Laundry basket enclosure

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patrickfraser

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I was out the other day and saw a guy doing laundry and he had the most interesting "laundry" bag/basket. I asked where he got it and he told me IKEA. The top can be velcroed or something, for sure, and it is a good size for a large communal setting, mating, or just giving mass nymphs some "breathing room".

AND ONLY $7.99!

Here is a photo from the website:

Ikealaundrybasket.jpg


and a link to it:

Laundry basket at Ikea

 
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I don't understand do I have my old lady use permanent press or regular wash on them, it does seem easier than having them all jump in the shower single file. :lol:

 
I have used something like this, those small cylindrical cages that come with children's butterfly kits (and of course, cost more than this larger one).

The problem is that you have to access it from the top. This means that any flies in there are going to head out at high speed, and mantids lurking on the lid will also want to go AWOL.

 
I do this lol, only it became a pain in the boot-haaayyyyee lol since I didn't get the time to velcrow or install a zipper! If anybody finds one that has a zipper let us all know!!!!

 
I have one very similar I have been using for years. I like to hang it horizontally and hatch large ooths in it.

mantids091-1.jpg


 
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It has a lid. One end unzips. I just unzip it a couple inches, insert a funnel and dump in food. I also found that a paint bucket lid works as a perfect tray if I stand it upright and set it down.

 
LOVE IT! I might have to look into getting one of those. It would be kinds cool to use as a hanging mantis housing.

 
I've bought one of this laundry basket at Ikea today,I will use it for a colony of Violin mantis,thanks for the idea!

 
I've bought one of this laundry basket at Ikea today,I will use it for a colony of Violin mantis,thanks for the idea!
I have one and use it for mating, placing my small Ficus inside. did not find a place yet in my appartment for using it as a permanent enclosure. But it works well to prevent the males go hiding in my room after mating, I always leave them alone for mating duing the night. :)

 
It is still hard to beat the smallest of the net cages sold online at www.livemonarch.com

for $8. Yes there is a delivery charge. The more you get the less per item.

 
Yeah - or in my case "different strokes, SAME folk!". I've used all of these things at one point or another. I had a big phasmid (wait, I never said I had a phasmid) outgrow his home, so I threw a laundry basket over him and said "deal with it!". I thnk he liked THAT better than the enclosure I game him the next day!

And as much as I bad-mouth the monarch castles, I had 4 already, and just got 4 more. They are perfect for new arrivals. Open container INSIDE the castle, zip it up, and wait for phototropism to do it's work. Eventaully, nearly all of them will be up at the top, whioh makes fishing them out a LOT easier! They also make great cleaning cages - I put them in the monarch castles while I clean and dry their enclosures.

And finally, in a pinch, you can use them as a somewhat pricey enclosure for shipping!

 
I have one very similar I have been using for years. I like to hang it horizontally and hatch large ooths in it.

mantids091-1.jpg
I wonder if I could cut out a long window in that style of basket, and sew in a plastic sheet...? I like the curve of the tube better that the 90 degree angles on the castles. Hmmm... If it were the right size (or cut TO the right size), I could probably run a light or rope light right through the middle. Or string of Christmas lights?

Has anyone seen much smaller versions of these...?

 
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I wonder if I could cut out a long window in that style of basket, and sew in a plastic sheet...? I like the curve of the tube better that the 90 degree angles on the castles. Hmmm... If it were the right size (or cut TO the right size), I could probably run a light or rope light right through the middle. Or string of Christmas lights?

Has anyone seen much smaller versions of these...?
Hmmm. I don't know if cutting it would be a good idea. There really is no need . You can see right through it.

 

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