Changing Container for Molting

[PowerHobo]

My current container setup is a 32oz deli container with window screen across the entire tip, a stick going from the sub to the lid to climb in case of falls, and a fake leafy plant doing the same. There is plenty of unobstructed space for molts, and yet I'm pretty sure my R megaera is preparing to molt in just the crappiest location available. He's got two feet on the plant, the other two on the lid, and I'm extremely doubtful he's got room to fully molt out and do the flip because of the plant leaves. There's really no other place on the lid that could be worse.

Is it a normal expectation to change the decor or ladder structures in the tank right before a molt?

This little guy always throws me off, because so far he's greedily accepted food on the morning of a molt for 3 molts in a row. So I don't know if I should just permanently change his enclosure (if he makes it through this molt) to eliminate anything being in the top 1/3 of the container or so, and just glue some tulle up the sides instead.

Any tips for a noob?

 

[Teamonger]

I have definitely removed the 'furniture' from the cages of problematic nymphs until they hit adult. After my first few horrible mismolts due to mantises picking foolish molting spots I tend to keep their cages pretty sparse until they are adult at which point I pimp their pads  I have also moved over to cages that have mesh on 3 sides (glued or otherwise) so the need for climbing sticks are minimized. I figured the mantises are going to spend 90% of their time hanging out on the top of the cage anyway so the decorations are more for us then them and not worth it if it puts your nymphs at risk.

I almost always remove everything from a cage when a mantis is about to molt to adult as that one requires more maneuvering. 

 

[Aristalochia]

When I hatched one of my first ooths I too, put material (shelf liner) on 3 sides, aswell as the top of the container to make sure they could grip and molt well(Idolomantis cant grip plastic well). I was used to having a stick in my first species(Miomantis paykulli) and I thought it looked barren in ther, so I stick in a few sticks for em. Even though they normally spent all their time up top, when it was time for them to molt, guess where the first ones molted? As murph's law predicted, on the sticks, an inch and a half above the ground. I had to help them get out of their skins and rescue a few off the ground cause they were having trouble, and some were being eaten...Long story short, I do not put any decor in most of my setups! As Teamonger said, that stuff is mostly for the viewer, not our little friends.

 

[Mantis Lady]

I had to help my Sphodromantis gastrica female molting because she had chosen 2x a low spot to hang. I took her out and let her hanging in my hand to molt. But good i saw her doing it and could have helped her molting or she would have died of a terrible mismolt.

Maybe I should removing fake plants too when expecting a mantis to molt, then they have to hang on the lid of the container.

 

[Rick]

You may want to remove all or most of the decoration. In my experience they spend most of their time on the lid so I didn't use any decorations in the cup. I did like to glue some fiberglass window screen to one side to assist in climbing up and down. The screen did not create any obstruction. 

 

[PowerHobo]

I must've misread his posture, as he still hasn't molted as of today (going on 32 days waiting for L6), so I got the opportunity to remove all but a single stick that goes up the side. This little guy has never had any problem climbing the sides of the deli cup itself, so the more I think about it, the less worried I am. I appreciate the advice, everyone!