Cross-Ventilation?

[MajorManny]

I've seen some mantis habitats have small holes on both sides of the container. Is this something that's a good idea? What are the pros and cons?

 

[Ranitomeya]

Cross ventilation is a good idea. The benefit of good ventilation is that you prevent bacteria and mold from growing and sickening your mantis. The problem is that you'll have to find a way to keep up humidity and spray more frequently for species that like moisture.

Ventilation is necessary even with species that require high humidity. Stagnant moisture is one way to sicken and kill your mantis. Some species are more tolerant of constantly moist and humid enclosures than others, and some species are very intolerant of moisture and humidity.

 

[MajorManny]

How would I go about it? Would I just punch holes on the sides? If so, how big should they be? I have a ventilation mesh on the top, but anything to make my mantis happier.

 

[Ranitomeya]

You can use a pin to poke a very large number of holes on the sides or you could cut a section out of the side near the bottom and hotglue some mesh or fabric.

 

[MajorManny]

Thank you so much for the advice! I might have to wait since he's so tiny now and seems a little shy of me (which I can't blame him for...my fingertip down to my first knuckle is bigger than he is) and I don't want to accidentally crush him trying to get him to climb on me. It's very different than the adult mantis I took care of in the last two months of her life. She was so 'grabby' and would climb on whenever I put my hand in her enclosure. Even the wild Carolina mantids I come across will trust me enough to .climb on me, but I guess I just need to give him some time. After all, an adult Carolina mantis is at least ten times the size of an L3 male ghost.