# Our Mantis Shelf ;)



## Kloned (Mar 22, 2013)

getting our new mantis shelf all ready, for when our new arrivals get here  

the start each is a 10x10" and has 6 spots each shelving unit, It is heated with flexwatt heat tape,







got it all wired up for heat then decided we didn't like the bright color and you will see why later






so got the color changed to a dark walnut, and hung it on the wall temp to see how it looked,,, "Wife" got home and said the same thing I did, We didn't like see the wall behind it lol






So we fixed that with some poster bored











More to come!!!!!


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## Kloned (Mar 22, 2013)

still have to get the rest of the caging decorated, and the lights installed into the shelving unit, Work in progress


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## sally (Mar 22, 2013)

I love that. It looks wonderful. The background shows off the mantids nicely.


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## MandellaMandy123 (Mar 23, 2013)

Nice job! I like the color contrast  What a nice shelving unit you have to keep your mantids.


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## hibiscusmile (Mar 23, 2013)

Lookin good! I use the heat tape too, but unless your house is really cold, u dont need it for most species.


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## SilentDeviL (Mar 23, 2013)

Good set up


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## Reptiliatus (Mar 23, 2013)

Classy!


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## ScienceGirl (Mar 23, 2013)

So cool! Be careful of the toxins that may be released by heated plastic, if your mantid terrariums are plastic. Make sure that there is adaquate ventilation, too, otherwise you may (depending on heat and humidity) steam your manitds like brocculi!  It looks very good! Maybe you could see if others on the forum are interested in buying if you make extra to sell.


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## Kloned (Mar 23, 2013)

the heat tape is only heated to 80F shouldn't bother the plastic at all, and the cages are an 1/8" up off of it,, just something to bump the temps a little for them, the room they are in is usally only 68F,,, hopefully my custom made lighting will be in Monday, its going to be awesome


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## Tony C (Mar 23, 2013)

ScienceGirl said:


> So cool! Be careful of the toxins that will be released by heated plastic, if your mantid terrariums are plastic. Make sure that there is adaquate ventilation, too, otherwise you will steam your manitds like brocculi (the humidity and heat)!


Plastic enclosures heated by flexwatt tape have a long history of safety and effectiveness in the reptile and insect/arachnid hobbies, on what are your claims of "toxins" based?


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## ScienceGirl (Mar 24, 2013)

Tony C said:


> Plastic enclosures heated by flexwatt tape have a long history of safety and effectiveness in the reptile and insect/arachnid hobbies, on what are your claims of "toxins" based?


Chemistry class, research, informational sheets and sites, health studies, etc. Just search "chemicals released by plastic" into your favorite search engine, and you'll be shocked. If you need more proof than what I have listed below, it can easily be obtained.

Below I have listed studies and articles relevent to chemicals being released plastic:

A summary: Plastic products are releasing chemicals from the time that they are produced. Among the 47 chemical plants ranked highest in carcinogenic emissions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 35 are involved in plastic production. Toxic chemicals are used just to produce to plastic included: trichloroethane, acetone, methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, styrene, toluene, benzene and 1,1,1 trichloroethane. Sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, ethylene oxide, methanol, and other volatile organic compounds are released from plastic production. Though some plastic products are being labeled as "BPA free," other chemicals with less-known effects are replacing them. A study by NPR (cited below) found and stated that "_more than 70 percent of the products released chemicals that acted like estrogen. And that was before they exposed the stuff to real-world conditions: simulated sunlight, dishwashing and microwaving._"

SOURCES studies, articles:


"Most plastic products, from sippy cups to food wraps, can release chemicals that act like the sex hormone estrogen, according to a study in _Environmental Health Perspectives. The study found these chemicals even in products that didn't contain BPA, a compound in certain plastics that's been widely criticized because it mimics estrogen. PlastiPure manufactures water bottles that it says have no estrogenic chemicals. Many plastic products are now marketed as BPA-free, and manufacturers have begun substituting other chemicals whose effects aren't as well known. But it's still unclear whether people are being harmed by BPA or any other so-called estrogenic chemicals in plastics. Most studies of health effects have been done in mice and rats. [...] The testing showed that more than 70 percent of the products released chemicals that acted like estrogen. And that was before they exposed the stuff to real-world conditions: simulated sunlight, dishwashing and microwaving, Bittner says.- Study done by NPR http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals _
Hamilton, Jon. "Study: Most Plastics Leach Hormone-Like Chemicals." _NPR_. Public Broadcasting System (PBS), 2 Mar. 2011. Web. 24 Mar. 2013. http://www.npr.org/2011/03/02/134196209/study-most-plastics-leach-hormone-like-chemicals.


