My set up

[Entomo-logic]

Below is a picture of my set up for mantids. The lights are on timers and there is a mistking system

that runs to all of the caterpillar castles ziptied to the racks.

Ambient Temp is hi 70's to mid 80's and humidity is around 50%.

 

[animalexplorer]

Thanks for sharing your setup. What kind of branches are you using and were these the ones that your diabolica would perch on when molting?

 

[sporeworld]

I'm wondering why so many people prefer the opaque nets to the Reptarium see-through variety...? (http://www.reptiledirect.com/reptarium38165x165x30.aspx) I can't get my head around not SEEING my bugs, and they offer better ventilation. Less staining, too. Is it because they don't hold in fruit flies during the early instars...? Or budget...? I know I'm missing something if both Yen and Tony use them...

 

[packer43064]

They do seem a bit more expensive. If you have a couple of mantids or so it would be okay, but you can buy alot more of the white-ish ones compared to the ones you have suggested for alot less.

 

[sporeworld]

That makes sense.

 

[Entomo-logic]

Here is my Idolomantis set up with tangle bark Willow branches.

 

[Entomo-logic]

Sporeworld,

The mesh is very fine and you can see the animals through it and the caterpillar castles have one clear plastic side for viewing. They are quite easy to clean simply turn them inside out and wash with warm water and antibacterial soap. I used to use 10gal aquaria stood up on end and my success was very low compared to the numbers I get out of the caterpillar castles

 

[sporeworld]

That makes sense (gorgeous setup, by the way!).

I was able to just toss by mesh cage screens in the washing machine, then put them back on the frames. But I can see the clear side on yours being much better for taking pictures and viewing. Too bad it can't be 2 or 3 sides, without cutting down on the ventilation. Hmmm...

 

[angelofdeathzz]

Very nice set up, but I'm wondering if you have had any successful matings at those somewhat low temps and RH?

I keep mine at 85-92 and RH around 60-80% with Sphagnum Moss that keeps it humid for 2 days when watered.

 

[warpdrive]

personally, I love the setup and am planing on doing something almost the same.

only this time I went with Aquazamp as it's my friend's system and is made in the USA...super quick shipping too.

the parts are also interchangable, so if you have extra mistking nozels, they work on an Aquazamp system.

yet I also find that for me and my cool room temps for my Chameleons, I am mostly going with terrariums for show and temps/humidity when placing in my living/dinning room and hallway. my bedroom will get the butterfly cages as that room is warmer.

video of my new Aquazamp system in my dinning room (please lower sound as my camera bumped it up as it was too quiet)...

and yes, that's a ghost set up in the terrarium next to the Cameleon cages in the video.

Harry

 

[sporeworld]

Nice. Did you want to post a link to your friend's system...?

 

[Entomo-logic]

angelofdeathzz :

The ambient Temp is hi 70's to mid 80's and humidity is around 50%. When the cages get misted the Humidity levels go to 80-90% and the Pothos keeps the humidity up in the cages as well as giving the mantids added fresh air. I breed Phyllocrania paradoxa, Phyllovates chlorophaea, Gongylus gongylodes, and got 8 out of 15 Idolomantis diabolica to mature with no molting issues. There are also Hymenopus coronatus that I started working with that are thriving and the Phalaenopsis orchids in with them are thriving too. There are also several species of Phasmids on the system that are doing very well.

warpdrive:

Thanks for the info on Aquazamp. I will have to look into them as we are planning on a large mister system to all of our displays.

 

[animalexplorer]

I like that idea of the Aquazamp, not really having to go to the extreme but just enough for the hobbyist. Don't get me wrong, I think Tony's set up is really nice, it's just that I dont have floors with drains and can't really have the water misting everywhere as I have some of the mantid terrariums in my office.

Tony, you say you are planning to get a larger misting system, it seems the one Harry mentions is a smaller set-up than what you are currently using? If I were to go into full prodution of mantis propagation I would invest in a system like yours, or the ones they use in the produce section at your local grocery store.

 

[Entomo-logic]

The pumps from Aquazamp are smaller it is true but the tubes are interchangeable with the Mist King system tubes. The mistking tubes and sprayheads are not cheap and if the Aquazamp tubes and sprayheads are cheaper and interchangeable then I could do the pump from Mistking and then order tubing and connectors and sprayheads from Aquazamp making the project cheaper. Or i could look into picking up an old grocery store system like you mentioned. thats not a bad idea either.

 

[warpdrive]

both Aquazamp and mistking (I have both) are small, but can be expandid on to many misting nozels.

I think that the basic Aquazamp that I now have two of, can expand to 15 nozels for each pump.

the same can be said for the mistking advanced system.

I'm a big fan of mistking. I think that all the parts are pro. for cages, if uesed, the cage corners are more pro and are a finished glossy plastic, while the aquazamp is more like a cheap foam.

then there is the timmers...the mistking is the only one to have a timmer that can work as low as 1 second. this is beyond great for setting up for terrariums (think dart frogs) as you don't want to mist for much longer then 30 sec. while the aquazamp's timer is a GE model that only goes as low as 1 min.

yet again, the timers and all parts are interchangable as they use the same type of hose, nozels, "tees" and "elbows". I would not be suprised if they use the same exact pump...yet ALL mistking parts are made in Canada, while ALL parts for the Aquazamp is made in the USA.

also, both Marty from mistking and Keven Zamp from Aquazamp, will give you above average costomer care if needed. I will say that when I needed my misting systems to be shipped right away due to my new Chameleons that were comming in in just a few days, Kevein went out of his way to send me an email of all the prices for shipping rates for how fast or slow I was willing to do this. he then confermemed everything on the phone with me and made sure I had a few extra parts that I may need and didn't think of.

Keven's website is still new and incomplete but is up and running...

http://aquazamp.com/

I hope that helped.

Harry

 

[PiranhaMantis]

View attachment 1633Here is my Idolomantis set up with tangle bark Willow branches.

Interesting...i use these caterpillar castles too for a few different species, but i am still reluctant to try and raise my Idolos in these, as i fear the mesh will be too fine and their 'toes' will snap off on that all important last moult . I know of some other breeders over here in the UK that have also tried these cages, but not had any success. However i may try a similar setup to yours, with lots of thin twigs. Did you raise nymphs to adult with no problems at all?

I'm also considering a using one of the caterpillar castles but lining it with a brushwood screening, bark fence screening, or something similar.

 

[sporeworld]

I got the net cages, but i just can't get into them. I'll keep trying, but they just aren't as presentable as I like, even if they are more practical in several ways.

Entomologic: And problems with the Idolo sub and adult moving around on the willow and pathos? I spent a few hours at a nursery yesterday looking at other possible plants, like gravevines, and some sparsely leaved ficus. When I've had the Idolo walking on my hands and gloves, I could really feel the claws. Seemed like walking and climbing was either clumsy or more "piercing"(?) than other species. They did great on my gloved hand (plenty catch on the spines). But had a hard time on various plants I tried them on.

I have a big peice of weathered fishing net - pretty thick stuff. Makes me wonder if lining the outside of the cage with thick-fiber rope might be better than thin branches.

Observations...?