ikea insect housing :D

[infinity]

Went to ikea yesterday and found something that could be SO useful!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Ikea-FANGST-hanging-...1QQcmdZViewItem

- unfortunately the IKEA site doesn't have pics (well, I couldn't find them anyway...) - so i did a search on ebay. As fate would have it, they're actually cheaper on ebay! (RRP = ~£2.50).

Basically they're hanging net *toy organisers* in the shape of a 30cm wide cylinder with cotton divisions in at gaps of ~30 cm... I just thought these looked perfect for keeping mantids in! - The holes in the fabric are large enough to let frass out of, small enough to keep nymphs in and all of them have a hole about 15 cm diameter to allow access - which could easily be *locked* with a small piece of fabric and a safety pin...

Just thought I'd share it with you - look up the word FANGST in ebay

 

[Rick]

Could work. I use those collapsible laundry hampers that look like that for mantids sometimes.

 

[Ian]

Yea! Everytime I see them in Ikea I want to buy one...altho I kidna think that maybe the hole will be to big, and there wouldn't be a very easy of filling in the round holes?

But defo an mantid organiser!

 

[infinity]

shows how long i haven't been to ikea! - sounds like they've been around for ages...

I just think 3 or so safety pins might sort it out... but prey might have to be something slightly less 'escapologist' than crix.... but would make a good mating/ breeding/ rearing enclosure... Honestly though, best would be for caterpillar rearing... aerated, easy access etc..

 

[wuwu]

i love ikea. they should really expand their pet supplies dept., perhaps into mantid territory?

 

[bruty2fruity]

Yea! Everytime I see them in Ikea I want to buy one...altho I kidna think that maybe the hole will be to big, and there wouldn't be a very easy of filling in the round holes?But defo an mantid organiser!

it would be easy. just get to sections of cloth, joined by a zip join...simply sew it ower the hole. theres a few of those near me n all in those bazar type stores that sell things for a quid.

where the heck do you get those expandable cages from anyway ian

 

[yen_saw]

I have thought of that too, but cleaning the net cages can be tricky.

 

[Ian]

where the heck do you get those expandable cages from anyway ian

Which cages you mean?

 

[bruty2fruity]

the ones on your store for a quid

 

[infinity]

Could be the lazy side of me talking... but if you buy effectively 6 enclosures with the ikea thing for 2 quid... who cares about cleaning! - throw them away after!!! - but looking at them, the hole size seems big enough to let frass fall through anyway so with mantids- as the frass is dry (unless they do that sicky thing) - they should stay clean forever!

 

[Ian]

Oh those...I got them off no-one better than Alan (Ellroy) He is the man for insect housing...I think maybe he owns the chain that produces them?