Amazing idea for an amazing shelter

[Quake]

I just measured all the spots for affixing shelves, and if I put everything on the first peg, I will have 5 enclosures of the following sizes:

12inH X 29inW X 11in D

13inH X 29inW X 11in D

14inH X 29inW X 11in D

12inH X 29inW X 11in D

11inH X 29inW X 11in D

Each roughly the size of a 15 gallon tank, but I will most likely knock out somee shelves to make atleast one group home/ breeding chamber.

 

[Quake]

I was thinking of painting each section a different color, instead of just sanding it down, because taking off the old paint may take off the lamination, and cause swelling and mold .

Is it iokay to paint an enclosure, or will it somehow harm the mantids? I know they won't try and eat it or something, but would any lingering fumes or dust transfer to the mantid harm it?

 

[d0rk2dafullest]

why not use uhmm fish background instead? or any kinda background? wallpaper, stencils,

be creative =P

 

[Quake]

I was going to lay a layer of spraypaint or house paint down to make it more waterproof, because I realized there is a part at the top where I took a small chunk out, probably from moving it around or what I had in it at one point, but that exposed the wood. So I was going to waterproof it and then paint a background of plants like you would normally do in a fish tank.

 

[d0rk2dafullest]

OhhHhHhH :mellow:

that sounds cool, you know how to airbrush? that makes it look really sick. i think if you repaint with housepaint let dry and then airbrush or just brush

paint it on, you'd be good i keep thinking you're gonna spray can it haha. that to me would seem unsafe, although bursh paint on the other hand, seems

way safer to me =P

oh yeah if you do choose to spray paint let dry for a while. dont u just hate the smell of spray paint? i use to spray paint lip kits for cars and stuff. I like to brush paint a lot better, im not as scared to **** up

 

[Quake]

I am not amazing at airbrushing, but my friend has a kit, and I have some experience from using it. I am thinking just laying down a layer of white, then some shading with black and brown, and then handpaint on plants.

 

[d0rk2dafullest]

yeah you should be good, lets see when ur done!

 

[d0rk2dafullest]

Hey was wondering hows ur enclosure going?

 

[Quake]

Sorry guys. I let my first 2 mantids grow while I focused on school. (My first year of college)

I am going to get back to the project, but due to the chunk of laminate and wood missing I mentioned before, the shelf swelled a little from humidity and the work. I thought about it, and termites, mold, and such things are a danger now, so I am going to finish the project on a smaller shelf. Same height and depth, but a lot less wide, which is good for keeping single mantids anyway.

Remind me to post updates :blink: