Humidity problems

[Mantida]

I did a search and didn't exactly find what I wanted, although there is probably a topic on this already.

I've basically never sprayed my mantid enclosures and everyone has always been molting fine. I haven't had a mismolt in an extremely long time until yesterday. Since it's winter, the heater has been running and sapping the air of any moisture whatsoever. The humidity is probably down to a good zero percent or if it's even possible to go into the negatives, it's there. I am sick, and dry air makes my throat itch and cough, and I've been itching and coughing violently so I know the air is pretty darn dry.

Last night one of my Oxypilus females mismolted. The exoskeleton was easy to pull off of her, but she was still stuck. I was paranoid about the dryness thing, and added some foam to each of the mantids' containers and sprayed for probably the first time ever if any one else was going to molt.

My question is, how do you guys deal with winter dryness? Constant spraying? Substrate? Or a room humidifier? I plan on buying a humidifier for the room once I get around to it, to help with my throat and my mantids.

 

[macro junkie]

iv started using sphagnum moss from Rebeca and humidity is where i want it and it takes longer to dry out than vermiculite..your using tissue..i use tissue in the small cups but dam does it dry out fast if your room is 75f..moss is just what i need..i want to get some tips from rick on moss..i think he uses all the time?

 

[Rick]

Half inch of moist spahgnum moss in the bottom of each enclosure for nymphs and those who "need" higher humidity. If you're heating the mantids keep in mind that will dry things out even faster.

 

[joossa]

^Ditto. Sphagnum never fails. Lowes always carries it, so check it out. Adjust your spraying accordingly after the addition of the moss... too much moisture and not enough air circulation can lead to fungus/mold growth.

Sorry to hear about the mismolt.