Is this a suitable enclosure?

[UKMantid]

Hi all,

I'm hoping you can give me some advice on this enclosure I've found. It looks ideal to me, but I'm a complete novice so I wouldn't really know  The top mesh IS rather large. Would this give me problems maintaining humidity? I plan on keeping a couple of Ghost Mantis in here, with some coconut fibre covered with some bunched of sphagnum moss as the substrate so this should allow me to maintain adequate humidity I would think? (The video at the bottom gives a nice overview of it, and a better view of the vented areas to get an idea of how big the holes are).

http://www.petsathome.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/pets/exo-terra-glass-terrarium-(online-only)?CAWELAID=120267720000003011&cm_mmc=&ito=GAG46973022911&itc=GAC206868620778&itkw=nil&itaexid=&itawnw=search&itawmt=&itadvc=c&gclid=Cj0KCQjw24nNBRChARIsALldLD3ZdQI4zqc2oqRXsAra55StItkdn88DvBTkHiUVw9nlsBlSLTC7coEaAmz3EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Many thanks,

Chris

 

[Velve]

Ghosts do perfectly fine under low humidity. My groups are always at 40-45%, with only one misting per week.

 

[UKMantid]

Thanks Velve,

I'll have to check what the humidity is like in my home. It's around 60% outside at the moment but probably a bit dryer in here. Does anyone have experience with these enclosures? I've read one or two posts elsewhere that say smaller feeder insects can escape through the front vent. This may not be a problem with adult Ghosts with larger food but it would be good to know.

 

[Connor]

I have a similar tank like this for my 8 ghost mantis coming in. Any fruitfly will 100% escape from this from what I can see. If you're going to get a enclosure this big, I would not recommend at ALL putting them in immediately. That is way to big for ghost nymphs and they will not be able to catch food in there. I would say to either keep them in a deli cup until they get big enough for the tank(probably L5-L-6) or take them out and feed them in a smaller enclosure(deli cup). To reempathize, do not feed them in that enclosure, they will for sure die by starvation.

 

[UKMantid]

Hi Connor,

Thanks for the reply. I was planning on keeping them in deli cups until L4 at least. This tank was pretty much for adulthood only. I guess the larger prey should be ok and I can cover tje centilation holes with a finer mesh if needed.

cheers

chris

 

[Ocelotbren]

I had a Chinese nymph in the Exo Terra nano tall while it was still eating D. Hydei fruit flies and generally didn't have an issue with escapees.  I had to stuff the little holes at the outside bottom corner of each door though because those holes were too big.  But they couldn't fit through the screen.  It's possible they occasionally squeezed out in the crack between the door and the wall, but it was never really a problem.

But, ensuring they find their prey could be a different problem for ghost nymphs in there as mentioned above.  If the enclosure is the same as mine, I highly doubt anything bigger than fruit flies has any chance of escaping.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Mine are now L5-L6, got 6 of them in the same terra. They like to hang at the top, but I keep that area for those who haven't eaten yet, because that's where all the flies always go. I simply put the fatties down on the plants and the hungries on the net  

 

[Connor]

Mine are now L5-L6, got 6 of them in the same terra. They like to hang at the top, but I keep that area for those who haven't eaten yet, because that's where all the flies always go. I simply put the fatties down on the plants and the hungries on the net  

View attachment 9564

How I love that enclosure with those mantis in it! Unfortunately 4 out of 8 of my ghost mantis didn't make it to my house  ... not sure how that happened. I'll have to buy some more or be set on 4... anyways your ghosts are beautiful 

 

[SpaceWolf]

I bought them from a german dude: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/phyllocrania-paradoxa-l1-bis-l4-gottesanbeterin/679228300-131-1049
They arrived in 3 days very well packaged, (photo below)

He ships to Europe, but don't think he does to America, he has a very very good price, I bought 6 of them for €50 (€16 shipment cost included) 
 

 

[Connor]

I bought them from a german dude: https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/phyllocrania-paradoxa-l1-bis-l4-gottesanbeterin/679228300-131-1049
They arrived in 3 days very well packaged, (photo below)

He ships to Europe, but don't think he does to America, he has a very very good price, I bought 6 of them for €50 (€16 shipment cost included) 
 

View attachment 9565

Wow that's a pretty good price with good packaging. Unfortunately I'm in America and I don't think you can ship them into here.

 

[SpaceWolf]

Wow that's a pretty good price with good packaging. Unfortunately I'm in America and I don't think you can ship them into here.

But tbh, 8 would be quite a lot in the terra I use right now, I have 6 now but 4 would've been fine aswell. They were quite active in the beginning and bumped into eachother all the time, luckily now they've gone a bit more quiet. Unless your terra is a lot bigger, I think 4 would be good to go.

 

[Connor]

But tbh, 8 would be quite a lot in the terra I use right now, I have 6 now but 4 would've been fine aswell. They were quite active in the beginning and bumped into eachother all the time, luckily now they've gone a bit more quiet. Unless your terra is a lot bigger, I think 4 would be good to go.

My terra is like 3x the size of yours... couldn't find many smaller than it unfortunately. I was hoping for a big and awesome breeding group with some hopes of getting a green one but now I'm just hoping I got a male and a female lol. Not that big of a deal, I can buy or trade a breeder for what I need when the time comes I'm sure

 

[SpaceWolf]

The problem with big terras is they often don't really find their food, unless you plan to take them out a couple of times a day to feed them in a smaller enclosure. The first time I bought ghosts, I had 4 of them in a terra of 40x40x60, terra was cool but way too big. My thought was: they'll have lots and lots of space to crawl around and never feel like they are imprisoned. But truth be told, they never really move around all that much. Most of them sit still all day and will move from their spot once or twice, I don't know what size your terra is but if you don't plan on taking them out to feed, I'd look for a smaller one, I find exo terras are perfect and nearly every shop sells them.

 

[Connor]

Yeah that's what I was a little worried about. Mine is 18x12x12 inches

 

[SpaceWolf]

Might be too big, you can still try though, but you'll have to always make sure they have eaten enough

 

[Connor]

Yeah that's what I figured 

 

[Connor]

I might split the tank with some other mantis

 

[Ocelotbren]

@Connor I have the 12"x12"x18" Exo Terra too for my adult Chinese and I'm considering splitting it for my ghosts once they're big enough and the Chinese dies (is that morbid? :blink: ).  But, I have heard of someone doing 2-3 ghosts in the 8"x8"x12" Exo Terra and that size was good.  Not sure if it was suitable all the way up to adult or just as nymphs though.  So perhaps the larger one could be good for four adult ghosts, and you'll just have to plan to take them out to feed, or house them elsewhere, when they're still small.

 

[Connor]

@Ocelotbren thanks for the feed back. I'll probably just split the tank or take them out to feed