5.5 - Substrate
Substrate (or habitat dirt) is one topic that many mantid keepers seem to be set on.
Some keep their mantids with a bare bottom, and insert paper towel in the bottom to catch frass and leftovers. This allows them to replace the paper towel to clean the habitat. The paper towel when sprayed with water holds some moisture too.
For me I find it too unnatural, and without a substrate the habitat can not have cleaning crews (insect cleaners that also act as feeders for mantids). Substrate is a much less involved process, nothing to replace or clean, and something I don't have to think about other than to water occasionally.
If you choose to use a substrate the common options are coconut fiber (either ground shells, chips, or so-called plantation soil) and ground sphagnum peat moss.
Coconut is a good option as it is anti-fungal, good moisture absorbent material, and low odor. It typically comes in compressed bricks that you have to soak in water, or in bags loose (although you get a
lot less compared to a brick). The only real problem I find in it is the high cost and limited availability.
As my local pet store was sold out of coconut again, and I had to make a lot of nymph cups for a recently hatched ooth I had to look for other options once. I found that a huge bale of sphagnum peat moss was a much more affordable option, down right cheap - and provided the same basic substrate results (moisture/humidity control, cleaning crew living space, and no odor).
For coconut fiber at my pet store it cost about $7 for 8 quarts (compressed brick) - the bale of sphagnum peat moss was $10 for 89.81 quarts. So coconut fiber costs $0.027 an ounce and the sphagnum peat moss is $0.003 an ounce (less than a penny!). So I get 9 ounces of sphagnum peat moss for the same price as a single ounce of coconut fiber! Heck, depending on local costs in your area you may get it for the same or lower price as me, and if not it will still be lots cheaper than coconut fiber.
Anyway I've been using sphagnum peat moss for a quite awhile and have had no issues when I have a standard cleaning crew in it. Even in dryer habitats without a cleaning crew I've had only one single issue in a single habitat once, and likely that was only due to the stick itself and not the sphagnum peat moss.
If you choose to use sphagnum peat moss too, it is easily found at any garden center. Look for a variety that has nothing added to it, such as mine that is 100% organic.
Mixing substrate Part 1
Any substrate you use in your habitat will need to be moist and as long as it is not compressed, will follow the same instructions as the sphagnum peat moss I use.
Place a large enough portion of substrate into a clean bucket to fill your habitat. Then begin to mix with water, allowing the substrate to soak up the water for a couple of minutes as you mix it.
Mixing substrate Part 2
Ultimately the substrate is ready for use when it forms into a clump when pressed/gripped in your hand. Then when your fingers push lightly against the clump it falls apart (as seen in my photo images above).
If your substrate is too dry continue adding water slowly; however, if it is too wet just mix in some more substrate to soak up the extra water. If there is way too much water you can pour off the excess by holding your hand over the end of the bucket and pour the water through your closed fingers (it will hold in most of the substrate).
With the proper moisture add the substrate to your nearly finished mantid habitat, keeping it off the walls and decorations. I add about a 1/2" (1.2cm) to 1" (2.5cm) layer depending on the size of the habitat.
Cleaning Crew
A mantid habitat cleaning crew consists of springtails and isopods - although for mantid nymphs I typically use only springtails.
These are added to the a completed mantid habitat with substrate only, as they live in the substrate. Although springtails can be added before substrate too, in case you keep your springtail culture in dirt. Add a amount of springtails (in my culture a spoonful is several hundred easy) to your habitat then cover with the substrate. The springtails will be at the top, and throughout it, in just a few moments (while the substrate covers and hides their dirt).
The springtails eat mold, mantid frass, and feeder leftovers. Their population will increase and decrease as needed depending on the food levels for them. As long as the mantid habitat is kept relatively humid they should be fine. Isopods eat mites, mantid frass, and feeder leftovers too. Their population will depend on moisture levels and can increase to a point where they could be a pest (although in my mantid habitats it has never happened). Isopods require water to breathe, and if a habitat dries out too much at any point they can die off quickly.
Besides the cleaning crew keeping the habitat clean they also can be feeders for your mantids as well. Small mantid nymphs will often eat the springtails, and larger mantids will occasionally eat isopods (although typically never enough to affect their population as cleaners).
To ensure you always have enough cleaning crews for your habitats, new habitats or having to add them to old habitats too, it is easy to culture the cleaning crews themselves. They require very little maintenance or upkeep, and isopods especially, can be like pets as well.
For isopod cultures I wrote a article here,
Isopod (Pillbug, sowbug, rolly pollies) DIY habitat setup, and for springtails you can read about
my culture setup from here (I should write a simple guide about it sometime).
Substrate decoration
Some keepers like to give their mantid habitats a finished look and just plain substrate doesn't cut it.
Although I admit anymore I tend to just use plain substrate now. I worry that feeders such as crickets and others can too easily hide from the mantid, and perhaps cause it injury at a later time when it is molting. Once though a mantid was molting and a cricket was nearby on a stick and did not interfere at all, I imagine though it is not very common and should be avoided (I did get photos of them both, and returned the cricket after the mantid finished to his culture - where I imagine he finished his life from old age).
One simple solution is to put down a thin layer of Spanish moss on the top of the substrate (as seen in my photo above). I must warn you though, it tends to break-up into very tiny pieces and is near impossible to remove from the substrate. I've tried it a few times in small habitats and didn't like it; however, in larger habitats it might be great (might have to try it again in some adult habitats myself).
The other solution is to place rocks, glass beads, and such into the substrate. Giving it a more polished or natural look, especially if you use river rocks. A quick solution is to also angle the substrate itself, or form it into tiny hills. This will also give the substrate some decorative qualities all by itself.
I've also seen some keepers who use aquarium decorations such as the sign posts, shrunken pirate ships and such too. If you have some on hand to try out yourself, you might like them too. As a warning though watch out for any sharp points as they may injury your mantid.
Likely one of the best looks though, is one that has a theme throughout the habitat itself. For example
dmina made a
Fairy Garden, complete with tools. Of course there is also the
Welcome to SpongeWorld build by
Sporeworld that comes to mind.
There are no real right or wrongs in decorating as long as the mantid living in it is happy and healthy. Once you start making habitats and experimenting, your sure to find some interesting things to build yourself.
