# Wanted to share this with my mantis crew



## Colorcham427 (Oct 2, 2010)

Mesh hampers...  Much bigger holes for larger mantid claws, small enough holes to keep in blue bottle flies, BUT they always have NO lid. I'd love to figure out how to attach a nice ceiling with similar mesh material that gets put together without any hassel.

Hot glue? I am guessing hot glue is a lot less labor than sewing it together...

How about making a small hole just to stick your hand in?

Anyone know how to put in a zipper?

http://www.hamperonsale8sc.co.cc/mesh_hamper.html

I simply want to make some hampers into nice enclosures for my larger Idolos and other species that get big. Having a lid with similar holes, and a zipper opening or some sort of way to open it and close it without much hassle. Velcro doesn't seem too good in my opinion.


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## Colorcham427 (Oct 2, 2010)

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-Square-Mesh-Hamper-Green-Set-Of-2/14551344?findingMethod=rr

This model just looks awesome!


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## davestreasurechest (Oct 2, 2010)

they look alot like the net cages from http://www.livemonarch.com/store_enclosures.php , unless you like the cylinder shape,.. only way to do it right would be to sew a long zipper on ,


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## Rick (Oct 2, 2010)

I found one in a store several years ago that is pretty large and has a zippered closing lid. It is pretty awesome. But like you said most of them have no lid. But livemonarch net cages can do the same thing and they are designed for insects and are inexpensive.


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## LauraMG (Oct 2, 2010)

http://www.shop-insectlore.com/Butterflies/Butterfly+Pavilion+Shipped+with+Live+Caterpillars.axd

This is what I have, except I glued some screen to the top of it for gripping. InsectLore also has a "mantis pagoda" that they sell with a Chinese ootheca. This is how I got my first! I don't use the mesh cage, but I don't have the proper facilities for humidity control in my tiny 2 bedroom apartment! My ambient humidity in here sits right about 43%.


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 2, 2010)

I have ones like that, u know what they are good for? ya don't! Shipping! stick me boxes in there, know what else they are good for? ya don't! Mating! I put pairs in them and turn upside down, works great! :lol: :tt2"


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## guapoalto049 (Oct 2, 2010)

Turn that thing upside down! Put the open end on a piece of cardboard or something, easier to clean up turds and bug particles. Keep us posted if its a good Idolo molting surface.


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## Colorcham427 (Oct 2, 2010)

guapoalto049 said:


> Turn that thing upside down! Put the open end on a piece of cardboard or something, easier to clean up turds and bug particles. Keep us posted if its a good Idolo molting surface.


It is def. better for bigger Idolos because of the size of holes and fabric.

When placing it upside down the bottom has many holes so flies could get out...

I thought about doing the upside down thing! lol believe me! but it just doesn't seem like it would work well. I'll try that again.

If I do position them upside down, the ceiling will have a very smooth ceiling, so I'll have to hot glue some mesh.


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## Colorcham427 (Oct 2, 2010)

buginthebox said:


> they look alot like the net cages from http://www.livemonarch.com/store_enclosures.php , unless you like the cylinder shape,.. only way to do it right would be to sew a long zipper on ,


We all should just put in a good word to live monarch and say, if you make bigger net cages with 4 times the size of the holes, people will buy a lot of those too!!!!!!!!

They would be awesome for any adults that get bigger than a few inches lol.


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## sporeworld (Oct 3, 2010)

Local fabric store will have names of amatuer tailors or a seamstress who can throw together a cloth top for under $10. (My mom used to do stuff like that). For a few bucks more they could cut you a hole and reinforce the cut edge for popping in a foam cork (or real cork).

Of course, on the low tech side, you can always just staple the material on! One of my old butterfly nets got tore "in the field", and I just stapled it back together - ugly (I mean REALLY ugly) but functional.

I think my next project will be to DE-construct my existing wire mesh cages, and re-mesh (is that a word?) it with the clear plastic mesh offered at Mantisplace (http://www.mantisplace.com/mantisgeneralsupplies.html). I think I'll cover the back with that foamlike rubbermade shelf liner - i adhered it to the inside of an aquarium for my moths to climb up and it worked great. (I even used it as a kind of washable substrate). I may even replace one wall with plexiglass for viewing.


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## hibiscusmile (Oct 3, 2010)

won't be any cheaper, but u can set one upside down one inside one upright one, should then give the flies a fly for their money!


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## guapoalto049 (Oct 3, 2010)

Talk about good fortune! Went to the laundromat, someone left their ripped mesh hamper there by the trash. Clever me took a pair of scissors, cut a nice chunk out of the good side and pinned it to the roof of my Idolo cage! I probably looked like an idiot in there, but who will be laughing when I've got adult Idolos? ME!


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## sporeworld (Oct 3, 2010)

Did you all (y'all) see Rebecca's little honeymoon suite pics (attached)...? Is the mesh wide enough for Idols...? You could always seran wrap or tin foil the bottom if needed....


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