remember what else



. I have babies wall to wall and starting to stack on top of each other. Spring has sprung in the Bugatorium! Gosh I love these things


----------



## themantis

Do you still have any?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Any what?


----------



## sbugir

Oh my gosh, B. mendica envy over here  . I want some  .


----------



## LauraMG

Looks like what my dreams have been ever since I started my interest in mantids! It's amazing


----------



## hibiscusmile

Check out my new mating tents! Seven sheild couples checked in a while ago and all seem happy


----------



## LauraMG

Very nice! I love the pink and yellow! It's a very summertime feeling


----------



## lancaster1313

Those are cool. It is funny, yesterday I was in Big Lots with my dad and he was looking at some of those tent things. They had little bug decorations on them, but they were nearly the same. My dad said, "You could get some of these for those bugs that you keep." I was all like, "Nah, they don't have bottoms" But now I might change my mind about that, If I decide to try breeding. :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

It was a good thing the no bottom, one male when done, slipped outside for a smoke



, and two others got ate and one was just standing by and a couple others wernt done! They are the food tents, I love em, and it is a light green, but thanks! My colors are green and pink! Pink and Green!


----------



## LauraMG

Ooops! Sorry!Sorry you lost a couple due the whole cannibalism thing...


----------



## Rick

Those are pretty cool. Good use for them too. What are they supposed to be?


----------



## lancaster1313

Rick said:


> Those are pretty cool. Good use for them too. What are they supposed to be?


I think they are food tents, you put them over plates of food and they keep bugs and flies off. "Edit" Oops, Hibiscusmile already posted that previously at 11:52am.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thats what they are for, covering food!


----------



## Mr.Mantid

Man a whole room full of mantids! how big is that room?


----------



## hibiscusmile

It is 24 x 24!


----------



## ismart

hibiscusmile said:


> It is 24 x 24!


I so hate you right now! :lol: Maybe you can convince my honey to convert my guest room into a bug room? :lol:


----------



## Mr.Mantid

hibiscusmile said:


> It is 24 x 24!


Wow!! i have half a bookshelf.


----------



## Mr.Mantid

Mr.Mantid said:


> Wow!! i have half a bookshelf.


I hope to have a room like that someday and a greenhouse.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Just tel the honey, that they need more room and that they really should be in there with you two so u can check their every need, and how nice it would be if they could be near the bed, so u dont have to get up if one needs food!


----------



## PhilinYuma

hibiscusmile said:


> Just tel the honey, that they need more room and that they really should be in there with you two so u can check their every need, and how nice it would be if they could be near the bed, so u dont have to get up if one needs food!


This is so true. It is also an excellent idea to keep the roaches close to the bed, too. They are active at night, and if I forgot to feed them, they make hungry, scrabbly noises until I toss in a handful of dog food that I keep close by for that purpose. Sometimes, one of the roaches will be feeling sad or lonesome and come and snuggle up under my pillow for the night. How cute is that?


----------



## hibiscusmile

See, all kinds of good ideas here :tt2: you just have to use your imagination Paul!


----------



## ismart

Some good idears here! She keeps throwing the dog in the bed to snuggle! I surpose i could tell her i need to snuggle up with some mantids in bed. I could tell her they eat bed bugs! :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea and ticks!


----------



## ismart

hibiscusmile said:


> Yea and ticks!


 :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

So did she fall for it? 





On another note: I had four sheild ooths in one container, and three hatched in one day,






Now I ask you, what is the chance of that happening?  :tt2:


----------



## LauraMG

That's crazy and awesome! Lots and lots of babies!


----------



## ismart

hibiscusmile said:


> So did she fall for it?


Unfortunarely she did not fall for it!  &lt;_&lt;  Better luck next time!  :lol: 

Nice hatch BTW!


----------



## lancaster1313

I wish I had a room for my bugs, they are all on my dresser in containers. It is funny that my husband doesn't complain.


----------



## Rick

hibiscusmile said:


> So did she fall for it?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On another note: I had four sheild ooths in one container, and three hatched in one day,
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Now I ask you, what is the chance of that happening?  :tt2:


 :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

on the dresser u say, I just brought the tick container to show hubby and he is like all freaked out I left it on kitchen counter? Whats his problem


----------



## lancaster1313

Yep, on the dresser, and we have a very small bedroom. :lol: Also I bought some fake flowers that I put in a vase on the same dresser. I let all my mantids get a turn to be loose on the flowers, but not while we sleep. I am afraid one will come to bed and get crushed. No tics allowed in my bedroom, or anywhere else in the house. I will blow them to smithereens! :gun_bandana:


----------



## LauraMG

I have all of mine scattered across the top of my entertainment center so as not to disturb the visitors or residents. Most people don't even notice until I bust out the 4" Chinese and let her sit on my arm!



That tends to get a reaction from people....


----------



## hibiscusmile

Nothing like a little surprise.hahah, did I tell u bout my other son Joe last week? He was in Bugatorium with me and his beautiful wife Lauren and we were looking at the idols and he was fixing a vacume cord his puppy chew thru after I showed him how, and he was done and going to look out window and I had a mating couple out and he bumped into them not seeing them and boy u should of heard him scream



. It was funny, scared the bejeebers out of me, Lauren and hubby! We couldn't imagine what was going on, he no like bugs!



haha, 245 5'11" man afraid of a bug ,,,haha, he is big man, played football for his high school, a guy with no neck....hahahaha, mama still laughing. :tt2: He kill me if he see s this


----------



## lancaster1313

I have heard stories about big tough guys that screamed like little girls, over discovering a bug. I still will freak out when taken by surprise by a flatty,  In my mom's house there ara alot of them. Huge, flat spiders that will not hesitate to lunge at a someones hand as they are dusting and cleaning. Flattys are big and scary, but now I want to catch one and keep it. Every one will probably hear my screams at feeding or cleaning time. :lol: Those things are fast! The quick movement is what gets me.


----------



## LauraMG

hibiscusmile said:


> Nothing like a little surprise.hahah, did I tell u bout my other son Joe last week? He was in Bugatorium with me and his beautiful wife Lauren and we were looking at the idols and he was fixing a vacume cord his puppy chew thru after I showed him how, and he was done and going to look out window and I had a mating couple out and he bumped into them not seeing them and boy u should of heard him scream
> 
> 
> 
> . It was funny, scared the bejeebers out of me, Lauren and hubby! We couldn't imagine what was going on, he no like bugs!
> 
> 
> 
> haha, 245 5'11" man afraid of a bug ,,,haha, he is big man, played football for his high school, a guy with no neck....hahahaha, mama still laughing. :tt2: He kill me if he see s this


Ha!!! He did realize he was going into your bugatorium didn't he???


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea he did! But he probably didn't think I would have them loose, shows how much he still listens to him mom!



Funny when he was growing up bugs and wiggly things didn't bother him, it was me who screamed, guess we switched somewhere along the way.

Whats that



I think I hear a scream!


----------



## SGcvn69

Wow...!


----------



## Precarious

Wow! What do you charge for admission?


----------



## hibiscusmile

an hour of feeding and cleaning time! come one, come all!


----------



## LauraMG

I'll remember that next time I'm in your area....


----------



## hibiscusmile

I will be expecting you!


----------



## hibiscusmile

I am overun with hatchings of sheilds of late, when it rains it pours! :blink:


----------



## LauraMG

hibiscusmile said:


> I am overun with hatchings of sheilds of late, when it rains it pours! :blink:


I feel the same way after your shipment to me! They're so cute with their little red eyes though!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Red eyes? I never noticed, I must go lookie:blink:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Boy I did a boo boo the other day! Packing an order for customer, and instead of using the mesh lid on some superworms, I used the cloth. Went in this morning and instead of there being 50 in the container, there are 30 missing? :blink: , found two in the shipping box, so that leave 28, one molted, so that leaves 27, oh where or where have my ugly worms gone, oh where oh where could they be, if I don't find them, and My hubby does, he'll chop off their heads and me!  

I only ment to put them in there temp and I guess they decided that was long enough! :angry:


----------



## Ghostie

LOL loose feeders drive me crazy.

At least they aren't all at the foot of your bed.

I have some superworms crawling all over the chameleon cages. They are very agile little boogers! They can get out of smaller holes than the crickets can from chameleon perches too. You wouldn't think they would be able to climb up stuff like that but they are crazy!

Must be why they call them Super, aside from their size!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Your trying to kill me aren't you? If I find them in my shoes or bedroom, I shall just die! :blink:


----------



## InsectCollector

Where did you get the containers?


----------



## InsectCollector

Also, how did you get the holes into the containers?


----------



## nantid

THAT'S FREAKIN AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

I get the containers from a distruibtor, all over ohio! and I drill the holes with a drill, look back a few pages and there are pictures of the drill and hole saw!


----------



## sporeworld

So, this thread is my "go to" place for inspiration. I fly through the pics and posts and sort of gut-check myself. So many ideas born of necessity. Do you have any updates on the Bugatorium...?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yes, yes I do, will try to post this week, getting ready to decorate the windows for the girls to have Christmas! :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Bad me, I never seem to finish ....

shipped 213 mantis today, not as tired as I thought I would be. Made myself clean up the Bugatorium before I went to make a tv dinner for myself. Ran out of dog food, so made Abby oatmeal and cinnamon bagel! ahahahah, hubby had leftover from yesterday, it was crab and scallops over angel hair pasta with white cheese sauce. Other than that, still waiting on my one wide are male to molt, Ismart said his got ate, will we ever have them in the US again? where Yen, must go see him.....


----------



## hibiscusmile

Clinis humeralis male just molted to adult ! 






I have just the one male and communicating with Ismart on it, we are desperate for a good male. 

This little guy, Has a bad molt last time around, and I think it has been at least 6 weeks since then if not more. His two back legs were deformed and I have been hand feeding him, as he acted like his claws could not move around like they should. But lo and behold, he is a great actor as Yen would say ! I placed him in the little container this last week as I felt he would be getting ready to molt. I had him on my little fake plant and he has been living there all this time.

 This is one of the ones I leave out, as they have no desire to move around, an not because he was  :wheelchair:  crippled, but because as long as food and water are available, they have no need to leave. Well after putting him in the little container, I stuck a bb in there because I wanted to see what would happen, and later it was gone. So I put another one in and then another two, humm, I say to myself, I have been duped!   

 Well the other day, he stopped catching them, so I only misted him and his housing a couple times a day and this morning he became a mantis man!  :wub:  . His wings are not puffed up yet, but hopefully by end of day, he will be a new man! Can' wait to breed him, I have 5 females who have already laid an ooth apiece.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Well the little guy is doing ok, nothing special, but his wings filled out, maybe tomorrow he will eat. Paul, how many boys did you have out of the ones you got?


----------



## weathmatth

WOOOOOOOW  thats alot of bugs lol


----------



## The Gex Files

That's an amazing setup!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks, it is a lot of work to care for this bunch.


----------



## Slinkytreekreeper

Delightfully clean and spacious bugroom you have created there, my girlfriend caught me looking at your pics and already said I can't have one, she did say it looked lovely though. Maybe I just need to work it some more..


