# Idea for an enclosure?



## Fiadraye (Jun 30, 2021)

I recently got my first mantis, an orchid mantis (which I have since learned is not a good starter, but I'm not new to inverts so please don't tell me off about it too hard  ). They molted into L2 a couple days ago, and I've started pre-planning for moving them into their adult enclosure. They're just too tiny for me to be sure about their sex yet, so I don't know that, but I was hoping I could get thoughts on my enclosure plans? I posted them on a different site and didn't get much feedback.

I want to potentially do a bioactive enclosure (I've been wanting one but all my animals so far aren't really suitable for them), and I was thinking of using the Socker planter from Ikea. It is just shy of 18"L9"W14"H, so it should be plenty big enough even for a female. Its not glass, it's actually polystyrene for the clear parts, so they would hopefully have a pretty easy time of climbing it and if I needed more ventilation I could drill holes? 





I plan on leaving the top open and covering it with mesh. I don't have a list of plants yet but will probably put a big stick and some epiphytes in there. I'd like to do both springtails and isopods but I'm not sure if the small space really begets having both. Does anyone have strong thoughts either way on this idea?


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## MrGhostMantis (Jun 30, 2021)

Keep them in a small enclosure until adult, AKA a 32oz deli cup. Anything else may be too big and you may lose the mantis or it won’t be able to find food.


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## Fiadraye (Jun 30, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> Keep them in a small enclosure until adult, AKA a 32oz deli cup. Anything else may be too big and you may lose the mantis or it won’t be able to find food.


Yes! When I bought the fellow the people at the booth sold me a 16oz Mason jar as a starter kit, they're in that now, though it sounds like they might need one more intermediate enclosure in a few months before I put them into the full sized one...


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## MrGhostMantis (Jun 30, 2021)

DON’T use mason jars. They have waaay to little ventilation, it’s a great way to kill an orchid.


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## Fiadraye (Jun 30, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> DON’T use mason jars. They have waaay to little ventilation, it’s a great way to kill an orchid.


OK I can move them once I get out of work, clear plastic cups are fine?


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## MrGhostMantis (Jun 30, 2021)

Fiadraye said:


> OK I can move them once I get out of work, clear plastic cups are fine?


Use 32oz deli cups, poke holes in lines along the sides, have a mesh lid on the top. @Ilovemybirdies can give more info than I.


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## Fiadraye (Jun 30, 2021)

MrGhostMantis said:


> Use 32oz deli cups, poke holes in lines along the sides, have a mesh lid on the top. @Ilovemybirdies can give more info than I.


Thanks for the heads up, it's only been a couple days and the stick I had in there was already getting gross &gt;.&lt; hopefully the mantis will be ok. 




I couldn't find deli cups at the store I went to but this was soft plastic and seemed about the right size. There are holes around the top but I had to cover them with organza ribbon cause they were big enough for flies to escape. I cut the lid open and replaced it with mesh, which they are happily hanging out on now.


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## MrGhostMantis (Jun 30, 2021)

Add some holes in rows on the sides and you will be all set. I recommend keeping the enclosure simple, bacteria and mold congregate in coco fiber. Maybe just use a popsicle stick for the enclosure climbing material and paper towel as the substrate and swap it 2x a week.


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## hibiscusmile (Jul 1, 2021)

You need to not have that much moisture in the container. Pop cycle sticks will also mold. if you pay shipping I will send you

a container for it. This way you won't have to worry if it is alright. I find that a used stem from grapes make a nice climbing stick and for molting as the stems are very rough.


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## Fiadraye (Jul 1, 2021)

hibiscusmile said:


> You need to not have that much moisture in the container. Pop cycle sticks will also mold. if you pay shipping I will send you
> 
> a container for it. This way you won't have to worry if it is alright. I find that a used stem from grapes make a nice climbing stick and for molting as the stems are very rough.


The stick I have in there feels like a piece of vine, it's what came with the kit I got. I don't think it will mold either, it just had some residue on it where it was touching the sphagnum at the bottom. 

I have seen several guides recommend sphagnum, and changing it once a week, is that one of those highly debated things? The amount of moisture in there is because I had just sprayed three spritzes of water in there with a spray bottle, it dried up quickly. That's also what I've seen recommended in guides/other posts on here. 

I'm getting a hygrometer ASAP, either after work today, or I will order it with 2 day shipping if I can't find one at my pet store, so I will be able to know for sure what the humidity is.

I think I would rather put more holes in this enclosure. I'll use a pin this time so there's no risk of flies escaping, and I don't have to cover them with organza. Thank you for offering your help though that's very kind  

Thanks!


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## Ilovemybirdies (Jul 1, 2021)

The big things for orchids is they need lots of cross ventilation - I cut two panels on opposite sides of the enclosure and cover them with two layers of mesh &amp; secure with hot glue. With an enclosure that size, two 2x3 inch panels should work great. This allows for airflow in from the side near the bottom and out through the top. which facilitates airflow and allows them to breathe


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## Fiadraye (Jul 1, 2021)

Ilovemybirdies said:


> The big things for orchids is they need lots of cross ventilation - I cut two panels on opposite sides of the enclosure and cover them with two layers of mesh &amp; secure with hot glue. With an enclosure that size, two 2x3 inch panels should work great. This allows for airflow in from the side near the bottom and out through the top. which facilitates airflow and allows them to breathe


OOH thanks! That sounds like a really good plan. 

I was wondering about what people suggest for adult enclosures? Since apparently nothing glass or hard plastic will work, and that's all I've really seen pictures of for adults 

Sorry if I'm asking a lot of questions that should already be answered here, but the things you guys are saying is pretty different from what I've seen elsewhere...


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## Ilovemybirdies (Jul 2, 2021)

Glass and hard plastic can work if you drill holes &amp; cut proper ventilation panels! It's just... harder to drill through glass haha. Mason jars are more problematic as well due to having a "lip" near the top that's hard for mantids to climb past to get to the mesh (they molt off the top)

For adults, I've housed my orchids in mesh cubes (mist often), 80 oz plastic containers, and the males work well in 32 oz deli cups. You can also use those big cheeze ball / pretzel containers at costco / target. If you want to go all out, exoterras (modified w plastic mesh at the top) work great for vivs


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## Fiadraye (Jul 2, 2021)

Ilovemybirdies said:


> Glass and hard plastic can work if you drill holes &amp; cut proper ventilation panels! It's just... harder to drill through glass haha. Mason jars are more problematic as well due to having a "lip" near the top that's hard for mantids to climb past to get to the mesh (they molt off the top)
> 
> For adults, I've housed my orchids in mesh cubes (mist often), 80 oz plastic containers, and the males work well in 32 oz deli cups. You can also use those big cheeze ball / pretzel containers at costco / target. If you want to go all out, exoterras (modified w plastic mesh at the top) work great for vivs


Got it, thank you so much for your help!


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