# L-2 Ghosts together



## dlemmings (Feb 26, 2012)

Well all or nearly all my L-1 Ghosts have molted and are L-2. I have them in a deli-cup that is half the size of a 32 oz.







This morning while doing a head count I kept coming up one short...found one Ghost with head missing...I pulled body out with tweezers and it would still move a bit...there were still 5-10 fruit flys in there. is this container too small?

Should I go 32oz for more hiding space? did not think I would need to worry about them so early!!

Poor ghostie:


----------



## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

they usually are pretty good when young. But as they get older seperate them by sexes.

You shouldnt worry. You have a lot left


----------



## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

I have my 6 L3's in a 32oz container. no fatalities. Your cups look a bit crowded with plants. That could have been the problem.


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 26, 2012)

maybe, I have two silk flowers one glued to top and the other to bottom with spagum moss substrate and a little excelsior to climb on...what do you think? here is a better pic...


----------



## CoolMantid (Feb 26, 2012)

Put them in a 32 oz so there are no more fatalities


----------



## beatsnotbombs (Feb 26, 2012)

i think that's a bit too much for comfort. since i know they love hanging from things (high elevation preferably). I usually leave a good 1-2 inches of free space between the lid and the plants on the bottom. I try to include a long of perching places too!


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 26, 2012)

they were just so tiny...






the 32 oz lloked like it might hide the food and make the Ghosts look at each other like in the cartoons where one guys buddy suddenly looks like a steak!!!! (date wrong on camera)


----------



## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

I would say ditch the substrate and silk flowers and stick to the exerciser. It also looks a bit to wet in there for comfort.


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 26, 2012)

I just misted everything as it is time for the lights to come on and it gets dry after a bit


----------



## hibiscusmile (Feb 26, 2012)

I agree with gripen, to much moisture, and they really need more room, I leave mine in a 32 oz just for a couple days, then they have to be evicted and find another apt building!


----------



## gripen (Feb 26, 2012)

mantiscurious said:


> I just misted everything as it is time for the lights to come on and it gets dry after a bit


OK. Other than that your ghosts are lucky to live in such a nice home!


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 26, 2012)

hibiscusmile said:


> I agree with gripen, to much moisture, and they really need more room, I leave mine in a 32 oz just for a couple days, then they have to be evicted and find another apt building!


So you think at freshly L-2 they need MORE room than a 32 oz deli?...wont they have a harder time finding the FF's?


----------



## warpdrive (Feb 26, 2012)

mantiscurious said:


> So you think at freshly L-2 they need MORE room than a 32 oz deli?...wont they have a harder time finding the FF's?


I agree with Rebecca, that is too much misting then is needed. just light, 2 or 3 pumps from your sprayer and you'll be fine with them.

yes it will get dryer, faster. but that is what you'll need.

depending on how many you have, yes, move them.

I keep about 5 per 32 ounce tub at that size. any more and they get split up. as they molt, one will get removed to another tub. so by L5 I only have 1 or 2 max per 32 ounce container. the fruit flys at this time will find the mantids (their mistake), so don't worrie.

Harry


----------



## Davedood (Feb 26, 2012)

I like to use those $6 Cheeseball containers.


----------



## Davedood (Feb 26, 2012)

Here with the Mantids


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Feb 26, 2012)

Davedood said:


> Here with the Mantids


Fantastic mantis house! You may want to add a feeding port(foam stopper)to make life a little easier?


----------



## Davedood (Feb 26, 2012)

I usually just crack the edge and pour them in. I guess I could use a foam plug.


----------



## patrickfraser (Feb 26, 2012)

I LOVE THOSE! I hatch ooths in them and don't worry about separating the nymphs.


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 27, 2012)

okay...was hoping to keep em communal but since there are a handfull and I do not relish losing ANY of them I will have to make more room in my aquarium...


----------



## warpdrive (Feb 27, 2012)

mantiscurious said:


> okay...was hoping to keep em communal but since there are a handfull and I do not relish losing ANY of them I will have to make more room in my aquarium...


I always kept them communaly. I just would use larger containers if you have many. they are too easy so ghosts will work with you if you let them.

most of my males would slow down on the feeding all on their own. so by the time my females were ready, my males were too.

I will remove a full adult from the community so there will be no issues. but that just means that you move it to the grown up community container/cage/tank/exoterra.

that $6 cheese ball container is a good example. buy one or two and you are not only are good in the container department, but you get some cheese balls as a present. :santa: 

Harry


----------



## Davedood (Feb 27, 2012)

lol I give the cheese balls to my nephew.


----------



## dlemmings (Feb 27, 2012)

funny, my daughter bought one of those big containers of cheesballs and I have been bugging her to eat them all so I can use it...


