DIY Petco Mantis Bowl (Fish Bowl) Enclosure

[TheOtherSpecies]

Well I've been planning to do something like this for sometime and have finally done it!

I found the item you are about to see at Petco and paid $9.99 for it at the time but I believe they have gone down to $7.99 since I first started keeping Mantids about 5-6 months back.

http://s1295.beta.photobucket.com/user/TheOtherSpecies/library/Mantis%20Enclosure

Items Needed:

Plastic Petco Fish Bowl "comes with black ring that snaps tight to the top"

Sharpe Marker

Plastic Window Screen

Low Temp Hot Glue Gun

Razor Blade or Plastic Cutting Bit for a Dremel

Dremel with Sanding Drum Bit (Optional) or Sandpaper

I hope you enjoy and get the chance to do this yourself!

 

[D_Hemptress]

interesting idea, but can it be stacked? i like being able to stack my enclosures

 

[TheOtherSpecies]

interesting idea, but can it be stacked? i like being able to stack my enclosures

Yes it can be!

http://s1295.beta.photobucket.com/user/TheOtherSpecies/media/SAM_0244_zps654de13d.jpg.html?sort=3&o=0

 

[D_Hemptress]

nice, i might have too look into this

 

[sally]

Cool idea. Looks very nice and functional also.

 

[Precarious]

You need more in there for climbing. I highly recommend fake vine with wire core stem and cloth leaves. You can buy a small coil at a craft store. Cut about 10" and curve an arch of it in your bowl so the nymph has something to climb up and down. Should it fall during molt it will be unable to stick to the sides to get back up. Plus they like to climb off the skin onto a lower surface.

I also recommend you remove that moss. I can almost guarantee your nymph will die due to infection. The moss keeps a space that small way too damp and will breed mold and/or fungus which is the leading cause of death in Orchids. When the feces and food remains drop they will begin to mold almost immediately in that environment. Best to stick to paper towel for easier cleaning.

If you find you need additional moisture put about a quarter that amount of moss in a small cup and place it on the floor of the tank. That makes it easy to clean and you can water the moss without keeping the entire floor wet.

Consider adding a small port you can block with sponge that can be used for feeding.

 

[agent A]

I also recommend you remove that moss. I can almost guarantee your nymph will die due to infection. The moss keeps a space that small way too damp and will breed mold and/or fungus which is the leading cause of death in Orchids. When the feces and food remains drop they will begin to mold almost immediately in that environment. Best to stick to paper towel for easier cleaning.

agreed

orchids actually dont need as high humidity as people think

the humidity from burritos tank was all mine needed to molt to adult and i only mist orchids 3 times a week

65% is really all they need

 

[Precarious]

agreed

orchids actually dont need as high humidity as people think

the humidity from burritos tank was all mine needed to molt to adult and i only mist orchids 3 times a week

65% is really all they need

I mist all my mantids twice a day to be extra safe. Doesn't take long and then I don't have to feel it's my fault if they missmolt. Humidity goes down in the 30 during the day in my room.

 

[agent A]

I mist all my mantids twice a day to be extra safe. Doesn't take long and then I don't have to feel it's my fault if they missmolt. Humidity goes down in the 30 during the day in my room.

hmm, my room humidity is probably up around 60% on account of the toad tank, the axolotl tank, the ventilated roach bins with wet soil and heat rope (they release a lot of water) the 2 tadpole tanks, and all my plants, but i cant really tell since a gremlin stole my hydrothermometer <_<

i used to use a humidifier till my mom found all the mold in its filter

 

[TheOtherSpecies]

No offense to either of you but I have had no problems with moss because I keep it clean and don't soak it (just a spritz or two on my mantis and the ground floor in the am and the evening). The ventilation in this enclosure is set up so the water evaporates with in an hour or so "no standing water for bacteria to form". I clean the moss out very often and replace new and only use it in my display enclosures in my living room, all my other enclosures have paper towel because it is so easy to remove and replace. Since building it last night I have added Bamboo around the interior walls too, but I like the coil idea. I don't use feeding ports unless it's for a massive amount of nymphs in one enclosure "which I have yet to experience" because I like to handle all my mantids just before feeding and spritzing after all this is my hobby not my living so time isn't an issue.

Thank you for the input though!