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea, u can hold out on her too! Tell her you absolutly must have roaches then! :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Just taking a pic of some beauties in the Ghost Club! :lol:


----------



## animalexplorer

Pretty impresive Rebecca. I was gonna say how do you find time, wouldn't that get in your way of your job? But then...it is your job. Nice clean and sterile environment. You seem very detailed orientated in a good way.


----------



## cumminsa

As all the others have said what a nice bug room. I was wondering about the record you keep. How and what do you record

thanks

alex


----------



## hibiscusmile

Hi Alex, keep it all in me head! I started out keeping records, but with thousands to care for each day, I gave it all up, driveing me to drink it was! :lol: Like most, I would record, where purchased, how much, what purchased, hatching date or instar date, and molts then adults, and to this day, I only.... record adults and mating times, and ooth laying. Thats all I have time for. thanks!


----------



## hibiscusmile

ps, I do record and keep emails on who and what is purchased from for my tax records.


----------



## cuervo

Wow Rebeca you are amazing,and your bugatorium is beautiful.How do you heat them all? Love the ghost club :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks, I use the aquarium for the mecincas and heat tape for the violins and the rest SWEAT along with me at room temps! :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Oh yea, to join the ghost club, u have to be a BOO member :tt2:


----------



## warpdrive

hibiscusmile said:


> Oh yea, to join the ghost club, u have to be a BOO member :tt2:


my face is prety scary in the morning, does that count?

Harry


----------



## cuervo

hibiscusmile said:


> Thanks, I use the aquarium for the mecincas and heat tape for the violins and the rest SWEAT along with me at room temps! :lol:


What is heat tape? :huh:


----------



## packer43064

I also use heat tape. It's called Flexwatt heat tape. Do a google search, much easier to explain that way. I use it for the mealworms and whatnot that need the extra warmth.


----------



## hibiscusmile

no Harry, that won't do!  , yea I have lots of tape around and controllers, use it all the time....


----------



## hibiscusmile

Oh, it is 3" and is sold in 12" pieces or longer, u can cut it with scissors and u need a cord and some plastic snap thingies that u buy to close up the cord and then u tape it in the container, and plug it into the thermosat controller and set the dial to temp u want and it heats up and turns off, heats up and turns off, just like a hoouse heater, for a bug house


----------



## cuervo

Thank you :lol:


----------



## sporeworld

Wow. Learn something new everyday.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Worked 13 hrs yesterday to make houses and clean houses! Thought I would never get done, feet were screaming at me, and finally gray taped them to shut them up :lol: 

Best part was going outside in the cold to collect branches!


----------



## JoraMajora

Amazing homes! I love the last photo especially, if you crop it, it looks like a beautiful misty forest in the middle of winter :-D


----------



## sporeworld

Looks great, but what exactly are we looking at..? Are they plastic bins with branches adhered to the bottom...? Is that netting pinned to the top...? Am I getting that right...?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Wow , no one ever says my photos are any good, Do u need glasses? :lol: but thanks!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yes, the bins are great for light giving , holds a lot of mantis, and I just hot glue the leaves and branches in, the screen is removable, but necessary for keeping the flies in , plus they like to hang from it, the top has 4" holes drilled in for ventilation.


----------



## JADzilla

WOW im not only impressed by your insect collection but your organization... i would spend hours just looking around if i ever find my way into your room


----------



## hibiscusmile

Problem is, finding your way out! :lol: Once I get someone in here, I don't let em go! :tt2:


----------



## hibiscusmile

While cleaning and feeding today, dumped a lot of flies from containers, and also dumped a big blue bottle fly, that I knew was still good to eat, (I didn't taste it) but still felt it was good as it was still walking around! So I continued to feed and dump and was looking at my garbage bin and wondering when they bb was gonna show so I could scoup him up, and I noticed this! Do U see it too?







OK, LOOK CLOSER


----------



## sporeworld

Ha, ha! Never too proud for leftovers.


----------



## hibiscusmile

to bad I can't take a good picture, good thing my life don't depend on it!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Alice suggested in the classified that she wanted a "Box O Mantis" and I fell for it! haha, sent out 3 orders today, and I think I will make it a place on my site, thanks Alice!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Ordered crickets the other day and they arrived, they are from www.rainbowmealworm.net . I was given the name from another supplier, he says they are from Africa originally and do much better than the crickets that the us has been using. They are darker colored than what I am used to and he said that was their trait. Here is couple pics of them, the couple things I noticed about them and it is a little weird is:

When u open the box or the container, they do not run around and jump around like the other crickets, even shaking them out, they end up on my hand and just sit there, really weird, and they do not tend to run away when u try to get them, don't know if this is from shipping, so time will tell.


----------



## hibiscusmile

moved


----------



## alicenwnderlnd

hibiscusmile said:


> Alice suggested in the classified that she wanted a "Box O Mantis" and I fell for it! haha, sent out 3 orders today, and I think I will make it a place on my site, thanks Alice!


  .... no problem, i only charge a small commision.... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: really is a good idea though... the newbie box... the experienced box... the breeder box; the possibilities are endless!


----------



## hibiscusmile

hummm, it wouldn't be in the area of 575.00 would it? :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Hey, what did you guys think about the new crickets? They are freaking me out! I can't get over the color change in them and FAT! the sub adults could knock you out if one jumped on your forehead! :lol:


----------



## ismart

They look good! Are the mantids enjoying them?


----------



## alicenwnderlnd

hibiscusmile said:


> Hey, what did you guys think about the new crickets? They are freaking me out! I can't get over the color change in them and FAT! the sub adults could knock you out if one jumped on your forehead! :lol:


Do they smell like crickets?  i try to never use them, even feed my bearded dragons silk worms instead.. but if they didnt smell....


----------



## alicenwnderlnd

hibiscusmile said:


> hummm, it wouldn't be in the area of 575.00 would it? :lol:


Ya.... as a matter of fact.... :lol: :lol:


----------



## alicenwnderlnd

just finished reading this whole thread,took days :huh: wow, the bugatorium is awesome, nice work for sure. wow again.


----------



## hibiscusmile

The mantis are enjoying them, but I am not! :huh: :angry: They came with a lot of carrots in the box and a few are having the runs (mantis) now and it smells, something I don't see a lot of. So, back to bbs for a day or so and hope they rid theirselves of the carrot juice :blink: , I guess cause there are a lot of post about carrots and crickets!


----------



## hibiscusmile

btw, they don't really smell, only dead, decaying crickets smell.


----------



## GreenOasis

hibiscusmile said:


> While cleaning and feeding today, dumped a lot of flies from containers, and also dumped a big blue bottle fly, that I knew was still good to eat, (I didn't taste it) but still felt it was good as it was still walking around! So I continued to feed and dump and was looking at my garbage bin and wondering when they bb was gonna show so I could scoup him up, and I noticed this! Do U see it too?
> 
> OK, LOOK CLOSER


So, THAT'S where the "Mystery Mantis" comes from! :lol:


----------



## Mr.Mantid

So Rebecca how many Mantids do you own?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Green Oasis, Bad girl :tt2: 

I never could count them, and they OWN me! Probably 10,000 would be my guess! I go thru 3000 house flies a day, and 1000 bbs and untold fruit flies, then crickets! Oddly enough, only have at the most 10 house flies in the house a day loose! :lol: I think Hubby just gave in and is eating the rest


----------



## hibiscusmile

It has bugged me (excuse pun) that I put there may be 10,000 mantis here, there may be, but I really do not know how many I have, u see they (come and go so quickly here) Wiz of Oz! I suppose it is in the thousand, but there is no way to count them. I just don't want to tell any stories that are not true  .


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here is update on the crickets! So far only less than 10 have died, that is a big difference than other places crickets. Also, the size of the sub adult and my first adult today is huge! I usually give the girls two adult crickets, in this bunch, I gave them one, it is so large, later will take pic to show you. So 2 good things, they are not dying off, not smelling due to the dying and are very fat heavy crickets.  So far, I will buy Rainbow crickets again.


----------



## chessman007

coolest insect habitat I've seen on the web!!!! :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Another update on crickets, I cannot believe these, they are turning adult, and are huge, when I feed everybody gets just one and I have to try and find the smallest too! Still just had one more die, never seen anything like them.


----------



## Mr.Mantid

hibiscusmile said:


> Another update on crickets, I cannot believe these, they are turning adult, and are huge, when I feed everybody gets just one and I have to try and find the smallest too! Still just had one more die, never seen anything like them.


pics pics pics!


----------



## hibiscusmile

K, tomorrow, the girls are sleeping now, and u know they need their beauty sleep! :lol:


----------



## warpdrive

hibiscusmile said:


> Green Oasis, Bad girl :tt2:
> 
> I never could count them, and they OWN me! Probably 10,000 would be my guess! I go thru 3000 house flies a day, and 1000 bbs and untold fruit flies, then crickets! Oddly enough, only have at the most 10 house flies in the house a day loose! :lol: I think Hubby just gave in and is eating the rest


sweetheart, you need a chameleon badly. when I get POed with too many houseflys or BB, I just let one or two of my chameleons roam free in the living room and bedroom.

the flys are so dumb, they go right for the chameleon to say hello.  

Harry


----------



## hibiscusmile

tee hee! sure, one more pet and I'm outta here! who need s a good worker, who only requires food and tv and bed, bed very important, send pics of it!


----------



## hibiscusmile

ok, here is cricket next to quarter.






is this big or what?


----------



## Krissim Klaw

hibiscusmile said:


> It has bugged me (excuse pun) that I put there may be 10,000 mantis here, there may be, but I really do not know how many I have, u see they (come and go so quickly here) Wiz of Oz! I suppose it is in the thousand, but there is no way to count them. I just don't want to tell any stories that are not true  .


Usually you feed your girl mantids two adult crickets? Oh dear don't let my girls hear that or they will be moving back to your place. I don't even feed adult crickets anymore.


----------



## hibiscusmile

bad girl, sending message to my girls by telepath and they are sending to yours, as in the movie "signs" put some little aluminum foil hats on their heads by midnight, or they will know. :tt2:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here is pics I said I would post, late as always, but here is the crickets...... maybe something else, really, I know Orin has some crickets, I wonder "_Orin_, are these as big as yours?

Dear me, they are big!


----------



## warpdrive

I seem to have gotten in the same crickets a few weeks ago. black, hardly jump at all. eat like mad.

maybe I'll let a few grow up to see how big they get. sadly, I have so many that require me to keep feeding them off while they are still small.

Harry


----------



## hibiscusmile

Was it from rainbow mealworms? is , so thats what they sell. u didn't say if u thought they were big :mellow:


----------



## warpdrive

oh, no, they are not from rainbow.

there are quite a few other places that are selling the new black crickets. I just don't remember who I got them from.

again, I don't let them grow too much because I need to feed a bunch of small mantids and chameleons. so I ordered 2 or 3 week olds and for the most part have run out of them.

some people on the chameleon forum have said that they eat eachother if not enough food is given. so this could be the reason for the lack of evidance of dead crickets.

Harry


----------



## hibiscusmile

hummm, I see! they get plenty of dinner, always dry mix and at dinner time they get the scraps!  Hubby wanted them for hisself, but I said NO, these are for me bugs :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

I ordered some more crickets and asked them not to put in carrots with them, use potato instead and they did! I was so surprised. They look nice and got some mixed sizes in there!


