# Built my first enclosures. Tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it before a mantis goes inside.



## Malakyoma (Oct 23, 2012)

So I built my first 2 enclosures out of pineapple cups we had. I removed most of the top of the cup and a large window in the side of the cup and hot glued screen to cover them. I then decorated with twigs and plants from the backyard (can be replaced when they wither a bit).

When I attached pictures to this post they were very large, so Im just going to link to them instead. Hope you dont mind.

http://i.imgur.com/qNds5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iLxWL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/t0Ddx.jpg

These are all of just one of the cups. Meant for a ghost mantis I kept it simple and the colours match somewhat. The other is meant for a creo mantis and has more plants which are much more green, but otherwise nearly identical.


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## Paradoxica (Oct 23, 2012)

Looks just fine. Put some moss or papertowel to hold humidity and they will be ok for most of their lives in there.


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## hierodula (Oct 23, 2012)

Paradoxica said:


> Looks just fine. Put some moss or papertowel to hold humidity and they will be ok for most of their lives in there.


+1


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## petoly (Oct 23, 2012)

hey you stole my mouse! looks good. depending on instar I would maybe remove the leaves and give the stick less of a tilt when they are ready to molt.


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## SilentDeviL (Oct 25, 2012)

Looks good just need to make sure the mesh holes are not too big or u'll have big mess when feeding FF's


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## Malakyoma (Oct 25, 2012)

SilentDeviL said:


> Looks good just need to make sure the mesh holes are not too big or u'll have big mess when feeding FF's


Same size as standard window screen.


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## Rick (Oct 25, 2012)

Malakyoma said:


> Same size as standard window screen.


Way too large for fruit flies.


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## Malakyoma (Oct 25, 2012)

Rick said:


> Way too large for fruit flies.


Melanogaster get in my kitchen through the window all the time, but what about Hydei? Still too large?


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## SilentDeviL (Oct 25, 2012)

hydie will be fine should be I use Patio Screen is the smallest u can find and Not even FF's can get through u can buy it from Rona . or I'll just cut u some lol ... i have a large piece


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## Malakyoma (Oct 25, 2012)

SilentDeviL said:


> hydie will be fine should be I use Patio Screen is the smallest u can find and Not even FF's can get through u can buy it from Rona . or I'll just cut u some lol ... i have a large piece


Well I'll show you my containers when I come get the mantids tomorrow. You can tell me if its too large.


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## Rick (Oct 26, 2012)

Malakyoma said:


> Melanogaster get in my kitchen through the window all the time, but what about Hydei? Still too large?


Probably. They can wiggle through. I use mesh instead of screen. You can pick it up at a crafts store usually. But then again you could just try it and find out if the holes are too large for hydei.


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## Malakyoma (Oct 29, 2012)

Rick said:


> Probably. They can wiggle through. I use mesh instead of screen. You can pick it up at a crafts store usually. But then again you could just try it and find out if the holes are too large for hydei.


so far no hydei getting through.


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## Termite48 (Oct 29, 2012)

I would agree with Rick, but if you are not needing to feed melanogasters, maybe you are ok with the window screen. I use a mesh cloth that I get at Wal-mart.


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## Mvalenz (Oct 30, 2012)

Looks good. You may have trouble keeping the humidity up with the screen on the top though.


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## fleurdejoo (Nov 9, 2012)

I put screens on everything. I feel like as long as you mist a lot it's better.


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