Study done by RoyalSocietyPublishing.org. "Transport and Release of Chemicals From Plastics to the Environment and Wildlife" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/

 Plastic Bottles Release Potentially Harmful Chemicals (Bisphenol A) After Contact With Hot Liquids http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080130092108.htm
Study by PMC, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. "Most Plastic Products Release Estrogenic Chemicals: A Potential Health Problem That Can Be Solved" http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3222987/
Article/Study by GreenBiz "BPA-Free Plastic May Release Chemicals with Estrogenic Activity" http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2011/03/03/bpa-free-plastics-release-chemicals-estrogenic-activity
Study by Rodale - where health meet life. "Study: All Plastics Are Bad for Your Body" http://www.rodale.com/chemicals-plastic
"Plastics are essentially a byproduct of petroleum refining – and, of course, petroleum is a non-renewable and rapidly declining resource. The components of oil or natural gas are heated in a “cracking” process, yielding hydrocarbon monomers that are then chemically bonded into polymers, which are long-chain molecules. Different combinations of monomers produce polymers with different characteristics. Additionally, various chemicals such as plasticizers, antioxidants, anti-static agents, colorants, flame retardants, heat stabilizers and barrier resins are added to give plastic products their performance properties.Among the 47 chemical plants ranked highest in carcinogenic emissions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 35 are involved in plastic production.

Significant releases of toxic chemicals included trichloroethane, acetone, methylene chloride, methyl ethyl ketone, styrene, toluene, benzene and 1,1,1 trichloroethane. Other major emissions from plastic production processes include sulfur oxides, nitrous oxides, ethylene oxide, methanol, and other volatile organic compounds.

Dioxins, which are highly toxic even at low doses, are produced when plastics are manufactured or incinerated. While dioxin levels in the environment have been declining for the last 30 years, they break down so slowly that some of the dioxins from past releases will still be in the environment for many years to come.

The Berkeley Plastics Task Force says that although the refining process uses waste minimization methods, air emissions are still high because of inherent difficulties in handling large flows of pressurized gases.

Manufacturing PET resin generates more toxic emissions (nickel, ethylbenzene, ethylene oxide, benzene) than manufacturing glass. Producing a PET bottle generates more than 100 times the toxic emissions to air and water than making the same size bottle out of glass, according to the Berkeley Plastics Task Force.

PVC is another type of plastic that presents notorious environmental problems. Its manufacture involves the use of hazardous raw materials, including the basic building block of plastic, vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which is explosive, highly toxic and carcinogenic. PVC production facilities have a long history of generating complex and hazardous chlorinated wastes, some of which are inevitably released into the surrounding environment.

*Health Issues*

People are exposed to these chemicals not only from the manufacturing process, but also by using products made from plastic, by eating food contained in plastic packaging and even by breathing them as they off-gas in the indoor environment.

One substance of concern is Bisphenol-A (BPA), an endocrine disruptor that has been widely used in polycarbonate products like food containers, water bottles, baby bottles, eyeglass lenses, nail polish, dental sealants, water pipes and the plastic lining of food cans. (Some plastics bearing the numbers 03 and 07 - see chart above - have been found to leach BPA.) Endocrine disruptors behave like the hormones estrogen and androgen and could wreak havoc on the body’s endocrine system. The National Clearinghouse for Worker Safety and Training reported in its newsletter in 2000 that University of Missouri researchers found that extremely low amounts – 100,000 times smaller than thought – of BPA causes reproductive problems in mice.

Earlier this year, researchers at the University of Cincinnati announced in the journal _Toxicology Letters_ that when polycarbonate bottles were exposed to boiling water, BPA was released 55 times more rapidly than when exposed to cold water. That finding had huge implications, given the widespread use of this plastic for baby bottles, which are regularly boiled for sterilization purposes."

Article by Natural Life: "*Eliminating Plastic From Our Lives*" http://www.naturallifemagazine.com/0806/asknl.htm
-This information has been compiled by ScienceGirl, the summary is original work that compiles the information found in the above cited studies and articles.-


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## Introvertebrate (Mar 24, 2013)

ScienceGirl said:


> So cool! Be careful of the toxins that may be released by heated plastic, if your mantid terrariums are plastic. Make sure that there is adaquate ventilation, too, otherwise you will steam your manitds like brocculi (the humidity and heat)!


We all know that melting plastic releases noxious fumes, but we are operating under the assumption that the tape won't get that hot. If it is getting that hot, you'll have bigger concerns than mantids.


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## Tony C (Mar 24, 2013)

Introvertebrate said:


> We all know that melting plastic releases noxious fumes, but we are operating under the assumption that the tape won't get that hot. If it is getting that hot, you'll have bigger concerns than mantids.


Not to mention that the tape itself is laminated in layers of plastic as are most, if not all, other heat mat type products. If there was an issue with these plastics being heated within the normal range of temperatures required by herps and inverts it would have become known by now.