----------



## Chivalry (Mar 1, 2012)

I had 2 mismolts at lower instars, moved my 5 L3s to a 12" net cube and no more mismolts. I personally think ventilation is pretty important for these guys, based on my limited experience. They're something like L5 now and no fatalities from mismolt or cannibalism. I'll probably separate genders when we start getting subadults.


----------



## dlemmings (Mar 2, 2012)

yeah I really want to do the mesh cubes or build something...just been colder than norm here in calif. so I got all my guys &amp; gals packed in this set up


----------



## CoolMantid (Mar 2, 2012)

Nice. I like how you control humidity. It seems perfect for a vaction


----------



## dlemmings (Mar 2, 2012)

it works okay...needs tweeking

I moved the Ghosts to a 32 oz deli for more space and will move them Sunday to an enclosure i am making from a twizzler container...gotta work out the details...here is preliminary idea


----------



## CoolMantid (Mar 2, 2012)

Hot glue the brances to the walss so there is no slipping and sliding. You should also attach paper towel to the top for gripping. Oooh and a substrate


----------



## dlemmings (Mar 3, 2012)

gonna glue the twigs, add some mesh (but i am worried if I cut the octogonal top "knob" off, It wont be as strong...it unscrews from the bottom part) to the top or maybe cut ports on the sides and glue mesh there. substrate for sure, gotta get more spagum moss or if i can find some of the coconut stuff I have read about. add is some color, silk flowers or some color full sponges "Spongeworld" style. I will try to finish it this weekedn but I work today so that leaves just Sunday after church


----------



## CoolMantid (Mar 3, 2012)

Post pics when you can!


----------



## angelofdeathzz (Mar 3, 2012)

Hot gluing the branches in place will make it a drag to clean, I use branches in all my enclosures with no glue, just cut them in a way that fits snug(can't roll) and it will be OK.


----------



## dlemmings (Mar 5, 2012)

the hot glue I use comes of with minimal force, this also allows me to change out sticks as they start to discolor.

since I switched to distilled water I get less spotting, but use nearly a gallon per week (almost) so we will see.

I like changing up enclosures from time to time. even the critter keepers get new furniture periodically .


----------



## Termite48 (Mar 7, 2012)

If you do not want to go with the expense or the size of the cheese ball container, there is nothing wrong with the 80 oz container that Rebecca sells with a vented lid. Throw in a few of the silk plants for which there is room and that is ideal for the Ghosts. There will be plenty of places to hide and the humidity is easy to control. More volume means more forgiveness if the conditions are off a bit.


----------



## dlemmings (Mar 7, 2012)

I have considered those as well as the mesh cubes (I want at least 1 to see if it fits my aquarium "winter home". If not I can keep my BBF in the cube or use it for my gongys once the ooth hatches. I am still in the infancy stage of this hobby and trying to keep the wife convinced it is not an expensive hobby, which it does not need to be....

But gosh those nano's look great!! and would'nt it be nice to have a humidifier and light &amp; heat with cool timers and temp/humidity switching to keep everything just "perfect".

I am still trying to visualize a completely hands free BBF rearing machine with air assisted metering into plastic "test-tubes" to be attached via a custom port to each mantids little suite...while also "dusting" them with a special blend of bee pollen, powdered honey, 11 essential vitamin-mineral-proteins, and miracle-grow to guarantee mantid health and a healthy glow!!!!


----------



## dlemmings (Apr 26, 2012)

here is the finished product:






have my Viloin in there for the moment

looks a little "too" moist but have not sprayed in a couple days and she could molt soon so I will wipe it dry if the moss does not suck up the moisture


----------



## CoolMantid (Apr 28, 2012)

I dont see a pic


----------



## patrickfraser (Apr 28, 2012)

You may want better ventilation than the small holes on the top. Maybe make a screened side panel. It shouldn't stay wet for _that _long and it looks like a breeding ground for bacteria and germies.


----------



## mkayum (Apr 28, 2012)

Use earth eco? It's made of coconut fibers &amp; husks. I use it to keep humid for my ooth.


----------



## dlemmings (Apr 28, 2012)

they like it on the dry side, I just cleaned it out which is why it is so wet, I just changed out the moss, and put her lid on for the pic. I then took the lid back off and wiped the walls dry. the moss drys out fairly quick as her enclosure sits right under the light. I figured the bump in humidity for a day or two will help her next molt which should be coming this week or maybe next...she still takes BBF within half an hour of putting it in the enclosure. she comes out every day and I check the moss to be sure it is not "damp" but not dry either. it has worked okay so far


----------



## dlemmings (Apr 28, 2012)

I hope to use this as a ghost enclosure and build a net enclosure for the Violin...better ventilation...just Put the Violin in here since she is due to molt and it is nice and tall.


----------