----------



## sporeworld

Ping!

New peeps may not have waltzed through this thread yet. So, put on the kettle, grab a snack and browse the pages of "Bugatorium". Real inspiration...


----------



## hibiscusmile




----------



## hibiscusmile

I will have to update this post, only thing happening today is hundreds of yellow jackets are coming in from I think the recessed ceiling lights! Oh mama! where is my bug spray!  , can't use that in here! :helpsmilie: Oh  :taz:


----------



## agent A

i wish i had such a good setup

but i'm just a small scale rearer

netherless, i'm VERY disorganized with my mantis housing

very neat! i gotta research heat tape


----------



## hibiscusmile

You will get there! Give yourself time!


----------



## minard734

Man... I envy your mantid room. I thought my having 30 at a time was impressive. :blush:


----------



## hibiscusmile

It is! to me, anyone keeping a bug is impressive! Being I spent most of my life running from them! :scooter:


----------



## minard734

Yes but having thousands is QUITE impressive. Now, as far as other invertebrates goes I have quite a few. I have 2 millipedes, 30 or so Bess beetles, about 10 stag beetle larvae, about 5 scarab larvae, a click beetle larvae, and one ant farm of Monomorium spp. I used to have some more millipedes (5 more) and a lot more Bess beetles. Also, a Camponotus americanus ant farm. 

And the adult male mantids are dying off now! OH THE AGONY AND DESPAIR!  :blush:  The females are doing better though, and most have already mated (ALL of the Stagmomantis have).  :stuart:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Not in centipieds, or millys! awful things I intend to ask Jesus about when I go home!

here is pic of some of the yellow jackets that wandered into the Bugatorium today.







I brought some eggs while shoppin the other day, and guess where I left them? Thats right , in the car! :taz:


----------



## hibiscusmile

So I cooked them up for the roaches, will freeze them now in small sandwich b ags and take them out as needed. Hubby was worried we would eat them by mistake :2guns: , I asked him when did I ever cook and freeze eggs? :stupid:


----------



## minard734

Hahahaha!


----------



## lancaster1313

When you feed eggs to your roaches will it make them smell? I fed mine brocolli once and will never do it again, :no: they smelled bad for a few days. inch: I think it gave them mad gas or something. :mellow:


----------



## hibiscusmile

I haven't fed them eggs in a couple years, so I don't remember, but they got it last night, so I will soon see!


----------



## ismart

likebugs said:


> When you feed eggs to your roaches will it make them smell? I fed mine brocolli once and will never do it again, :no: they smelled bad for a few days. inch: I think it gave them mad gas or something. :mellow:


Yes, broccoli has that effect on me sometimes too! inch:  :whistling:


----------



## minard734

ismart said:


> Yes, broccoli has that effect on me sometimes too! inch:  :whistling:


Don't get me started. :wacko: :no: inch: :sweatdrop: :dots:


----------



## lancaster1313

:lol: It's good for you.

And... I don't care if its good for the roaches cause Im not putting up with it.


----------



## agent A

at least i am able to get cages for low prices for my mantises

my dubia roaches still haven't given birth

you are very awesome at keeping mantises

i hope one day to at least get a shelf for my mantises

you go above and beyond that, which is very admirable

keep us posted!!!


----------



## mantiscraze

WOW, very awesome blog Rebecca!


----------



## minard734

^ Agreed.


----------



## hibiscusmile

I did feed them the scrambled eggs, no smell from them, but the eggs next evening was awful! I left them on purpose cause they did not eat much of them, they ate my grain mix instead, so I punished them by leaving it there, hoping they would eat it, only thing happened is it smelled so bad, I just punished myself! :tt2: I bad mama!


----------



## minard734

Bump! Wanna hear more!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Ok! Got some new ooths coming, will have to check some of the names, it is cold here now, so it is going to be work to keep everybody warm!


----------



## minard734

Any new pictures? Like... new molts, etc? Also.. a look at what species you currently hold? I'd love to see inside this mantidheaven!!!


----------



## gripen

+1!


----------



## hibiscusmile

OK! had fuzzyhead today, will look for news tomorrow!


----------



## minard734

Can't wait!


----------



## agent A

Oh yay! How is cutesy little fuzzyhead doing?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Fuzzyhead is the sweetest baby I ever seen, I just can't get over him! I have been so busy with the new pc that I havent any time for fun in my room, ready to pull my hair out, does that count?


----------



## agent A

Aww, I love babies, they r just so adorable  

My biology teacher has the cutest little baby and he tried to put my finger in his mouth so now we have this joke that he is a cannibal  

Good times  and don't u worry im not giving up on those pseudoharpax yet


----------



## meaganelise9

lol fuzzyhead??


----------



## agent A

meaganelise9 said:


> lol fuzzyhead??


Its wat she calls her littlest grandbaby because of his hair, cutest baby ever

There used to be a pic of him here, not sure where it went

Hey btw how's the bleph?


----------



## Mantiskid

Nice! I was wondering, how do you keep the temperature in the room just right for all the species you' ve got?

Also if you don't mind me asking, about how many mantids do you have?


----------



## hibiscusmile

The room temp in winter is not more than 75F in summer it is hot! I got lots of mantis, roaches, crick and flies! can't count them, they wont be still! lol. yea Fuzzyhead has blond hair and right above his ears it is like 2" long on each side, and when I hold him it tickles my cheek, granny loves her baby, will post pic later today!


----------



## gripen

Yay!


----------



## Chivalry

hibiscusmile said:


> Check out my new mating tents! Seven sheild couples checked in a while ago and all seem happy


Are those the tents that are meant to protect your food from flies at picnics? BRILLIANT!!

It's amazing the way having bugs to feed and raise changes the way you look at the world. Every crawly critter I see outside now is a potential diet enrichment for somebody. I'm traveling with little sauce cups for meals on wheels collection.


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, good one! Yea, like when u c;an't finish at a resturant, and say "can I have a doggy bag for my roaches? lol


----------



## itzjustjeff

hibiscusmile said:


> haha, good one! Yea, like when u c;an't finish at a resturant, and say "can I have a doggy bag for my roaches? lol


hahaha I can imagine their expression now..


----------



## patrickfraser

NEVER mention raising roaches.......Unless you want to get someone out of your house REALLY fast. :devil:


----------



## Mantiskid

patrickfraser said:


> NEVER mention raising roaches.......Unless you want to get someone out of your house REALLY fast. :devil:


Good advice  .


----------



## Mvalenz

Thank you so much for the enclosure instructions. I have been wondering how to make my next enclosure for my mantis. I think I have everything except the hole saw for the drill bit. I think I'm going to try a sharp knife instead and cut a square instead of a circle in the side of the plastic fish bowl. It is a half gallon and i found that a regular large cup top from mcdonalds fits the top perfect. I was wondering if you make a hole on each side of the enclosure for cross ventilation or just one side?


----------



## hibiscusmile

I do just one side, helps to let air in and moisture stays in longer. Be careful with knife, if you can get from dollar store (where I get mine) kitchen shears, they cut thru a lot of plastic and are safer than knife or razor blade.


----------



## agent A

We want pics! We want pics!!! Do big mantises freak out fuzzyhead??? U should put a euchomonella on his head and take a pic of his reaction


----------



## hibiscusmile

hahaha, u bad boy! me go get fuzzy head picc!


----------



## agent A

Better yet, a hierodula, euchomonella, tenodera and Sphodromantis all heavy fat mated females


----------



## hibiscusmile

Fuzz is on left in chicken suit, other is his cousin the cow! tee hee


----------



## agent A

He's a chubby little cutey!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

yes he is, that was holloween custome, he is much bigger now, will try to post new ones, am transfering files from old pc to this one, and it is taking forever. Thanks for asking to see him, I love him so!


----------



## gripen

awwwwwwww so cute!


----------



## agent A

Though the chicken costume looks more duck like, still cute!!! Hey does fuzzyhead have a favorite mantis??? My neighbor's 2 year old's favorite is sybilla pretiosa, while the middle child's I think is odontomantis sp.


----------



## hibiscusmile

not yet! but my other grandson, likes ghost! the grandaughter likes shipping with me, when they are here fri nites into sat, we work in the Bugatorium and they do shipping, lots of fun making boxes and seeing if they remember how to put together the shipping items that are ordered, they make boxes, write the names on them and go around the room looking for the supplies, yep, granny has her little helpers~!


----------



## gripen

hahaha! i wish i worked in your bugatorium... scratch that "volunteered"...


----------



## hibiscusmile

Come on over, but if you are any good, I will not let u go!


----------



## gripen

hahah that would be a dream come true! to bad you live so far away lol


----------



## hibiscusmile

Well maybe one day u can come visit! :boat:


----------



## gripen

hahaha that would be like winning the lottery and having it rain idolos all in one day!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> Well maybe one day u can come visit! :boat:


Can I come too? I'll bring yen and it will be a party!!!


----------



## Mvalenz

Those babies look adorable!

I followed your instructions. This is what I came up with.

http://s1094.photobucket.com/albums/i441/m1kevalenz/ I hope this link works. First time using photobucket.

Not too bad I think. Thanks to you hibiscusmile. Let me know what you think.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Wow, u did good! nothing wrong with that and it has good molting room.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea, bring all of the friends, we will have a beach party and cookout!


----------



## Mvalenz

Thanks. I thought it might be too big, but my budwing had no problem finding the cricket I threw in there with her. She actually jump of a branch onto the cricket. I think she molted on the bottom of her previous enclosure standing up. Hopfully this enclosure will fix that.

Thanks for everything Hibiscusmile.


----------



## hibiscusmile

:kiss:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Another method for hanging mantis who cannot hang! I have some jumping spiders in the Bugatorium and a couple in a short retangle and I took some of her web and slung it around a stick so I could attach my medincas feet to it as she cannot stand, she just molted and was doing poorly, I could not get her to hang and thought I would try this and it is 3rd day and she is eating and looking better.


----------



## agent A

You could be the Patrin saint of Blepharopsis mendica


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, thanks, never was a saint before! This really worked, I was trying to figure out how to help her as no matter what I did, she fell, I know she would of died otherwise, and I thought of something sticky, and this was what I hoped would work, she does not have to move anywhere, so she can molt her final here and hopefully she will be ok then. We will wait and see, ps, thanks spiderman!


----------



## agent A

My blephs just got some hf and they really seem to be having a party lol


----------



## hibiscusmile

you have Bones under your sign, what it mean?


----------



## agent A

The show bones, it's awesome and funny!!! Too bad it's not new tonight


----------



## hibiscusmile

Man! I just watched the one where bones and the curly haired guy got kidnapped and buried, really good show! ck out criminal minds, or maybe not, don't want u getting addicted to that, and we are way off topic here! We will have to start a post in other discussions.


----------



## agent A

We do lol!!! I'm sad that the curly haired guy shortened his hair and beard, he looked funny with a big beard, especially when he did that experiment with the other guy to see how high a body had to be dropped


----------



## CoolMantid

Bones is awesome! That is a good method for hanging!


----------



## hibiscusmile

She fell again an is rejecting food, she is not due to molt, got some new web and will hand feed her tomorrow and rehang her, she is now still in old web, but I want to take her in hand tomorrow, she is bad girl.


----------



## gripen

Oh I hope she makes it


----------



## hibiscusmile

Also I have brought 2 ooths from Poland and they have a funny glue or something stuck to them and when I use my glue gun they fall off, I don't want to pull his glue off as it is on pretty good and I do not want to disturb the ooth by possibly removing some of it when I take it off, so I decided to just sew thru the old glue and hand it on the lid, this is working without disturbing the ooth as both fell off twice already.


----------



## gripen

What species?


----------



## hibiscusmile

one was a medinca and other was wally


----------



## gripen

I see. Have you tried sewing them?


----------



## hibiscusmile

u r 2 funny!


----------



## agent A

How do u sew an ooth? I hav a tenodera ooth I need to put on a lid but I lost my glue gun


----------



## hibiscusmile

You can sew thru an ooth anywhere near the outside edges, just take your needle and go thru the ooth material, best to do where she started to lay or the end, but even the sides are ok, it only takes one thread to hold it. I am using new pc, if I can tomorrow I will take pic for you.


----------



## hibiscusmile

also chinese ooths and those like them, the lineola, budwing and many others have plenty of foam around the eggs, so it is very safe.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Bugatorium happenings! I know I have been ignoring this post lately, I bad girl! Here is newest layout for blue bottle pupae, they will now be sent in these cute little bags....


----------



## agent A

I can vouch for that!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

tee hee, reminds me of the movie, The out of towners, the old black and white version, where he kept saying to his wife "Guinn, can u verify that?" :tt2:


----------



## agent A

but i can't verify the 2 orders of maggots i placed this year so far

pupae seemed to sneak into the box


----------



## brancsikia339

What do the idolo cages look like?


----------



## hibiscusmile

What they are in right now is small aquariums with tulle from top to bottom and screen on the top.


----------



## minard734

Mantiskid said:


> Good advice  .


You can say that again. :donatello:


----------



## CoolMantid

What do you do about Heating them? For specific species?


----------



## Krissim Klaw

Lawls those decorative cute bags for fly pupae. Is that so us mantis folk can fool our non insect housemates into thinking we are buying something innocent like potpourri when really it is fly pupae? :tt2:


----------



## hibiscusmile

You bettcha! rally dear it is rasionettes!


----------



## hibiscusmile

The new bags for the house fly pupae came in today too, the smaller ones in the back left are for small orders and the others for regular orders!

Such a joy to behold the inside of me bug fridge now! Very pretty!


----------



## agent A

Rebecca!!!! The male popa u sent me is such a slow eater!!! How am I supposed to fill him up and get him to adulthood within a few days???  JK not something u can control lol


----------



## hibiscusmile

I use the small aquariums which I will try to pic for you tomorrow, but beware Fuzzy is coming early this week as Friday Daddy has to leave to early so we switched days on watching him this week, so I can only work around his naps! but the aquariums had lights in them and this brings the temp up to about 90F. I have replaced the acrylic tops that protect the light from water with screen so all the heat goes down inside and also use a cloth on top if things are really cold.


----------



## agent A

Yay!!! Little fuzzyhead!!!  

I love fuzzyhead!!! He's so cutesy!!!!  :wub:


----------



## hibiscusmile

You should see him blow bubbles out his mouth! haha, funny boy! He can clap his hands and daddy taught him how to grab his feet and slid them like sandpaper across each other. You know whats funny though, is when u sing to a baby and it stops sucking its bottle and its eyes get real big and it just listens to you! :wub:


----------



## agent A

My biology teachers little baby looks at me wide eyed and tries too eat my finger :wub:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Then u must taste good!


----------



## CoolMantid

My baby cousin will grab my finger and try to stick it in his mouth. Its really adorable. You got to love em

Also oldest cousin (4 yrs) will cry and yell and throw a fit when he falls but my middle cousin (1 1/2) will laugh at herself when she falls.

All of the anger goes to the first born!

My oldest cousin also wants you to be everywhere with him. Even in the bathroom.


----------



## Krissim Klaw

Little babies are the best, especially when the wiggle their rumps and jump from finger to finger... oh wait you were talking about human babies. :stuart:


----------



## hibiscusmile

the wiggle the rump applies, jumping from finger to finger does to if they get it to their mouths :shifty:


----------



## hibiscusmile

Finally took photos of the springtails for the new site, will be selling charcoal for their homes, 2 lb bag and 1 lb bag.







and their homes with them in em!


----------



## CoolMantid

Hey cool.

Are they on the site? I didnt see them?


----------



## agent A

U can culture springtails on charcoal? Cool


----------



## CoolMantid

agent A said:


> U can culture springtails on charcoal? Cool


yep. it works best


----------



## agent A

Nice!!!


----------



## gripen

good i need some springs for some small species. when can i order them?


----------



## hibiscusmile

not on the old site, can order now thru me.... email me at [email protected] yahoo.com for pricing! I have tropical and colombella species.


----------



## hibiscusmile

a boo boo


----------



## CoolMantid

When is the new site coming


----------



## gripen

hibiscusmile said:


> not on the old site, can order now thru me.... email me at [email protected] yahoo.com for pricing! I have tropical and colombella species.


thanky. ill contact you when i need them. any idea on the pricing?


----------



## hibiscusmile

yes I have them priced already!


----------



## gripen

hibiscusmile said:


> yes I have them priced already!


well than spit it out! how much?


----------



## CoolMantid

Stop avoiding the question  JK LOL

When is the new site coming?


----------



## itzjustjeff

i dont know how springtails will do shipped for that many days..is it the tropical species?


----------



## hibiscusmile

As soon as I can get it done. they do fine in shipping. and have to email me to know!


----------



## hibiscusmile

:shifty: where is everyone? :sleeping:


----------



## agent A

Present!!! Adere!!! (that second word is Latin  )


----------



## ismart

Charcoal = BBQ! Yum!!! Cant wait! Save me one of those cultures.


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, cant grow enough springtails to feed any of us!


----------



## itzjustjeff

Yum..BBQ springtails. What more can a mantis ask for


----------



## hibiscusmile

Some hot rum to wash em down!


----------



## hibiscusmile

I have a lot of people ask me what or how I make my cultures and I gave the following answer on another forum and did not want to feel guilty for not giving it to you guys to, they asked so I gave, now you guys don't have to ask. I just give to you. I use McHails sometimes, and sometimes I use just my potato receipe, I am making just an oatmeal one, but it is not done yet, so this is the potato and oatmeal one I usually use. I make about 2 gallons at a time and have tried to scale it down for single uses! I dont know what my secret is! I make them as I said, maybe it is the oats, maybe the vinegar, I really think it is the vinegar, as I remember, over a year ago, I was having trouble keeping the fruit flies going, and of course it could of been maybe them being bred out, dont think that was it though, and I started to think about the cultures with the vinegar, that I used to make, but had stopped, because my husband did not like the smell. Well I started to use it again and walaa! Flies galore. So I think that is it. I use vinegar, mold inhibitor, yeast, brewers yeast, potatoes , oats, powered sugar, and my water and fruit juice or some fruit, and every once in a while I dont have juice or fruit, but the cultures are still the same. Try it, it can't hurt, the smell goes away or I get used to it, but I really don't think they smell. oh yea and some of my yens blend!

1 Cup potato flakes

1 cup oats

1/3 C juice (any)

1/3 C hot water

1 T. powered sugar

4 T. brewers yeast

1 T. white vinegar

1/4 tsp calcium propionate if you have it.

1 tsp. yens blend if you have it (bee pollen)is fine.

few grains regular yeast

Some smashed banana if you have an old one, I throw mine in freezer if getting to soft to eat and take out and thaw for cultures, if making a small culture like this one, cut banana in 4 or 5 pieces and throw in bag in freezer and just use a piece of it. Omit this if you have juice if you like, or add, doesn't hurt a thing! Or use any fruit you have.

Take and add enough water in a microwave safe bowl to just cover the oats, micro on high for just over a minute, then let cool a bit.

Add the smashed banana &amp; vinegar to the water and then the regular yeast and then the sugar, when ready the yeast will bubble and float, make sure you put the yeast in first and the sugar on top of it.

Mix all other dry ingredients in a bowl, adding the juice and water last. Stir it all up, if mix is too dry, add the oats and stir again, if still to dry, add a little warm water a spoon full at a time, not to much, when done you want it to look like stiff mashed potatoes, not stiff enough to build a sand castle




, but stiff!

It should be ready to put in your excelsior or coffee filters and then the flies.

I make 50 or more cultures a week, every week, and after all these years I guess one gets good at it. I beg people to purchase them as I hate to let them die, and there are so many flies that one can only sell and use so much of them. Even with thousand of mantis to feed, I still cannot use all my flies



Which is really a good thing!


----------



## twolfe

Rebecca, thank you for sharing your recipe! I was doing really well with my own cultures and didn't have to buy fruit flies for 7 months but am finding that I cannot keep up with the demand. Apparently I'm using the flies before they have a chance to reproduce.

Anyway, I tried using banana earlier this year. I liked the way the banana cultures smelled. And I ended up with huge amounts of flies in them compared to the regular cultures. However, I had a problem with the banana breaking down and the culture becoming too runny after about a week. I probably was using 1/4 of a banana per culture. It sounds like that may have been too much.

I'll have to try some oats next time.


----------



## agent A

I find ffs don't like banana

I use apple without a problem but I don't have thousands of babies lol


----------



## hibiscusmile

Yea, maybe to much nana, In a 2 gallon bucket I use one or two, so in just a few cultures it would be to much, but and I say* BUT*, if you mash the banana with a fork and put in with the other liquid to make the desired amount, then it should not cause a problem, so if you r mashing it, thats not why u r getting mush later.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Well A, your fruit flies are missing a little uit maybe in their names, as banana is the fruit of life for any fruit fly, maybe sit them down and tell them grannyma said so!


----------



## T. sinensis

hibiscusmile said:


> Another method for hanging mantis who cannot hang! I have some jumping spiders in the Bugatorium and a couple in a short retangle and I took some of her web and slung it around a stick so I could attach my medincas feet to it as she cannot stand, she just molted and was doing poorly, I could not get her to hang and thought I would try this and it is 3rd day and she is eating and looking better.


Genius!


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks! and could I print that to verify it to hubby? :lol:


----------



## sueb4653

Just went through this thread Rebecca and all I can say is WOW


----------



## JackTopus

wow! thank you for the oats/potato recipe. i used a banana/potato mix for my current mantis this season, and like Tammy said the banana made it super runny after it broke down.

loving this whole thread and your room! @[email protected]


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks! opps it is Fuzzy Friday, gotta go!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> Thanks! opps it is Fuzzy Friday, gotta go!


if u express mail fuzzy to me i can take care of him for u :tt2:


----------



## hibiscusmile

not a chance! he is here now, making face and laughinh at me!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> not a chance! he is here now, making face and laughinh at me!


ok

btw my new popa pair is mating now, maybe i could sell u an ooth or the mated female after she lays an ooth or 2 B)


----------



## hibiscusmile

papas are bred out, You won't get anything.


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> papas are bred out, You won't get anything.


these r from greenoasis so they r a different line i think...


----------



## Extrememantid

robo mantis said:


> Where you get the cages?


She sells them, and I assume... She makes them


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


> papas are bred out, You won't get anything.


What does that mean bred out?


----------



## hibiscusmile

Some animals and insects will be inbreed so many times, that even though they mate in future generations, they do not have offspring, I find this a lot in mantids, a lot do not agree with me, but this is my opinion and I cannot find any other reason for this. I have talked with professors and they do agree with me that they eventually breed out due to bloodlines being exhausted.


----------



## hibiscusmile

mY new site it UP! WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, NOW lets see how many boo boos I have!


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


> Some animals and insects will be inbreed so many times, that even though they mate in future generations, they do not have offspring, I find this a lot in mantids, a lot do not agree with me, but this is my opinion and I cannot find any other reason for this. I have talked with professors and they do agree with me that they eventually breed out due to bloodlines being exhausted.


So you know about agentA's stock? Or is the entire species that we keep totally inbred?


----------



## patrickfraser

Let me be the first to say, BOO! Just kidding. Good luck with the new site.


----------



## hibiscusmile

the entire stock most likely, as if only one person, lets say Agent A brings in a papa ooth that is wild caught, it hatches, he sells the nymphs, everyone who buys them raises them and mates them, then resell the nymphs, eventually this line will die out, no one but Agent A brought in any new stock, all were started with his, even though I may buy some from blab blab and then get some from yatta yatta, they still are siblings and will eventually die off.


----------



## brancsikia339

Awesome new site!!!! Can't believe u have bolbena!!!!!!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> the entire stock most likely, as if only one person, lets say Agent A brings in a papa ooth that is wild caught, it hatches, he sells the nymphs, everyone who buys them raises them and mates them, then resell the nymphs, eventually this line will die out, no one but Agent A brought in any new stock, all were started with his, even though I may buy some from blab blab and then get some from yatta yatta, they still are siblings and will eventually die off.


ok well here's wat happened

i got 4 L1 popa from yen february last year

2 made it to adulthood, a pair

the female ate the male before mating

rebecca sent me a male from her stock

rich s sent me a male thinking it was a female

rich's male died of an infection 2 days later

then rebecca's male must've mated with my female before being eaten by her, since i sent rebecca the 3rd ooth from her and it hatched

i sent the female to rich s and she laid her 4th ooth before dying

then about 2 months ago carey sent me a pair

they just mated the other day and i am sendin the male to mime and i think his females r unrelated

so my pair is related but if mime mates his females with my unrelated male and they all have babies, my babies and his will be half siblings and not direct siblings so breeding those together wont be as serious... or so i think


----------



## Mime454

All my popas come from SSimsswiSS, so I don't think that they're related to A's. We should make a family tree for the species we keep. It's almost a necessity if we're going to start taking inbreeding seriously.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Very good idea Mime!


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


> Very good idea Mime!


I just started one for Popa Spurca. http://mantidforum.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=26441


----------



## hibiscusmile

ok, New website up, which is the old site! haha, and new site is up, which is now www.mantidpets.com! new items coming this week to, so shop either site!


----------



## sueb4653

I'm lost mantidpets ?

thought mantid pets was the other site we were comparing the day

dont mind me just confuddled LOL


----------



## hibiscusmile

that was mantiS this is mantiD!


----------



## brancsikia339

So you have 2 sites now? I like the new site! Why don't you combine them? Is there gonna be an ooth page on the new site? Like live ooths


----------



## fleurdejoo

Now I have to check this out.

What now?

You are gonna have two sites?


----------



## fleurdejoo

When I search for mantidpets.com

It thinks it's an error so it pulls up Mantispets.

You have to go back and click on small writing that says search mantiDpets?

For it to actually search that.


----------



## hibiscusmile

dont rally know, the new site wasnt picking up google, so had to reopen the old site, when I find out how to fix it I will, but try

www.mantidpets.com.


----------



## hibiscusmile

I tried to fix my signature so u can click on either site. see if it works someone. pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee


----------



## brancsikia339

both work


----------



## gripen

Wow nice new site! Do you have all the mantids that are listed? Namely Didymocorypha Lanceolata Gongylus Gonglodes Hagiotata hofmanni Idolomorpha lateralis Zoolea Spec?


----------



## brancsikia339

gripen said:


> Wow nice new site! Do you have all the mantids that are listed? Namely Didymocorypha Lanceolata Gongylus Gonglodes Hagiotata hofmanni Idolomorpha lateralis Zoolea Spec?


And bolbena and ceratomantis


----------



## hibiscusmile

no, some of the things on the new site, needs work, I fixed two today, and maybe some more tomorrow. it does not say those are all in stock, do they? no sleep tonight.


----------



## hibiscusmile

I have a place on the site for just adult mantis if anyone is looking for some. Also had a bad day with waiting for my 50,000 bb maggots! The fed ex man came and handed me a small box with a cell phone in it  . Tried to call the number on the slip inside, no help, turns out he took my package to the address the cell phone went to and I got theirs, wish I could of seen their face when they opened it and saw all those maggots, I better sleep with me weapon tonight! :clown: . Dear God, fed ex was no help at all, said the driver left the package by their door. Tried to tell her they were perishable and had to be in fridge, and that they would not be alright overnight outside, but she did not seem to understand, ok, well how bout this, take and put them in your fridge and in the morning go fry an egg! :stuart: u think then she would understand? Also Fuzzy seems to have a bit of a cold coming on, he was fussy all day, poor baby! Grannyma is tired! oh, in case no one noticed flies will be late this week, chuck also sent flies that were hatching in shipping friday and I will not send them to anyone, so am waiting on new ones from him....... which brings me to a tune....


----------



## agent A

do u just sell adult females? cause i kinda wanna buy an adult pair or 2 of lobatas


----------



## hibiscusmile

NO, just whatever adults that have no mates or overstocks, so males can happen. Beware, I do not sell males without their heads! :tt2:


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> NO, just whatever adults that have no mates or overstocks, so males can happen. Beware, I do not sell males without their heads! :tt2:


 &lt;_&lt;


----------



## Sticky

hibiscusmile said:


> NO, just whatever adults that have no mates or overstocks, so males can happen. Beware, I do not sell males without their heads! :tt2:


Do you have any male H.multispina? I am thinking Martha's guy did not dothe job after all.


----------



## hibiscusmile

yes I do, forgot to put him on there, will do later today.


----------



## slytle90

This is amazing....really. I love how you have everything set up.


----------



## hibiscusmile

thanks, lots of work!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Wow - everything is so clean and nicely arranged! I will probably buy mantids from you in the future


----------



## hibiscusmile

Well I hope so!


----------



## brancsikia339

hibiscusmile said:


> Well I hope so!


Rebecca could you post some pics of your current setup bugatorium?


----------



## Webeviction

Haha +1 on new pics! Don't make me go through all 23 pages staring at my tiny iPhone


----------



## Orin

I've seen the bugatorium in real life.


----------



## Webeviction

I would love to see a live collection of all these amazing creatures in one place.....


----------



## hibiscusmile

Orin is a great friend, he comes and tells me stories that make my girls hairs stand on end! :tt2: 

Ok, will try to get some photos this weekend for you guys!


----------



## sinensispsyched

Sweet!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

I can't wait!


----------



## Sticky

I got one of the multispina males and he is a doll! Sorry Martha, he's mine! I named him Hercules.

I would love to visit and help with shipping. I know I could learn so much from you.

Like: how do you feed all your babies fruit flies without going nuts? I end up with them all over the table and even me!


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, ancient Chinese secret! I do get a few on my, but rarely ever do they get loose, for some reason they get out of some of my containers, haven't figured out how though.

'


----------



## Orin

hibiscusmile said:


> haha, ancient Chinese secret! I do get a few on my, but rarely ever do they get loose, for some reason they get out of some of my containers, haven't figured out how though.
> 
> '


 I just happened to notice those two old unhatched oothecae that looked so see-through were Hoplocorypha.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Really? What are those?


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


> Really? What are those?


One of the coolest mantids. It has a huge horn on its head.


----------



## Orin

Mime454 said:


> One of the coolest mantids. It has a huge horn on its head.


 I think somebody has the wrong family and genus for that horn headed species. Hoplocorypha look like a bigger Oligonicella and are Thespidae. The one with the horn looks like it comes from the Mantidae.


----------



## gripen

Orin said:


> I think somebody has the wrong family and genus for that horn headed species. Hoplocorypha look like a bigger Oligonicella and are Thespidae. The one with the horn looks like it comes from the Mantidae.


The one with the horn is a empusadea sp.


----------



## Orin

gripen said:


> The one with the horn is a empusadea sp.


You mean family Empusidae right?


----------



## gripen

Orin said:


> You mean family Empusidae right?


Correct sorry.


----------



## Orin

The empusid is _Hypsicorypha. _It's totally unrelated to the oothecae except the spelling is a little similar.


----------



## Mime454

Orin said:


> The empusid is _Hypsicorypha. _It's totally unrelated to the oothecae except the spelling is a little similar.


Yup, that's it. I have dyslexia, and get a bunch of false positives on unfamiliar words.


----------



## hibiscusmile

The ooths look alike, just not really sure, make note to self: self, take and post pics!


----------



## Malakyoma

Just finished reading the entire thread. I have to say I'm amazed and incredibly jealous. Also what happened to the super worms that got out of the cloth lid? ever find them?


----------



## hibiscusmile

NO, hoping they ate each other! And the final winner blew up!


----------



## Malakyoma

Maybe the mantids that get to hang around in the room got an extra treat.

When I get my mantids, I hope to set up a little shelf in my room to keep them on. Hopefully it looks as neat as yours


----------



## brancsikia339

did magoo ever make it to adulthood?


----------



## hibiscusmile

no :[


----------



## brancsikia339

hibiscusmile said:


> no :[


Aww.  Was he a budwing?


----------



## MandellaMandy123

brancsikia339 said:


> Rebecca could you post some pics of your current setup bugatorium?





Webeviction said:


> Haha +1 on new pics! Don't make me go through all 23 pages staring at my tiny iPhone





hibiscusmile said:


> Ok, will try to get some photos this weekend for you guys!


 We want pictures! We want pictures! We want pictures!  C'mon, Rebecca! Don't keep us waiting!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

waiting is good for yous!


----------



## angelofdeathzz

hibiscusmile said:


> waiting is good for yous!


Haha, I like your style little missy, keep'm hang'n on.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Now thats a beautiful thing!


----------



## agent A

orchid sheds!! :tt1:


----------



## angelofdeathzz

Pile of Orchid molted skins, I presume?  

And your camera says it's in the future...


----------



## Webeviction

Haha I noticed that too....


----------



## hibiscusmile

bunch of good eyes on this forum!


----------



## brancsikia339

hibiscusmile said:


> Now thats a beautiful thing!


Sure is!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

hibiscusmile said:


> waiting is good for yous!


   :shifty: I say that to my dog when she's barking to go for a walk


----------



## agent A

we wanna see fuzzy!! :lol:


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Yeah!


----------



## hibiscusmile

fuzzy wazzy was a bear! was that the fuzzy? :tt2:


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> fuzzy wazzy was a bear! was that the fuzzy? :tt2:


FUZZYHEAD!!!! lol


----------



## Sebby

Woah thats insane!