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## ScienceGirl (Mar 24, 2013)

Introvertebrate said:


> We all know that melting plastic releases noxious fumes, but we are operating under the assumption that the tape won't get that hot. If it is getting that hot, you'll have bigger concerns than mantids.





Tony C said:


> Not to mention that the tape itself is laminated in layers of plastic as are most, if not all, other heat mat type products. If there was an issue with these plastics being heated within the normal range of temperatures required by herps and inverts it would have become known by now.


You may want to read my research again, as the studies included are more than just heating plastic. There are ones that undergo studies of sunlight, heat, etc.


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## gripen (Mar 24, 2013)

Let us operate under the assumption that these plastics do release "toxins". My question is will that effect the mantis? I ask this because I know many people who use plastic containers and heat them with either tape or heat lamps. They have all had great success with mantids. It does not appear that the "toxins" effect them at all.


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## Introvertebrate (Mar 24, 2013)

ScienceGirl said:


> ..............Dioxins, which are highly toxic even at low doses, are produced when plastics are manufactured or incinerated...................


Your info is talking about higher heat levels than we're talking about. To produce plastic items, you have to first melt them, and we've already established that incinerating plastics releases toxins. If all goes according to plan, we don't plan on melting or burning anything.


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## ScienceGirl (Mar 24, 2013)

gripen said:


> Let us operate under the assumption that these plastics do release "toxins". My question is will that effect the mantis? I ask this because I know many people who use plastic containers and heat them with either tape or heat lamps. They have all had great success with mantids. It does not appear that the "toxins" effect them at all.


I did not find studies on the first page of google results that presented cases of plastics effecting invertebrae and insects. If you are interested in seeing more, than by all means, research it!  I just presented some quality info to get you started. I'm inferring that there is some sort of effect on the mantids, and glass would definately be a safer option... But glass is harder to find, except for terrariums.

Below post: Caution is always good, and I'm just presenting some ideas.  



Introvertebrate said:


> Your info is talking about higher heat levels than we're talking about. To produce plastic items, you have to first melt them, and we've already established that incinerating plastics releases toxins. If all goes according to plan, we don't plan on melting or burning anything.


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## Kloned (Mar 28, 2013)

1 Shelving Unit Done A Few more to Build


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## sally (Mar 28, 2013)

So beautiful!


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## ScienceGirl (Mar 28, 2013)

Kloned said:


> 1 Shelving Unit Done A Few more to Build


Looks AMAZING!!! Haha, loving the fruitflies in the lower right corner. :blink: Please don't tell me that's what you're showing off when guests come over. (the fruitflies I mean  )

How many more are you building?


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## Kloned (Mar 28, 2013)

Thanks!

No lol i was in the middle of moving stuff around, to move my nymphs into there new cups they are right above the ff's

and my wife accidentally shut the light off on me and i was like WoW i gots to get a pic

Im working on 2 more shelves, right now


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## Kloned (Apr 19, 2013)

got a little more done on the new racking system








and the start of my hatchling Nymph rack,


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## Tony C (Apr 19, 2013)

Great work, love the nymph rack.


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## Paradoxica (Apr 19, 2013)

Hmmm... Looks a bit like a recycled hydroponics kit...


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## Kloned (Apr 19, 2013)

HuH?



Paradoxica said:


> Hmmm... Looks a bit like a recycled hydroponics kit...


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## mantid_mike (Apr 19, 2013)

Nice work. Looks very organized.


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## hibiscusmile (Apr 19, 2013)

I can't see the pics, are they still on the board?


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## sally (Apr 19, 2013)

I love it. The lights really look nice.


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## Kloned (Apr 19, 2013)

Hmm I can see them idk



hibiscusmile said:


> I can't see the pics, are they still on the board?


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## mantid_mike (Apr 19, 2013)

hey, is that a wine cooler next to the nymph rack?


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## Kloned (Apr 20, 2013)

LoL nope it is an exoterra reptile incubator



mantid_mike said:


> hey, is that a wine cooler next to the nymph rack?


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## ScienceGirl (Apr 20, 2013)

I LOVE THE HATCHING NYMPH RACK!!! What is next to it though? An incubator....?


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## Kloned (Apr 20, 2013)

thank you! the Nymph rack is Bug Traders idea for the 9oz cups from walmart, then I used 1/4 inch foam board and drilled 2 inch holes in it to hold the cups up so no chance of tipping over,

and yes that is a reptile incubator


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## Mvalenz (Apr 21, 2013)

I have to admit this is one of the nicest looking set ups I've seen in a while. Good job and the lights make it look so nice as well.


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## TheOtherSpecies (Apr 22, 2013)

Great Idea!


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## Coneja (Apr 23, 2013)

Wow, that's great! Inspiring when (not if) I get more mantids! (Although I have a sneaking suspicion that despite my best intentions, my future mantis set-up will end up in the same entropic state as my room  )


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