Mason jars, take 2!

[mtolosa]

So, I just got a new shipment of Ant mantids today, and took all of your advice about the last jars to heart.

These new ones have eco-grip hot glued to the back half. I think it's usually used for lizards, but it's easy to trim down to size. I got it at Petco. They also have netting on the tops instead of thicker fabric this time around for more air circulation/grip/visibility. They're all 1/2 pint size jars, and should be sufficient in size as they grow up a little.

They're happily settling in and have already had their first fruit fly feeding. Any other suggestions for this 2nd-time mantis owner?

 

[ScienceGirl]

Looks good!

The ventilation is a good addition to these jars. The hardest part about the design will be feeding.

 

[DinehCaveman]

I suggest you make a feeding port by gluing a washer to both sides of the screen and cut out the space and plug with a piece of foam. Place them near the edge of the lid. I believe it will make feedings less time consuming.

Your set up looks good. Btw

I found the washer mod somewhere on this forum.

 

[ToeChecks]

cool idea! may have to try this one day! what did you use for the netting at the top??

 

[ToeChecks]

I suggest you make a feeding port by gluing a washer to both sides of the screen and cut out the space and plug with a piece of foam. Place them near the edge of the lid. I believe it will make feedings less time consuming.

Your set up looks good. Btw

I found the washer mod somewhere on this forum.

thats a really good idea to! never thought of that.

 

[Rick]

They look great but now that you're getting a good number of jars you will start to see the hassle in feeding them I was talking about in the other thread. The washer idea somebody mentioned sounds like a good way to do it with a glass jar.

 

[fleurdejoo]

Yeah, I think it's always a lovely idea to use what you have.

But feeding would make me crazy. The washer idea sounds great.

I've done something similar before with just cutting a hole and plugging it with foam.

 

[ScienceGirl]

Someone on this forum has also used another type of feeding port.

You know the lid on milk cartons, the one that screws on and off? The person took the lid of it, and the whole portion that it screws onto, and glued what the lid screws onto on the mantis container. This seemed like a really good idea.

 

[mtolosa]

I did my first full round of misting and feeding last night. I like the washer idea for the future, if I ever get too many little guys. I've done 30+ mantids like this in the past, though, so this method works fine for me. I enjoy interacting with them while I feed. It only took about 30 minutes last night, and no one escaped!

Question: I've got L2 Odontomantis planiceps (asian ant mantis) in there, and when I misted them 7 of the 10 stretched their bodies out and rubbed their shoulders around in the water. Is this an ant mantis thing? I never saw any of my Chinese mantis do that. It was kind of adorable, like a cat would rub against your leg... except in water...

 

[TheOtherSpecies]

I have several species that do that! It's not just an ant mantis thing for sure!

 

[furrymanmarbles]

Yes I had a somewhat similar setup with jars and for feeding I hot glued a washer to the inside like stated above and hollowed out the center whole then I covered with a fridge magnet for easy removal but a good seal.