Reptiliatus
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2011
- Messages
- 315
- Reaction score
- 26
Hey everyone,
So I have been keeping exotics for about 14 years now and a result of that passion is that I always have a few aquariums lying around ("empty tank syndrome", if you feel me
). I stumbled on a fellow tarantula breeder's video a few years ago and
decided to apply a similar design to housing my mantids. The result is what you see here. I have made a few modifications however. Although the mantids will have ample climbing space with a large plant situated in the enclosure, I ho glue gunned plastic clear mesh to the roof, and side walls of the enclosure to ensure ample surface area. The roof is especially important for moulting. I would even suggest gluing a few sticks/branches over that for larger species.
So long as you are using low wattage florescent lighting, putting a lighting hood on the glass roof is no issue and the plants within will still receive plenty of ample light.
I highly recommend Ficus benjamina as a plant candidate for this style of enclosure but for those of you who don't want to risk it (after looking at your hand to discover there isn't a green thumb) you can go with good old Pothos. Hard to kill this species even if you wanted to xD. I actually don't remove them from their pots and just stick them into the bottom of the tank, covering the area around it with soil afterwards. Remember to give your plants a REALLY, REALLY good rinse before using them in your insect enclosures to wash off pesticides. I would even consider repotting them to be safe. For me I would by my small potted pothos in the summer, let them grow on my deck a few weeks (rain washes the chemicals away, etc) and then used them in my enclosure designs.
I will definitely be making a few more of these and I will be sure to share photo's as they come along. Yes the downside is that this type of enclosure is heavy, however they make a beautiful display to show off some of your favourite specimens and also do a great job of helping females feel secure and hidden to lay their ootheca.
Here is the video tutorial my buddy Rob put up on Youtube and below that link are a few photos of my "Mantis modification".
Enjoy and happy mantis keeping!
-Dayyan
My first enclosure housing a subadult female Sphodromantis sp. "Blue flash".
Here's a close up. You can see the mesh on the walls. The whole roof surface is covered in this material.
The happy resident camouflaging like she would back in Africa .
So I have been keeping exotics for about 14 years now and a result of that passion is that I always have a few aquariums lying around ("empty tank syndrome", if you feel me
). I stumbled on a fellow tarantula breeder's video a few years ago anddecided to apply a similar design to housing my mantids. The result is what you see here. I have made a few modifications however. Although the mantids will have ample climbing space with a large plant situated in the enclosure, I ho glue gunned plastic clear mesh to the roof, and side walls of the enclosure to ensure ample surface area. The roof is especially important for moulting. I would even suggest gluing a few sticks/branches over that for larger species.
So long as you are using low wattage florescent lighting, putting a lighting hood on the glass roof is no issue and the plants within will still receive plenty of ample light.
I highly recommend Ficus benjamina as a plant candidate for this style of enclosure but for those of you who don't want to risk it (after looking at your hand to discover there isn't a green thumb) you can go with good old Pothos. Hard to kill this species even if you wanted to xD. I actually don't remove them from their pots and just stick them into the bottom of the tank, covering the area around it with soil afterwards. Remember to give your plants a REALLY, REALLY good rinse before using them in your insect enclosures to wash off pesticides. I would even consider repotting them to be safe. For me I would by my small potted pothos in the summer, let them grow on my deck a few weeks (rain washes the chemicals away, etc) and then used them in my enclosure designs.
I will definitely be making a few more of these and I will be sure to share photo's as they come along. Yes the downside is that this type of enclosure is heavy, however they make a beautiful display to show off some of your favourite specimens and also do a great job of helping females feel secure and hidden to lay their ootheca.
Here is the video tutorial my buddy Rob put up on Youtube and below that link are a few photos of my "Mantis modification".
Enjoy and happy mantis keeping!
-Dayyan
My first enclosure housing a subadult female Sphodromantis sp. "Blue flash".
Here's a close up. You can see the mesh on the walls. The whole roof surface is covered in this material.
The happy resident camouflaging like she would back in Africa
.
Last edited by a moderator:
