Glass vs. Plastic

[Engraver30]

I am fairly new to the mantid scene, but I perfer to us acrylic. I have a wide variety of bugs and other critters and I find that acrylic is easy to clean up. Another nice thing about acrylic is that if you drop it, it won't shatter into a million pieces that can cut you or your kids. I have three little ones running around my house and I feel safer using acrylic rather than glass.

 

[athicks]

I use both

I like plastic because it is light and you don't have to worry about it breaking. But I personally think that the glass terrariums look so much better

 

[Asa]

The reason I voted for glass was also for the looks. Appears I'm heavily outnumbered.

 

[randyardvark]

its because most of us are cheap skates with loads of mantids glass looks nicer but isnt nearly as cheap or practical

 

[Asa]

I don't keep a whole lot. No more than 6-8 species at a time. Usually only about 5-10 of each species. Most of them are nymphs too. I get all my glass from meatball containers.

 

[jfmantis]

I don't know if any of you guys have had this problem: After I mist my glass cages, some of the mantids have trouble climbing up the sides of the cage . I'm gradually moving them all into plastic though.

 

[OGIGA]

I don't know if any of you guys have had this problem: After I mist my glass cages, some of the mantids have trouble climbing up the sides of the cage . I'm gradually moving them all into plastic though.

Really? Mine are perfectly fine except when they glass is wet.

 

[Asa]

I don't know if any of you guys have had this problem: After I mist my glass cages, some of the mantids have trouble climbing up the sides of the cage . I'm gradually moving them all into plastic though.

Really? Mine are perfectly fine except when they glass is wet.

That's what he just said. When he mists them. It doesn't really matter, as long as it doesn't stay wet forever.

 

[randyardvark]

polystryne cups are nice ven crix can climb the side so your mantis can eat them

 

[Asa]

That should have been in the poll.

 

[randyardvark]

its a type of plastic

 

[OGIGA]

I don't know if any of you guys have had this problem: After I mist my glass cages, some of the mantids have trouble climbing up the sides of the cage . I'm gradually moving them all into plastic though.

Really? Mine are perfectly fine except when they glass is wet.

That's what he just said. When he mists them. It doesn't really matter, as long as it doesn't stay wet forever.

How do you know that he meant that they can't climb only when the glass is wet? Sounds possible that he could have meant that they have trouble climbing after he misted, even after it dried.

 

[Asa]

But a special type. Specifics :wink:

 

[skinzfan72]

Me being a newby I have one plastic critter keeper and one 5 gal glass aquarium. The big thing I am noticing is humidity issues. As i type my plastic one is at 50ish and the glass one is around 30. Same room same temps I am guessing plastic just keeps humidity easier.

 

[thebugwife]

I like 12oz - 24oz cold beverage cups for the Nymphs, they are cheaper than deli cups and taller. The lids have straw holes, so when they are small I just fill up a condiment squeeze bottle with fruit flies and squeeze them in fast and easy!

Food Grade Plastic containers from the $1 store are great if you want a large cage for cheap, if you check out a couple your bound to find a few different sizes, shapes and translucencies, I cut out a side with a hot knife and glue on a screen for ventilation and easy misting, and if you get textured plastic its easy for them to climb. I made about 25 of them last year so there is always one handy....

But I'm with Asa, I still like glass better! Most of what we have is stock and not pets so they only live in it for a short time for that plastic is easier.

My pets all have glass!

Oh yeah and the extra poisons things get tight sealing plastic, who wants broken glass and a scorpion on the loose!

 

[Djoul]

cheaper and easier to clean, Plastic for me

But sometimes I like to do a terrarium in glass on my desk with a mantis just for design

 

[Krissim Klaw]

I use fine mesh cages for babies and screened ones for adults. I find the mantises seem to have a much easier time climbing around than slippery glass or plastic cages. My Chinese don't even bother with sticks because they enjoy hanging on to the screened sides and ceiling so much.

 

[Dave_B]

I just fill up a condiment squeeze bottle with fruit flies and squeeze them in fast and easy!

Could you say more about this? How do you get the flies into the condiment bottle and then out again through the hole in the top...by tapping them?

 

[tnienhaus]

I'm still fairly new to this but my suggestion would be plastic...its usually easier to work with and its readily available...I am using a plastic container that's approx. 3 gallons and I was able to cut and screen it to my liking...

However...from everything I've read...regardless of what you use...make sure your mantids have plenty of things to hang on...they seem to get really stressed out when they have to climb plastic or glass so I attach lots of mesh-like things to the sides....it allows them to relax a little more when climbing and makes it easier to catch their food...

 

[muleyyy]

i'm going to vote for plastic too, i have an exo terra tank but i find its a bit heavy to move about, plus you've got the worry of it getting broken, the other thing is, i live in a hard water area, and i get a gradual build up of limescale on the sides of the tank from when i mist it, i filter my water but you still get some (i wont buy bottled water, it just aint ethical)

with a glass tank its a big hassle to take all the substrate out and scrub the sides, but with a plastic one when it comes to cleaning everything out its quick n' easy, plus plastic containers are easier to store, most will stack nicely