----------



## Orin

angelofdeathzz said:


> And your camera says it's in the future...


 A lot of cameras have the month and day backwards like it's written in Europe so it may not have been taken in the future.


----------



## Orin

hibiscusmile said:


> fuzzy wazzy was a bear! was that the fuzzy? :tt2:


Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy was he?


----------



## hibiscusmile

tee hee! got me! I have to charge it every use, the new battery does not hold a charge, and I get tired of setting it.


----------



## hibiscusmile




----------



## sinensispsyched

Awwwwwwww, that's insanely cute! He looks like my little cousin!


----------



## agent A

that's certainly not a recent photo, i doubt it's that warm in ohio right now :lol: 

still cute :wub:


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


>


Cute. What species of mantis is this?


----------



## brancsikia339

AWWWWWW!!!! :wub: Fuzzy!


----------



## ShieldMantid1997

When it lays an ooth may i have one? What species is that its awesome!

lol jk

Cute little guy


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Aww... Cute! That your grandson?


----------



## Orin

ShieldMantid1997 said:


> When it lays an ooth may i have one?


 I don't think you're going to want one of those small, brown oothecae.


----------



## sinensispsyched

Their fertility is near zero.


----------



## agent A

sinensispsyched said:


> Their fertility is near zero.


and they rot too fast to hatch! u have to sprinkle baby powder on them and incubate them in the fridge...


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, the squirrels have not gathered all the nuts I see! he is my grandson and a joy to have here. I am in love with him and he is on my mind day in and day out. Pray for him as his one kidney now has all the work as the other one has vanished. I will put up more recent photo, leave it to our detective A to see I cheat!

here is one, he was 10 mts here and likes to be a card, he is spitting out his dinner by pretending it is nasty tasteing, funny boy! u know how they do, oh here is little video of him doing it.







sorry this one is him and grandpa, he thinks the remote is the phone, he is trying to hear it!






here is my granddaughter and bro, maddy and chase with fuzzy!






ok, couldnt upload video!

ps best not to get me started with this species!


----------



## brancsikia339

Poor fuzzy  Hope his other kidney works better than the first one.


----------



## brancsikia339

agent A said:


> and they rot too fast to hatch! u have to sprinkle baby powder on them and incubate them in the fridge...


They've only been known to incubate in the toilet! lol


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Oh, he's so cute! What an adorable little thing! I'll pray for him, poor little guy  How old is he now?


----------



## hibiscusmile

he is 17 mts!


----------



## sinensispsyched

WOWIE! He and ur hubby look great together! Such a happy family!


----------



## agent A

your hubby looks like a crazy ax murderer!! :lol:


----------



## MandellaMandy123

agent A said:


> your hubby looks like a crazy ax murderer!! :lol:


 What a nice thing to say.....


----------



## hibiscusmile

when he gets done sharpening his ax I will tell him your message, btw, what was your address again?


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> when he gets done sharpening his ax I will tell him your message, btw, what was your address again?


well geez u should know

u just sent me flies today

THEN you cancelled the shippment! do u WANT my stuff to starve? :huh: :tt2:


----------



## brancsikia339

agent A said:


> well geez u should know
> 
> u just sent me flies today
> 
> THEN you cancelled the shippment! do u WANT my stuff to starve? :huh: :tt2:


You had it coming!


----------



## agent A

brancsikia339 said:


> You had it coming!


and the reason it said in the email was "package destroyed" &lt;_&lt;


----------



## brancsikia339

agent A said:


> and the reason it said in the email was "package destroyed" &lt;_&lt;


 :lol: :lol: exactly


----------



## hibiscusmile

hahaha, I stomped on it after reading these!!! naw, had to void labels, paypal printed label receipt without printing the labels, called, they are working on it, will send tomorrow.


----------



## brancsikia339

hibiscusmile said:


> hahaha, I stomped on it after reading these!!! naw, had to void labels, paypal printed label receipt without printing the labels, called, they are working on it, will send tomorrow.


I'm ordering flies tonight


----------



## sinensispsyched

OFF TOPIC!!!

Anyway, uhhhh, how about them grandkids?


----------



## brancsikia339

sinensispsyched said:


> OFF TOPIC!!!
> 
> Anyway, uhhhh, how about them grandkids?


Now you're off topic. This topic is about rebecca's bugroom!


----------



## sinensispsyched

OK, how about them shelves/deli cups/ mantises?


----------



## brancsikia339

sinensispsyched said:


> OK, how about them shelves/deli cups/ mantises?


Well we're still waiting for the pics. HIBISCUSMILE!!! WHERE ARE THE PICS lol :lol:


----------



## twolfe

Rebecca, one day a while back when I was bored, I read through this entire thread. It's great seeing your setup. I wish mine would all fit in one room. Anyway, a while back you started a new thread and made a comment about your wahlbergii ooths not hatching and you weren't certain of the origin of your stock. If you read back through your thread around January 2012, you made a comment about purchasing some ooths.... Just an FYI.


----------



## hibiscusmile

oh! good info! tks! and I gave u pics of fuzzy, what more did u want? :devil:


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Pics of your mantids too! Fuzzy is cute, but he's not a mantid!  C'mon, Rebecca!  

Edit: At least I hope Fuzzy is not a mantid!


----------



## hibiscusmile

ok, lets see wha ti got?


----------



## brancsikia339

hibiscusmile said:


> ok, lets see wha ti got?


YAY!!!!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

brancsikia339 said:


> YAY!!!!


 +1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Orin

I was thinking your bugatorium should really be called Mantisplace instead.


----------



## sinensispsyched

PRECISELY!

That's a perfect idea!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Yeah, the Mantis Place!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Hmm... Where _are_ those photos?


----------



## Mime454

They're never coming. Here's a secret, Rebecca doesn't actually have _any _mantids. It's all a lie.


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Really?!?! Lol. Though I'm starting to wonder.... :shifty:


----------



## garin33

Hi Rebecca,

I have a couple of questions regarding your wonderfully decorated enclosures.

When you have a lot of plants, etc in your enclosures, is it harder for the mantids to find the food? I used to have more branches and twigs etc but I thought the mantids were not finding the food as well, so now my containers are pretty basic with just a couple of branches to climb and molt. However, maybe I was just being too worried and they will eventually find the food when they want it.

Do you also find it harder to clean with the plants and leaves, etc.?

Because you are in a business with tons of mantids to take care of, I'm sure time and efficiency is key so I'm sure you have all this totally down to a science. So I would greatly appreciate any comments you have to maintaining your bugatorium.

Oh, another question regarding all the different Mantid Mansions you carry. For adult species like Sphdromantis, Chinese, etc that are on the large size, is there one particular container that you like the best. You have the large hex, large round, large cave and I'm just a little confused on what is best. I plan on giving quite a few praying mantis pets to the kids in my son's class for Christmas so wanted something nice but economical.

Just placed my first order with your company so looking forward to future business with you. Thanks so much for all the helpful information you post and your bugatorium is totally awesome. It must take many hours each day just misting and feeding and I can't even imagine the cleaning.


----------



## angelofdeathzz

Rebecca has done so much foot work and helped this hobby along for so long, we all mostly owe her, even if you didn't know it or ever bought from her, Awesome thread!


----------



## agent A

angelofdeathzz said:


> Rebecca has done so much foot work and helped this hobby along for so long, we all mostly owe her, even if you didn't know it or ever bought from her, Awesome thread!


I wish I could give her a big hug!! Lol but then I'd never leave her house :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

You got that Agent A! when the doorbell rings, beware of owner, forget the dog!

thanks Nick! u a sweetie too!

well, I like the med round the best, it seems to house a lot of large mantis, like the sheild and still give s them room to move around. I have no problem cleaning the containers, and the science behind it now, is I do not even most times have to remove the mantis to do that, sometimes they get a little water too, but my feeder hole is also my cleaning hole, I take it to the slop sink, and run nice warm water in it and unless it has nasty runny poop (frass) I don't use soap. The water just runs out the hole and wala! all done! now I have to delete all of you, since u now know my secret. As to the leaves , I keep the floor clean and most crickets and roaches have no where to hide, the cricks will climb, but for the most part they seem to see them just fine, when I first started, I was so freaked that the cricket would get the mantis that it tood 3 to 5 hours to feed, now with around 5000 mantis underfoot, it is an hour and a half to two, much easier as all is as u said down to a science, I am still learning new things though. The flies go in fruit fly bottles which fit in the feeder holes and I just tap it to remove the flies from the lid and stick it in the hole, works fine, only with this many I have to use a quart pop bottle to put flies in, I go thru about 2000 flies a day and usually only lose a dozen if that. Grannyma tired!!! Fuzzy tuesday is morrow, if I can I will take pic for you guys while he feeds the crickets!


----------



## dtuck91

Thanks for all the wonderful things you do for this community!


----------



## MandellaMandy123

If I ever get a ghost mantis, I'll probably get it from you


----------



## garin33

hibiscusmile said:


> You got that Agent A! when the doorbell rings, beware of owner, forget the dog!
> 
> thanks Nick! u a sweetie too!
> 
> well, I like the med round the best, it seems to house a lot of large mantis, like the sheild and still give s them room to move around. I have no problem cleaning the containers, and the science behind it now, is I do not even most times have to remove the mantis to do that, sometimes they get a little water too, but my feeder hole is also my cleaning hole, I take it to the slop sink, and run nice warm water in it and unless it has nasty runny poop (frass) I don't use soap. The water just runs out the hole and wala! all done! now I have to delete all of you, since u now know my secret. As to the leaves , I keep the floor clean and most crickets and roaches have no where to hide, the cricks will climb, but for the most part they seem to see them just fine, when I first started, I was so freaked that the cricket would get the mantis that it tood 3 to 5 hours to feed, now with around 5000 mantis underfoot, it is an hour and a half to two, much easier as all is as u said down to a science, I am still learning new things though. The flies go in fruit fly bottles which fit in the feeder holes and I just tap it to remove the flies from the lid and stick it in the hole, works fine, only with this many I have to use a quart pop bottle to put flies in, I go thru about 2000 flies a day and usually only lose a dozen if that. Grannyma tired!!! Fuzzy tuesday is morrow, if I can I will take pic for you guys while he feeds the crickets!


Hi Rebecca,

Thank you for the helpful information. Wow, 5000 mantids, that is amazing! I don't know how you do it.

Just so I understand correctly:

So you leave the bottoms of the containers clear with no substrate and to clean, you take off the lid and pour in water and then pour out the water out of the side feeding hole? Sounds really great and I never thought about doing it that way. You are able to leave the mantis in the container?

Thanks again!


----------



## hibiscusmile

yea, thats it, sometimes I dont take the lid off, like my medium cave has ooth hatchings in them, when time to clean, I dump out the do do and just run water thru the hole and have my hand to catch any babies who are not smart enough to get out of the way, but lo an behold, there is always a budwing or lobata who just gotta see if they can swim! here is pic of maggots I seperated today while Fuzzy had his nap, granny wears her baby out, we go "outside" with an outside dance and song and after an hour, ususally 2 but is 40F here, when I bring him in he is ready for his song and rocky chair and grannies arms! her loves her baby~!!! but I digress! and here is one container with light I made and usually the feeder hole would be in bottom.


