How do I Water Substrate?

[Mantis Man13]

Hello, I have a setup where I have a 10 gallon tank for my mantis, a giant stick, and then some exoterra dirt substrate I got at the pet store. How do I water the substrate? How often? How do I make sure to not fill it up too much? What do I put the water in to water it with? please answer all these questions in order if you can. Thanks!

 

[Mantis Man13]

https://postimg.cc/RqfY87h7

 

[Mantis Man13]

Copy and paste that link to see my setup. 

 

[Mantis Man13]

Oh I forgot to tell you the substrate is 2 inches deep so im assuming it will need a lot of water?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Don’t tell me you are cohabing them...

 

[nzxmUyZNKEBoqN3e]

Don’t tell me you are cohabing them...

I'm assuming by giant stick he means a large branch and not the insect... 

 

[MantisGirl13]

I'm assuming by giant stick he means a large branch and not the insect... 

I hope so! 

@Mantis Man13 You can mist the dirt every day, but unless your mantis is one that thrives in high humidity I wouldn't mist it too heavily. 

- MantisGirl13

 

[Mantis Man13]

Its just a stick not a stick insect. Im just wondering how much do I mist? Do I pour water or mist and how heavily?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Ok good. I’ve had too many people cohab stick insects and mantids...

 

[Mantis Man13]

Whats bad about doing that? Will the mantis eat the stick insect?

 

[Mantis Man13]

And can you also answer my question about pouring or misting the substrate? And how much?

 

[MrGhostMantis]

Oh, they stress each other out and yes, cannibalism can occur. If you want the sub moist, heavily mist or pour water into it.

 

[Mantid-Tim]

You should get a hygrometer in the terrarium and this way you can tell how much you need to mist the substrate. There is no exact formula or method that works in all situations. Experiment, i.e. trial-and-error, and its hard to do that without a hygrometer....

 

[MantisGirl13]

However you end up wetting the substrate, make sure the tank doesn't get too humid for the species. And the minute you see any mold, you might need to rethink the enclosure or completely change the substrate and keep it dryer.

- MantisGirl13