is this an ok setup for my nymphs? picture included

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sevenoaks

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hi all, i am new to this (in case you didnt know LOL) i was wondering if i placed the ooth on a stick (where she layed it) just in the middle the excelsior?

is there anything else you can tell me that i may need to know? it will be six weeks next week since she layed it. she also layed another about a week before she died but that was two weeks ago. im not sure if that ooth is fertile and it looks weird. it has a big brown spot in the middle where the 'zipper' is supposed to be. all help is apprecieated. thank you

mantis2010.jpg


 
Hi. You will want to hang the stick with the ooth from the top of the cage so the nymphs can descend from the zipper without obstuction - they hang from a small thread and if they get all tangled up in the excelsior they may be gimped or tangled up and die. Excelsior is great for nymphs but I would recommend you push it down an inch or two below where the ooth is so they can descend properly.

Also, be sure to mist that ooth daily :)

 
Why not set the container upright? Use a hot glue gun to attach the ooth to the lid with the "zipper" facing down.

 
ah ah . thank you. i knew something was wrong.. ok

i will glue gun the stick to the middle of the black mesh i have hanging up there . but since the zipper is at an angle on the stick (check pic) will it end up at the right angle when i hang it flush to the top? i will wait for an answer before i glue it

i would be kind of facing toward the back of the container. is that ok?

 
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ok i just opened up the container, i noticed it is super hot in there. it doesnt have any air ventilation. what do i do for that without the risk of them escaping when they hatch?

 
prob good idea to get a critter keeper or something for when they get bigger but should get a little bigger container and glue the ooth to the bottom side of the lid!

 
got a critter keeper. but it has holes on top that may be too big (escape). do i have to have the black grid on top for them to molt (hang) should i glue that to top of critter keeper also? and put the ooth stick up there too? in any specific places?

 
Use a hole saw to cut a nice sized (bigger the better) hole in the lid of your container. Hot glue a slightly larger sized circle of screening (either aluminum or fiberglass) to the underside of the lid over the hole. You can also add a layer of organza fabric (also cut to the same size as the screening) over the screening to keep fruit flies in.

Take about half of that excelsior out... they don't need that much, and arrange it so that the ooth has plenty of clearance below it for the exiting nymphs to hang down from their threads (like at least 2-3 inches of clearance space), without any excelsior in the way directly beneath the ooth.

If you want to go with a Critter Keeper, I advise hot glueing organza fabric over the inside of all of the slots on the lid.

You will definitely need ventilation; and if you turn the container upright, modify the lid with screening (and/or organza fabric), you can glue the ooth right to the underside of the screening/fabric on the underside of the lid. In any case, make sure the zipper points anywhere but upwards. Doesn't have to be pointing straight down... a little cockeyed is fine.

Mist daily; let dry out completely between mistings.

 
thanks so much again Kat. youve been a real help. i need two setups so i will set up the kritter keeper with the ooth hot glued to the top zipper pointing any way but up, (as it might be tilted back a bit) with some excelsior on bottom and something on the bottom to absorb moisture. (coco noir?)

then the other( the one i put a pic up of) i will take some excelsior out, ditch the plastic lid and use fabric with a rubber band to cover the opening,

hot glue the ooth and the stick to the top of the container. what should i do with the black mesh for molting? do i need more for the other container or can i cut some off of the one i have. (meaning how much do they need to molt)?

thanks again.

 
Kritter keepers sucks for small nymphs. You will have to attach mesh all around the lid to keep everything in. Your current container is just fine. Where is the lid? If you keep it on its side then just glue the stick to the top with the ooth facing down. It is really very simple.

 
where do i get that mesh anyway?

i will use what i have, the lid is solid plastic and the container has no vents in it so i am replacing the solid plastic lid with cloth and rubber band . i have two ooths so i was gonna use one in the critter keeper. (i dont think it will hatch because it looks different than the first she layed. it looks like exposed brown in the middle with no 'foam' around it)

 
Perfect. Mist it lightly once a day and wait.

ZoeRipper said:
I think it looks good, but whenever you open it be careful with that rubber band, as some nymphs may be on the cloth, you don't wanna snap'em.
Click to expand...
That's what the foam stoppered feeding hole is for. No need to remove the cloth lid.

 
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whew. sorry bout that. i get so nervous that i wont do the right thing. i never really like bugs to tell you the truth so this whole thing is weird to me. (always thought mantis' were the coolest though)

where can i get that black mesh (in the hardware store.) anyone?

 
You are gonna do fine, the first setup was good to, and dont worry so much about the position of the ooth, it will hatch just fine where u have it!

 
sevenoaks said:
whew. sorry bout that. i get so nervous that i wont do the right thing. i never really like bugs to tell you the truth so this whole thing is weird to me. (always thought mantis' were the coolest though)where can i get that black mesh (in the hardware store.) anyone?
Click to expand...
Like I said. Your last pic is perfect. Leave it like that.

 

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