----------



## agent A

hey rebecca, do your maggots ever contain pink ones? i found a weird perplexing pink maggot in the normal maggots that u sent me earlier this month :huh:


----------



## Mime454

agent A said:


> hey rebecca, do your maggots ever contain pink ones? i found a weird perplexing pink maggot in the normal maggots that u sent me earlier this month :huh:


HAHA Me too! I want to see what type of fly it turns into. She said that they're died because they come from a fishing company.


----------



## fleurdejoo

I love Rebecca's containers!!

I have a ton of them but prefer the Hex's to the round!


----------



## hibiscusmile

The maggots wont die because they are pink, they just are *dyed*! member "charley and the chocolate factory" pink maggots are for a prize!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> The maggots wont die because they are pink, they just are *dyed*! member "charley and the chocolate factory" pink maggots are for a prize!


Well ill post the pic of the pink magger here to claim my prize :lol: 

Gimme a few though i just got home from school


----------



## Mime454

hibiscusmile said:


> The maggots wont die because they are pink, they just are *dyed*! member "charley and the chocolate factory" pink maggots are for a prize!


That would be a cool promotion. I have 2.


----------



## garin33

hibiscusmile said:


> yea, thats it, sometimes I dont take the lid off, like my medium cave has ooth hatchings in them, when time to clean, I dump out the do do and just run water thru the hole and have my hand to catch any babies who are not smart enough to get out of the way, but lo an behold, there is always a budwing or lobata who just gotta see if they can swim! here is pic of maggots I seperated today while Fuzzy had his nap, granny wears her baby out, we go "outside" with an outside dance and song and after an hour, ususally 2 but is 40F here, when I bring him in he is ready for his song and rocky chair and grannies arms! her loves her baby~!!! but I digress! and here is one container with light I made and usually the feeder hole would be in bottom.


Hi Rebecca,

As far as the Medium Round, it looks really nice and is a great price but the dimensions are only 7x5.75 so I assume that would mean that the maximum size mantid would be 2 1/4"? Or because of the shape, it's ok to house a mantid that is about 3 inches like Sphodromantis, etc.

Thanks.


----------



## hibiscusmile

funny guy, that is not the prize! no, this house is good for any size mantis, you won't believe how big it is till u put a large mantis in it, they do fine in this size.


----------



## agent A

here is the pink magger!











do i get my prize (or the orchid nymphs u promised me in return for the 3 L3 orchid males i sent u) yet? PLEAZEEEEEE ^_^


----------



## hibiscusmile

no prize for you! yes, when they are ready, prob next week. ask me at my email next time. didn't I just answer u yesterday? dont answer here, email me, going nite nite!


----------



## Mime454

agent A said:


> here is the pink magger!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> do i get my prize (or the orchid nymphs u promised me in return for the 3 L3 orchid males i sent u) yet? PLEAZEEEEEE ^_^


Mine is way pinker than that! I should get a better prize!


----------



## Mime454

Ignore the tau ooth residue.


----------



## agent A

Mime454 said:


> Ignore the tau ooth residue.


why dont u photograph that same magger on a shiny black surface, such as the lid of a dell inspiron

then we'll see who's is pinker :lol:


----------



## Elo500

Just read through this amazing thread. now I'm inspired to go make some containers. Have you thought about consolidating this thread for a quick PDF on making containers and solving common mantid raising issues? Thanks for the great info!


----------



## hibiscusmile

I dont know what you mean (consolidate)


----------



## Elo500

It's amazing to read how your processes evolved over the years. Thanks for sharing your knowledge ! I'm new to the hobby and it was very helpful to read this thread.


----------



## ScienceGirl

Super cool! I've always been interested in how the highly enviable "big-keepers" keep their mantids.  

Me? I use a counter in the laundry room. That's where all the smaller pets (a crested gecko, feeder crickets, mantids and other insects in season, other creatures) besides the dog reside.


----------



## hibiscusmile

I spend a lot of time in the laundry room myself! :tt2:


----------



## Kloned

Awsome! setup you have there


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks, lots of workie!


----------



## jamurfjr

Looks good on a desk, don't it?

My wife has staked claim to this enclosure. She plans to use it to house a Creo nymph at work. It's small, lightweight, and aesthetically pleasing—much cooler than those desktop fish aquariums her coworkers have.

The vent was neatly installed...also like the dual purpose of the molting ring: foothold and humidity.


----------



## SilentDeviL

Nicely done


----------



## jamurfjr

SilentDeviL said:


> Nicely done


Yes, Rebecca does some nice work. She puts a lot of thought into these and has great attention to detail. You didn't think I was talented enough to make it, did you?


----------



## Bug Trader

Those louver screens come in handy, I use them for alot of projects.


----------



## hibiscusmile

I really like the shelf you have it sitting on, what is it?


----------



## jamurfjr

hibiscusmile said:


> I really like the shelf you have it sitting on, what is it?


The shelf is part of an old, cheap computer desk. I use it as my workbench.


----------



## hibiscusmile

OH, wont find it on sale then! :{


----------



## Jinx

Took me two days to make it through this entire thread (while sitting in my cube at work :tt2: )

Your set-up is absolutely amazing. I would love to see your daily/weekly routine of taking care of these lucky mantids. Maybe even be a gofer! Thanks for posting the pictures. It has been a fun read and quite an inspiration. I take forever feeding and playing with my four buddies right now, I couldn't imagine taking care of hundreds or thousands of mantids, but I'm sure I'll get there.

I also scoped out your website previously (I didn't know it was yours at first). Might have to pick up some things in the near future.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Thanks, u a stinker, get back to work!


----------



## ScienceGirl

jamurfjr said:


> The vent was neatly installed...also like the dual purpose of the molting ring: foothold and humidity.


How did you do the vent? It looks very professional... Please, please, please give us the secret!!!


----------



## hibiscusmile

I use a large hole drill and then a plastic reamer to remove the burrs! shhh, ancient Chinese secrete!


----------



## ScienceGirl

hibiscusmile said:


> I use a large hole drill and then a plastic reamer to remove the burrs! shhh, ancient Chinese secrete!


Never heard of a plastic reamer... You're not just making stuff up, right? I wouldn't know...


----------



## Sticky

Go to homedepot and look in the drill section. The bit she uses is probably the same as the one bird house makers use for the entry hole in the box.


----------



## hibiscusmile

haha, one never knows with an aged granny, u know what they say....

age and treachery beats youth and beauty every time!

naw, I can sell them if anyone is interested, they are not sold at home depot!


----------



## ScienceGirl

hibiscusmile said:


> haha, one never knows with an aged granny, u know what they say....
> 
> age and treachery beats youth and beauty every time!
> 
> naw, I can sell them if anyone is interested, they are not sold at home depot!


You should make a video of you producing one of your lovely cages!!!


----------



## Sticky

I found some on ebay. Some with teeth others are diamond carbide.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Sure you guys won't be happy till I pour out all my secrets! :taz:


----------



## hibiscusmile

I got one for you, I was breeding some bbs and was using a 5 gal pail for icecream with a vented top. Put it outside with rotting catfood and sour milk with my pupae, next morning I went outside and the container was turned over and most of the cornmeal was out from the vented top, I turned it back over and placed it back in its hiding place in a big plastic container where rain could not get in. Went out this morning and it was no where to be found!

Went to the barn tonight to get some hurricane clips for the deck over the lake and I noticed the container under a big bush. I pulled it out and all flies and food clumped together and what a stink. Now what do u suppose, a cat, a raccoon or what was taking off with it? Now I have to start over with something else, as the cat food is just bringing varmits around.


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Oh, yuck! I don't think I could ever raise bb's - too gross. And I doubt my mom could handle all of the maggots. There are enough flies pestering us year-round here that I wouldn't ever need to raise any. :angry: So sick of flies! Although I guess they are good for my mantids.


----------



## agent A

WolfPuppy said:


> Oh, yuck! I don't think I could ever raise bb's - too gross. And I doubt my mom could handle all of the maggots. There are enough flies pestering us year-round here that I wouldn't ever need to raise any. :angry: So sick of flies! Although I guess they are good for my mantids.


I get a bunch of dog food, set it in the sun, put it in the shed after eggs r laid, and then harvest maggers in a few days

I cant smell so I guess it doesn't bother me

anosmic power!


----------



## hibiscusmile

hump! dog food will cause critters to come too!


----------



## agent A

hibiscusmile said:


> hump! dog food will cause critters to come too!


not if its locked in a shed


----------



## MandellaMandy123

agent A said:


> not if its locked in a shed


Are you kidding? I've found countless critters in our locked shed. Including the neighbor's cat. &lt;_&lt; I'm so sick of that cat... Especially since it isn't vaccinated.


----------



## hibiscusmile

They would die in a shed here if closed, and I have replace the roof and a side with raccoons eating their way thru, and under the shed, I shutter to think what is living there.


----------



## MandellaMandy123

I live where it gets to be 115 degrees in summer, yet they still make it in. We had rats last year from under our neighbor's deck too. Ugh... We had a skunk living under the shed before. He's not there any more, but he'd better not come back because now we have a dog. That could be bad news!


----------



## ScienceGirl

hibiscusmile said:


> Sure you guys won't be happy till I pour out all my secrets! :taz:


Don't you know it!


----------



## hibiscusmile

hum, be careful, a skunk can hurt a dog. Or am I thinking raccoon?


----------



## MandellaMandy123

We have raccoons too... I'm just worried my dog will get sprayed and them come running through the house. That would be just my luck.


----------



## Sticky

Both raccoons and skunks can bite, skunks prefer to spray though. Raccoons are horrible, some killed my doves. I just could not stop them.


----------



## agent A

Sticky said:


> Both raccoons and skunks can bite, skunks prefer to spray though. Raccoons are horrible, some killed my doves. I just could not stop them.


this raccoon kept coming near me at night a few years back, then I threw a rock at it (it didn't hit it don't worry) and it ran off, never saw it again


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Sticky said:


> Both raccoons and skunks can bite, skunks prefer to spray though. Raccoons are horrible, some killed my doves. I just could not stop them.


Oh, no! That's terrible! We had a hawk come to one of our bird feeders a while back and grab a mourning dove, but luckily it hit the window and dropped the bird as it flew away. That was a close call. Sorry to hear about your doves though.  

We always see raccoons at night around here. They scare me because they can carry rabies.


----------



## Sticky

I tried asking the humane soc. for help taking my doves but they would not help me.I have never liked raccoons but now that feeling is stronger. I will never trust the humane society either!


----------



## lancaster1313

Animal control around here won't catch raccoons. They make you trap them yourself, which is very dangerous. They get real nasty. They like to attack mantids in cages outdoors too.

Raccoons are the :devil2: . I would be happy never to see another raccoon.


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Note to self: never leave your mantids outdoors. We also have a lot of opossums, but they don't hurt anything. I don't think....


----------



## hibiscusmile

yea, the raccoon here made big holes in my sheds roof, which I had to repair, lucky me , my oldest son helped put the shingles back on.


----------



## MandellaMandy123

Why would it do that? Lol. At least your son helped you. Before I was born, my mom and dad lived in the country where they would hear raccoons on the roof every night!

Speaking of wild animals, a squirrel just ate one of the perfectly ripe tomatoes my mom had in her garden. Grr...


