KevinsWither
Well-known member
Would a 32 ounce deli cup be good for an adult paradoxa mantis? I have a pair of nymphs in 32 ounce deli cups and there is a small layer of coco fiber in the bottom.
Ghost mantis enclosure
- Thread starter KevinsWither
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A adult Ghost (Phyllocrania paradoxa) is 2" (5cm) long typically. The mantid housing/habitat guideline is three times the mantis length for height/tall and two times the mantis length for width and length, which means you need a container that is 6" (15cm) high/tall and 4" (10cm) wide and long (same for a circle) for molting safety (If the mantis is already an adult you can get away with less height).
My deli cup I measured comes in at 5.75" (14.6cm) tall and 3.5" (9cm) at the base without substrate. So it is a bit less than recommended (1/4" (6mm) - 0.5" (1.2cm) less) but will work fine for the minimum size requirements if you go 1/4" (6mm) to 0.5" (1.2cm) at most on substrate.
Me personally though I keep mine in a 9" (22.8cm) tall x 6" (15.2cm) wide x 6" (15.2cm) long 1 quart containers as I think they should be offered plenty of room, and is what I have created/on-hand already. When I first started I use to give them a 10 gallon aquarium tanks for each mantid, but due to costs and space I trimmed that down.
My deli cup I measured comes in at 5.75" (14.6cm) tall and 3.5" (9cm) at the base without substrate. So it is a bit less than recommended (1/4" (6mm) - 0.5" (1.2cm) less) but will work fine for the minimum size requirements if you go 1/4" (6mm) to 0.5" (1.2cm) at most on substrate.
Me personally though I keep mine in a 9" (22.8cm) tall x 6" (15.2cm) wide x 6" (15.2cm) long 1 quart containers as I think they should be offered plenty of room, and is what I have created/on-hand already. When I first started I use to give them a 10 gallon aquarium tanks for each mantid, but due to costs and space I trimmed that down.
mantisman 230
Well-known member
Although a little cramped it can do just fine. Although they probably would appreciate a bit more room.
KevinsWither
Well-known member
I was wondering if I could potentially use a net cube and divide it in 2 for a mantis in each section?
That would depend on the size, if you can make a divider that holds securely, and if it can be opened on both ends - two zippers (otherwise you would run into problems when accessing the opposite end as both would be opened). You could though stitch in another zipper, so both ends would have one if it only came with one.
For the divider you can make it out of plastic craft/canvas mesh (see here for a related project), usually in the sewing department of stores as it is a needle craft project, or similar material.
ashleenicole
Well-known member
I've raised my female ghost in a 32 oz cup, the same kind that most people use for fruit flies. She has done well in it, it held humidity excellently and all of her molts went perfectly. However, now that she has matured I'll be moving her to a larger enclosure. It just seems a bit small for an adult and it doesn't leave a lot of room for climbing surfaces.
