Raffia?

[ScienceGirl]

You have a lot to learn about how science is done. The person making the claim is responsible for supporting it with evidence. Again, what chemicals are present and what are the harmful effects from exposure to them?

If there are dyes present, it may just be those that rubbed off. Again: when we touch ours, and then rub our fingers together, they feel plasticy and.... I'm not sure how to describe it. We do not have the label. I'm just suggesting using caution when buying anything to be used for mantids.

Did you purchase dyed or painted raffia? Do you still have that label? I'd like to see it.

We purchased raffia that looked natural - I'm not sure whether the raffia was dyed with a natural color, or just left alone. Sadly, my parents probably disposed of the label - I don't remember when we got it, probably when I was little, so I really can't say... You can probably just disregard this, but reading labels is always good.

 

[glock34girl]

Sealed packages of raffia are normally treated with fire retardent. Since this seems to be a verify first crowd you could always google something like raffia treated with fire retardant. When I worked in the stores that was the difference between natural raffia and raffia used in the craft industry.

 

[Rick]

Just don't overdo it. I see many people who feel they need to literally cram stuff into their cultures. For years I have used just a tiny ball of excelsior or nothing at all. I never notice any difference with nothing in there. The maggots seem to pupate just fine on the sides of the container.

 

[ScienceGirl]

Sealed packages of raffia are normally treated with fire retardent. Since this seems to be a verify first crowd you could always google something like raffia treated with fire retardant. When I worked in the stores that was the difference between natural raffia and raffia used in the craft industry.

Maybe this was what we felt.