----------



## hibiscusmile

Check out my site, Our very own Krissim Klaw has contracted to make pictures for my site and I have been holding back, cause I am too lazy :kiss: to put them up! So check out her photos or pics and watch for me to post more, her work is wonderful!


----------



## hibiscusmile

humph! I would of thought you guys would of at least left a comment on the cartoons.....for us :{


----------



## agent A

i cant find the pics


----------



## hibiscusmile

heres a few, they are in diff places as she made diff ones for diff things, like cold packs, clear cups 32 oz, aw adults only, is an old man mantis, insulation for shipping, roaches, and many more, but I haven't gotten to add all her pics yet.

http://www.mantidpets.com/shop/article_29/Euchomonella-macrops-Not-available-at-this-time.html?sessid=kh6jjpn3HUkED84iDoyqD4a3EHCGLE9RRWuuwqx3KEU3PvTfDPf02yh34ycVbCGL&amp;shop_param=cid%3D15%26aid%3D29%26

http://www.mantidpets.com/shop/article_2/Oxypilus-Distinctus.html?sessid=kh6jjpn3HUkED84iDoyqD4a3EHCGLE9RRWuuwqx3KEU3PvTfDPf02yh34ycVbCGL&amp;shop_param=cid%3D15%26aid%3D2%26

http://www.mantidpets.com/shop/article_43/40-Hour-Heat-Packs.html?sessid=kh6jjpn3HUkED84iDoyqD4a3EHCGLE9RRWuuwqx3KEU3PvTfDPf02yh34ycVbCGL&amp;shop_param=cid%3D10%26aid%3D43%26


----------



## MandellaMandy123

She''s a really good artist! Love the hot pack one. :lol:


----------



## hibiscusmile

ha ha, thanks!


----------



## Paradoxica

Those are some great illustrations!


----------



## Jinx

They look great.


----------



## hibiscusmile

Here are the different sizes of flies for the new bies out there. Feeding nymphs usually start with the melnogasters, or Turkish gliders, then the hydei then onto house flies and bbs . So left to right:

mel, gliders, hydei,, false stable fly, house fly, blue bottle fly.


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## Love2read

As a newbie here I just wanted to pop in and say that this thread has been an inspiration! I just LOVE your setup! &lt;3


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## Sticky

The pics are cute!


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## hibiscusmile

hummm, their just dead flies, if you like it, wait till I take the next pic! :tt2:


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## Sticky

No, I mean the illustrations.


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## hibiscusmile

OH! haha


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## hibiscusmile

Been working on getting my new patch made, it came thru today, boy was I surprised when I opened the package! The look nice!


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## Extrememantid

Awesome!


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## MandellaMandy123

Wow! That is super! So cute!


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## hibiscusmile

once again krissim klaws work!


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## Krissim Klaw

hibiscusmile said:


> Been working on getting my new patch made, it came thru today, boy was I surprised when I opened the package! The look nice!


Oh wow that one came out lovely! The person/company you went through to have the image transfered to thread form did a great job. =3


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## Termite48

Very nice Becky. That is a nice patch. I also enjoy seeing the various flies pinned together to see their comparative sizes and characteristics. I also catch a larger fly here in the summer. I will have to get one and send it to you so you can have it for comparison. It is some sort of sarcophagid fly larger the blow flies at about twice the mass of the local green bottle flies.


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## hibiscusmile

:sweatdrop:  :shaun:Would like to see that, I wanted to raise some of the larger species, but after reading about disease they spread and biting flesh, I ran away from that idea!


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## aesculpius

You have an impressive and well organized setup. How does it take you to move through and clean all of those cages?


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## hibiscusmile

Thanks! U know, it is down to such a science most Saturdays It takes around 2 hours, which is not bad.


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## AxolotlsAreCoolToo

not bad at all im impressed i feel i am never satisfied with my maintenance efficiency


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## Sticky

How about more pics of your bug room Hibiscusmile? And how are some of your breeds doing like the zoolea? I would love some of those!


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## hibiscusmile

ha! I would too, but I don't have any. Did I miss that one on the site? Figures, one can just never get done.....


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## hibiscusmile

Looking for new babies to raise, and getting some katydid eggs from Blackmerlin, hoping to raise them, anyone try this before?


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## hibiscusmile

Finally got my girls mated, put this roach in with her &amp; right away it started to molt, so she got fresh meat!


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## HappyFish

All cameras are set up to shoot "daylight". Incandescent, fluorescent, as well as deep shade etc can cause a color shift. The use of flash can help over ride this effect. You may have taken your first shot at night so all your light was from whatever light source is in that room. Your second shot might have been taken in the day time when there was the addition of some daylight coming into the room from a window. High end cameras have a setting for this in the custom menu.


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## TheBeesKnees

I just spent the last day and a half reading through all of this, and it's gonna take me a few more days to pick my jaw up off the floor! You've got a really swanky operation going on here, and I am mega jealous!! You take so much care in everything, too, the sight of your bugtorium brings a tear to my eye :'D

With so many mantids, in so many different stages of life, do you never get to go on vacation? Or do you have folks who are willing to help take care of things if you were ever to leave town for a few days or weeks?

Also, do you have a current favorite individual among your mantis army?


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## hibiscusmile

Happyfish, u lost me on the first word?

Bees, I haven't had vacation in long time, every day gotta get up and work. No one wants to work every day. So no help. I do have a daughter in law I can call, but really not worth the

trouble to refresh her mind, if I go to hospital for something, them I will have to have her spend time here. I just plod along doing what I have to.

My fav. it was a little old girl, who lost her arms and she was special. If I find her pic, I will repost it. I think the most fun mantis was the long necks, they have a really neat

disposition!


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## Sticky

Wasn't your favorite named Little Heat? I loved that story so much. I cant find it. Can you post a link to it?


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## hibiscusmile

Its on this post somewhere, just not sure where. I think it was!


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## hibiscusmile

This guy fell yesterday when I was feeding, I really thought he was a gonner. But I hung him up anyways on the cage and forgot about him.

This morning when I went in to feed, he was just hanging on the shelving, good as new! I used the clip to attach one of his legs, turns out his

new leg was already lowered enough it did not hurt it, just caught the old leg.


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## hibiscusmile

I tried to upload the first photo w/leg, says file to large, will try to take new pic in am.


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## dmina

This thread was so awesome, so helpful! Thank you for taking the time to post all this info.

Rebecca your Bugatorium is so beautiful an organized, thank you for sharing...


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## -db-

I just finished reading through this too and am amazed. I love that you incorporated plants/flowers in each container. They look amazing!! Really nice work!!


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## dmina

I read on another thread "you moved this weekend".. so

Do you have a new bugroom?


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## hibiscusmile

Yes I do, not done with it yet, but getting there.


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## dmina

hibiscusmile said:


> Yes I do, not done with it yet, but getting there.


Just trying to keep you on your toes!


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## dmina

Tic toc... tic toc.... still waiting....


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## Veganbrian

Updates?


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## dmina

LOL... tick...tock...


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## hibiscusmile

gee u guys are cold! maybe later....lol


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## dmina

?? MAYBE ??? awww come on now!

Do you want us to say Please.. is that less cold... Pretty Please with a cherry on top?


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## hibiscusmile

Just wanted to put in a note. Sorry I haven't been on much lately.

I noticed a lot of hobbiest want to know about mantis living together and how or what is good for them.

In my experience I find that almost any do good together as long as they are 1. not hungry, 2. used to having each other around, 3. enough room and climbing

things around so they can run and keep out of each others way.

Saying that, I have also noticed the big and clumbsy mantis are kinda like people groups. They are slow to move and like to be just left to eat and be quite, no running around and being silly. But now the skinny smaller mantis, likes to play around and like the small dog chichiwawa, prob spelled that wrong, the little taco bell mexi dog, likes to bite you when u are not looking, so the smaller ones, eat each other faster than the bigger ones. What u think?


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## JonRich

Pretty clean and organized set-up.


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## kingmantissupply09

macro junkie said:


> QUOTE(hibiscusmile @ Nov 3 2007, 02:20 PM) &lt;{POST_SNAPBACK}&gt;
> /default/laugh.gif That's too funny, could you tell I was tired. I stayed up extra to take pic and didn't put it on here, so much for the age of computers, I still have to do everything...[SIZE=8pt]I can't believe it[/SIZE]...[SIZE=8pt]mmumble. mumble.blah, /default/rolleyes.gif[/SIZE]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> i need them cups..im using way to big tubs for what mantis i have..them food isnt easy to feed as it keeps hiding.


Thats exactly what I'm doing for my larger nymph set ups.


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## CosbyArt

hibiscusmile said:


> Thanks! U know, it is down to such a science most Saturdays It takes around 2 hours, which is not bad.


I flipped through the majority of the pages in awe.



Such a awesome and inspiring setup.

I didn't notice any cultures or feeder setups in your bug room photos and such. I'm curious do you have a 2nd bigger room where they are stored? and do you have any photos? i apologize if I missed it in this topic - but I am curious to see it too.


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## hibiscusmile

I thought I had it here, in fact I have a fruit fly receipe on here, so u may of missed it. Depending on weather, I move them to another room. right now the Bugatorium is

really hot, so they are in there.


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## hibiscusmile

Here is the recipe page.

Gee it wont let me paste it. But once in on the page here, type in the search for the fruit fly culture and it will show them.


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## CosbyArt

hibiscusmile said:


> I thought I had it here, in fact I have a fruit fly receipe on here, so u may of missed it. Depending on weather, I move them to another room. right now the Bugatorium is
> 
> really hot, so they are in there.


Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to photos of your feeders themselves. As I imagine you have quite a large spread of cultures, tanks, etc. to take care of so many mantises.  I know my feeder area lately is starting to dwarf my mantis area in size.





I did find your recipe though, here is the recipe. Great to see what extra you add in either way.


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## hibiscusmile

Well I have been a lazy girl, I must get back to this page. Rereading this brings back so many memories..


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## LauraMG

Me too! I got out of mantids altogether until recently when one presented himself to me in the garden. Good to hear from you


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## hibiscusmile

They do have a way of knowing who likes them!


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## hibiscusmile

I put some Chinese babies out in the spring, they are over half grown, can't wait for fall to see how many survived!


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## Precious

I was admiring these older photos of your bug room!!  I'd love to see your current arrangement!  I love your style, clean and flowery!  I love faux fauna and modified plastic containers!  I'm not into dirt and vivariums, though I admire them.  My thumb has never been green and I love mantids, not plants, lol!


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## hibiscusmile

I was checking mail labels today and counted 11,452 labels I printed since starting this business. Does that seem

a bit high or low to you guys?


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## KevinsWither

Its really high actually. That's like one label per day.


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## Zeppy44

Congrats! Nice to be successful with something you love.   :clap:


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## hibiscusmile

So many years spent with mantis, I think I am turning into one. hahahaha


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## MantisGirl13

hibiscusmile said:


> So many years spent with mantis, I think I am turning into one. hahahaha


Lol   

I just read through all 27 pages! Your Bugatorium is amazing! How many mantis species do you have now?

- MantisGirl13


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## hibiscusmile

Not that many, slowing down for wiinter! burrrr


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## hysteresis

That bugroom is epic.


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