gadunka888
Well-known member
Ok..... since i m a mantis n00b, is excelsior necessary for mantids? in which part of the terraruim must you put it? ( on top or as a kind of substrate?
Excelsior
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jacksun
Well-known member
No, it isn't necessary. It is used to provide climbing and perching areas for the mantids and for prey to climb on. You can use other material, excelsior is just commonly used because it is clean, dry, has some rigidity, and is easy to handle and inexpensive.
So if u do use it, it can be stretched out from the botttom up, I like to wrap a piece of it around something tall and pull it near the bottom so there is plenty of hanging room.
Yea I only use a small handful when shipping, I hate having it hold all the flies down, cant hardly get them out with all that excelsior in it!
PhilinYuma
Well-known member
Yeah, I think that some folks get that idea from receiving commercial pots which are packed with the stuff, presumably to help in shipping or to provide excelsior for new pots. If you use just a little, with the strands well stretched out, the flies will perch on it like birds on a wire. Very cute, but I feed 'em anyway!
OGIGA
Dead Leaf Mantis
I find that they are only good for really small mantises or when mantises are small. Once a mantis is heavy enough, the excelsior won't provide support anymore and it'll just be in the way. It's like trying to walk in a haystack.
[email protected]
Well-known member
[SIZE=14pt]I use alittle in 32oz cups with my mantids, also some with my ff cups. In your ff what do you use if not excelsior?[/SIZE]
I started using the coruglated cardboard, and I just posted a topic on them in the food and feeding section, so many maggots and no more cup room :lol:
