PhilinYuma
Well-known member
Those of you who rushed out and bought a hygrometer on one of the many occasions that I have recommended it, and are now tired of playing with it, rejoice! I have a new game for you.
There are a number of experienced breeders who raise mantids like Acromantis sp. and Creobroter sp. under conditions of high humidity to avoid mismolts. It works. I have done this myself, but you have to be very careful, if you use a wet moss substrate, that you don't create a moist , stagnant area at the bottom of the pot. Here is a much simpler way of producing high humidity in a 32oz pot and ensuring good ventilation at the same time.
What you need is an inexpensive, diaphragm air pump from the pet store for about $10 unless you already have one that your kids abandoned when they gave up the aquarium. Also buy a few yards of aquarium tubing, the transparent stuff, and a "gang valve" made of brass or plastic. Let's say that it has three valves/screws. Air from the pump goes into the gang valve and releases varying amounts of air according to how much a screw is tightened. Even a beginning pet store assistant will be able to help you if you don't understand how it works.
The only other thing you need is a clean, empty 1 gal milk (or better, distilled water) bottle. With an awl, or whatever you use in your house for making small, round holes, like a drill bit (don't blame me if you lack the right tools), make a hole in the middle of the lid, just large enough to accept a piece of the aquarium tubing. Make a similar hole in the top of the jug's handle. Put about f4/5 of a gallon of tap water in the jug and close the lid. Attach a piece of tubing to the pump and thread it through the hole in the jug handle so that it is almost touching the bottom. Now thread a piece of tubing through the hole in the lid so that it doesn't go into the water (and for those of you who are saying, "Oh, a wash bottle", go to the top of the class) and connect the other end to the gang valve. the valve should have a cap for the far end, to that all of the air has to go through one of the "faucets". If not, heat one end a short piece of tubing and flatten it while it is soft, so that it will seal the send of the valve.
With me so far? Nearly done! Now connect a length of tubing to each screw controlled valve. Each length of tubing goes to a separate pot and is held in place by the sponge in the bottom port. Don't have those? Now is the time to make some.Now you need your hydrometer to gauge the force of the wet air (cause by its bubbling through the wet water!). Control the air flow through each tube until you have a humidity of about 80% or whatever you fancy. The humidity will increase very rapidly until it stabilizes.
This works brilliantly with pots, but rather poorly with net cages, for obvious reasons. I shall solve that problem tomorrow. stay tuned!
There are a number of experienced breeders who raise mantids like Acromantis sp. and Creobroter sp. under conditions of high humidity to avoid mismolts. It works. I have done this myself, but you have to be very careful, if you use a wet moss substrate, that you don't create a moist , stagnant area at the bottom of the pot. Here is a much simpler way of producing high humidity in a 32oz pot and ensuring good ventilation at the same time.
What you need is an inexpensive, diaphragm air pump from the pet store for about $10 unless you already have one that your kids abandoned when they gave up the aquarium. Also buy a few yards of aquarium tubing, the transparent stuff, and a "gang valve" made of brass or plastic. Let's say that it has three valves/screws. Air from the pump goes into the gang valve and releases varying amounts of air according to how much a screw is tightened. Even a beginning pet store assistant will be able to help you if you don't understand how it works.
The only other thing you need is a clean, empty 1 gal milk (or better, distilled water) bottle. With an awl, or whatever you use in your house for making small, round holes, like a drill bit (don't blame me if you lack the right tools), make a hole in the middle of the lid, just large enough to accept a piece of the aquarium tubing. Make a similar hole in the top of the jug's handle. Put about f4/5 of a gallon of tap water in the jug and close the lid. Attach a piece of tubing to the pump and thread it through the hole in the jug handle so that it is almost touching the bottom. Now thread a piece of tubing through the hole in the lid so that it doesn't go into the water (and for those of you who are saying, "Oh, a wash bottle", go to the top of the class) and connect the other end to the gang valve. the valve should have a cap for the far end, to that all of the air has to go through one of the "faucets". If not, heat one end a short piece of tubing and flatten it while it is soft, so that it will seal the send of the valve.
With me so far? Nearly done! Now connect a length of tubing to each screw controlled valve. Each length of tubing goes to a separate pot and is held in place by the sponge in the bottom port. Don't have those? Now is the time to make some.Now you need your hydrometer to gauge the force of the wet air (cause by its bubbling through the wet water!). Control the air flow through each tube until you have a humidity of about 80% or whatever you fancy. The humidity will increase very rapidly until it stabilizes.
This works brilliantly with pots, but rather poorly with net cages, for obvious reasons. I shall solve that problem tomorrow. stay tuned!
