Built my first enclosures. Tell me what I did wrong so I can fix it before a mantis goes inside.

[Malakyoma]

So I built my first 2 enclosures out of pineapple cups we had. I removed most of the top of the cup and a large window in the side of the cup and hot glued screen to cover them. I then decorated with twigs and plants from the backyard (can be replaced when they wither a bit).

When I attached pictures to this post they were very large, so Im just going to link to them instead. Hope you dont mind.

http://i.imgur.com/qNds5.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/iLxWL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/t0Ddx.jpg

These are all of just one of the cups. Meant for a ghost mantis I kept it simple and the colours match somewhat. The other is meant for a creo mantis and has more plants which are much more green, but otherwise nearly identical.

 

[Paradoxica]

Looks just fine. Put some moss or papertowel to hold humidity and they will be ok for most of their lives in there.

 

[hierodula]

Looks just fine. Put some moss or papertowel to hold humidity and they will be ok for most of their lives in there.

+1

 

[petoly]

hey you stole my mouse! looks good. depending on instar I would maybe remove the leaves and give the stick less of a tilt when they are ready to molt.

 

[SilentDeviL]

Looks good just need to make sure the mesh holes are not too big or u'll have big mess when feeding FF's

 

[Malakyoma]

Looks good just need to make sure the mesh holes are not too big or u'll have big mess when feeding FF's

Same size as standard window screen.

 

[Rick]

Same size as standard window screen.

Way too large for fruit flies.

 

[Malakyoma]

Way too large for fruit flies.

Melanogaster get in my kitchen through the window all the time, but what about Hydei? Still too large?

 

[SilentDeviL]

hydie will be fine should be I use Patio Screen is the smallest u can find and Not even FF's can get through u can buy it from Rona . or I'll just cut u some lol ... i have a large piece

 

[Malakyoma]

hydie will be fine should be I use Patio Screen is the smallest u can find and Not even FF's can get through u can buy it from Rona . or I'll just cut u some lol ... i have a large piece

Well I'll show you my containers when I come get the mantids tomorrow. You can tell me if its too large.

 

[Rick]

Melanogaster get in my kitchen through the window all the time, but what about Hydei? Still too large?

Probably. They can wiggle through. I use mesh instead of screen. You can pick it up at a crafts store usually. But then again you could just try it and find out if the holes are too large for hydei.

 

[Malakyoma]

Probably. They can wiggle through. I use mesh instead of screen. You can pick it up at a crafts store usually. But then again you could just try it and find out if the holes are too large for hydei.

so far no hydei getting through.

 

[Termite48]

I would agree with Rick, but if you are not needing to feed melanogasters, maybe you are ok with the window screen. I use a mesh cloth that I get at Wal-mart.

 

[Mvalenz]

Looks good. You may have trouble keeping the humidity up with the screen on the top though.

 

[fleurdejoo]

I put screens on everything. I feel like as long as you mist a lot it's better.