# Exo Terra Explorarium-All Mesh Collapsable Enclosure



## fortran42 (Jan 4, 2012)

Was wondering if any of you all have used or have any experience with these enclosures...they look like an old japanese beetle trap..but are interesting. I remember reading somewhere about using collapsable laundry baskets as well?

Thanks-ChrisV


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## frogparty (Jan 4, 2012)

They seem overpriced. I think livemonarch.com sells a comparable product that's much more affordable


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## Chivalry (Jan 4, 2012)

I don't have one but I liked that they are hangable (cats are an issue here). Can you hang the net cubes?


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## frogparty (Jan 4, 2012)

Ikea also sells collapsible laundry cylinders that look very similar


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## meaganelise9 (Jan 4, 2012)

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10191259/

http://www.carolina.com/product/living+organisms/animals/butterflies/carolina+butterfly+sanctuary.do?sortby=ourPicks

http://www.amazon.com/Fascinations-GreenEarth-Praying-Mantis-Kit/dp/B000GYWXM8/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1325692481&amp;sr=1-1

these are pretty much all the same.


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## Precarious (Jan 4, 2012)

meaganelise9 said:


> http://www.ikea.com/...ducts/10191259/
> 
> http://www.carolina....sortby=ourPicks
> 
> ...


Thanks for the links!


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## Mvalenz (Jan 4, 2012)

I saw a one at hobby lobby for $19.99. It can be hung also. It comes with a coupon for 3-5 butterfly larvae, which you can later feed to your mantis also.

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/products/live-butterfly-garden-878058/


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## jcal (Jan 4, 2012)

Does the ikea one zip shut? Can't beat that price


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## meaganelise9 (Jan 4, 2012)

Mvalenz said:


> I saw a one at hobby lobby for $19.99. It can be hung also. It comes with a coupon for 3-5 butterfly larvae, which you can later feed to your mantis also.
> 
> http://shop.hobbylob...-garden-878058/


I'm raising some painted ladies right now! I got them from Carolina.com. One came out of its chrysalis today. It's pretty cool. Then I can reuse the mesh house for nymphs or moths.


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## meaganelise9 (Jan 4, 2012)

jcal said:


> Does the ikea one zip shut? Can't beat that price


That's a good question.. That's the one of the three I don't have. The other two zip and can be hung.


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## patrickfraser (Jan 4, 2012)

It doesn't zip. Just a top flap with a velcro square to keep it closed. I had some violins in one and the top being closed was enough to keep in the BB. Smaller mantids and that take smaller feeders I wouldn't recommend it for. I mainly use them now for mating. I have a "stick-y" branch from my orange tree and I just pop one open, toss in the branch(cut to fit with little movement when in place), and once I get a pair going for it on a smaller branch I add that to the enclosure and close the top. Lots of room for escape and plenty of getting around room. It works very well. AND...the price IS phenomenal if you can make it work for what you need.


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## Krissim Klaw (Jan 5, 2012)

I have one of the exo terra explorariums. It is a nice high quality cage. The netting is a little tougher than most net cages I've seen, probably because it was made with herps in mind rather than just an insect cage. The weave in the netting is also a little larger so not a cage you want to use small fruit flies with but everything else should be fine. Because of this most of the mantis turds will also fall right through the bottom weave, but a lovely plastic bottom is included to go around the outside so it makes cleaning easy since you can just pull that off and dump the waste then put it back on.

I like the fact that when it hangs the top isn't flat but goes up in subtle slop. The zip door could be larger. It can be a bit of a pain trying to get sticks in and remove mantises.

Overall however I still prefer the Live Monarch ones. It is nice to hang the Exo Terra ones, but I find the white mesh so much easier to see stuff in and you can't beat the price.


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## Mvalenz (Jan 5, 2012)

meaganelise9 said:


> I'm raising some painted ladies right now! I got them from Carolina.com. One came out of its chrysalis today. It's pretty cool. Then I can reuse the mesh house for nymphs or moths.


I saw the pic of your painted lady. It is a cute little thing. I bet it will make a tasty mantis treat.


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## fortran42 (Jan 5, 2012)

Thanks for all the input guys...I remember making a screen top for my 2.5gal aquarium from fiberglass/plastic screen..crickets ate right through it! Is this a problem with the explorarium or other mesh enclosures??

Thanks again-CV


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## Krissim Klaw (Jan 5, 2012)

ChrisV said:


> Thanks for all the input guys...I remember making a screen top for my 2.5gal aquarium from fiberglass/plastic screen..crickets ate right through it! Is this a problem with the explorarium or other mesh enclosures??
> 
> Thanks again-CV


I've never had a cricket chew any of my net cages but then again my crickets are well fed and don't tend to be left for long stretches in my net cages. I'm sure one could chew through a net cage though if it decided it really wanted to.


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## lancaster1313 (Jan 5, 2012)

Krissim Klaw said:


> I've never had a cricket chew any of my net cages but then again my crickets are well fed and don't tend to be left for long stretches in my net cages. I'm sure one could chew through a net cage though if it decided it really wanted to.


Sometimes I see and hear crickets chewing on the metal screen that I put in the top of their enclosure. They have bent it all up, but not gone through.  They are naughty!

I am sure that they could easily chew through a net enclosure, but they also haven't done it to any of mine. I try to only feed what will be eaten immediately in the net cages, unless it is flies that I am feeding.


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## Skylineblinkfan (Jan 5, 2012)

Walmart has been seeling those monarch net cages for $9. I bought two myself. They are good for bigger mantids, i only put how many crickets are going to get ate before they start to chew. I havent had any problems with them and no holes from crickets either.


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## patrickfraser (Jan 5, 2012)

Walmart? I never go in there. What section? I might have to check them out.


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## Skylineblinkfan (Jan 5, 2012)

Whenever i go i see them where i got them, which is in the sale section. The walmarts around here usually have 1 or 2 isles dedicated to "sale" items.


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