Gongy and light

[Morpheus uk]

Ive been after these for ages now but still unsure about the heating/lighting.

Do have to have lighting or could a heat matt do?

Does it have to saty on in the day or just winter and at night?

 

[tier]

Very bright light is absolutely necessary.

I use at least 40W spots directly above my smaller cages. They run 12h/day from 8AM till 8PM.

I have at least 30W heating-cables underneath the smaller cages, running 24/7 (in winter as well as in hot summer days).

This guaranties they have at least 26°C at nighttime and 38°C at daytime, but they like it to hang ditectly in the light's spot (about 45-55°C) very often.

It ist very easy: 35°C daytime is too less for them. Much too less.

Only a heat map without light is simply not possible.

They need incredible lot of electricity and flies. :lol:

regards,

tier

 

[Kruszakus]

I have to be honest - I didn't understand a word of that...

What is "saty"?

Any source of heating will do, if it can provide 40C - but with the heating lamp there can be a problem - if you place it in a cage, or anywhere near it, the mantis may toats its legs and it will bite them off.

But know this - the heatinh mat does not cut it when it comet to some really high temperatures - but the lamp will heat up the air significantly and it will spread all over the enclosure. Heating mats are good if you keep your mantids in a cupboard or a closet - but very large cages require a heating lamp.

 

[Morpheus uk]

My only option is a heat matt if that will do

 

[Kruszakus]

I use old fashioned 11V lamps - they heat up to a nice temperature, it will raise up the temperature just a bit. Furthermore, I put the containers in a large cupboard to prevent the hot air from getting out. I apply heating 25V cables from two sides - first goes under the container, the second one goes to heat the back wall in the cupboard - I put some aluminium foil on the cables so it heats up and provides additional heat.

It can easily heat up the air inside the cupboard to 38-40C - I don't have Gongylus, but Idolomorpha lateralis - a bit easier to rear, but still - requires similar conditions, and I have to say that my babies are doing well.

 

[Gurd]

When I got mine I was told they need 12hrs of light a day and heatmat 24/7

The electricity is less than what my 2 aquariums were using so the nagging from parents has gone down