Rekka's (Popa spurca's) set-up

[MantidBro]

Just wanted to show a good way to set up your container for successful molting.

Shoe laces work like a charm!

1.) They're easy to hold on to.

2.) They don't grow mold on them like sticks.

3.) They don't become soggy like cardboard.

I set up the container with shoe laces for hanging from, particularly for molting. Moist paper towel on the bottom for humidity when they're getting ready to molt. And dry paper towel going up the side of the container for climbing to the top.

It may seem boring but it's best to keep the container less crowded to ensure the mantid doesn't mis-molt.

The model in this photo is Rekka, my female Popa spurca. When she's an adult I will design the container more naturally.

P.S. Excuse my messy room!

 

[agent A]

i find popa love clinging to sticks and they dont need particularly high humidity

 

[MantidBro]

i find popa love clinging to sticks and they dont need particularly high humidity

Yeah I read you only need to mist once every 3 days. And they do love climbing sticks, as obviously that's what they're mimicking, but sticks grow mold easily so I thought I'd rather use shoe laces. Works like a charm.

 

[Rick]

Or you could just go outside and grab some sticks which are free. I don't care much for paper towel up the sides as food often gets behind it. But if it works for you that is all that matters.

 

[MantidBro]

Or you could just go outside and grab some sticks which are free. I don't care much for paper towel up the sides as food often gets behind it. But if it works for you that is all that matters.

Well shoe laces are free too if you take them off old shoes that you no longer wear (that's what I did). Like I said, I don't use sticks because of the risk of growing mold, even once baking/boiling. And I can see how that would be a problem for live prey, but for me, the food doesn't get behind the paper towel because I hand-feed mine fly pupae from the casters. I keep the casters in the fridge so they don't turn into flies, that way they last longer, meaning I don't have to buy more so soon.

Some may consider using shoe laces to be a good idea what with how they don't grow mold, don't become soggy, and are easy to hold on to. But others of course may consider a stick to be easier. I personally don't like using sticks (cause of the mold issue), but like you said, if it works for you/them, that's all that matters.

 

[OctoberRainne]

I found out that my room generates so much natural heat and humidity that i can't mist mine at all,except over the mesh lids,so here they are getting a dry approach and its working much better,so if you start losing any i reccomend using sticks and very little spray,got a bunch of these things going now,so should have several pairs

I've never had an issue with stick or bark mold and we always use whats right outside and just wash them off ect.,Idk how sucessful molts will be from the shoe strings,you could always mesh the entire lid to be safe,you paid a pretty penny for yours anyways lol

 

[MantidBro]

I found out that my room generates so much natural heat and humidity that i can't mist mine at all,except over the mesh lids,so here they are getting a dry approach and its working much better,so if you start losing any i reccomend using sticks and very little spray,got a bunch of these things going now,so should have several pairs

I've never had an issue with stick or bark mold and we always use whats right outside and just wash them off ect.,Idk how sucessful molts will be from the shoe strings,you could always mesh the entire lid to be safe,you paid a pretty penny for yours anyways lol

I mist mine very lightly and only once every three days. They're doing very well so I think I'm doing things right. I've had them a couple weeks. That's cool that you should have a few pairs. I have 2 females so I won't be able to breed but that's fine with me. I've got more than enough P. affinis to breed in the future.

I've used sticks in the past, had boiled them AND washed them with antibacterial soap, but they STILL grew mold. I found out that mold spores can come in through the window. My younger Popa spurca molted recently from the shoe lace and hadn't mis molted or fell, I just woke up and found she was bigger and her exuvia was on the floor of her container. There are a lot of ridges in shoe laces, if you look, which their walking hairs can easily stick into. Easier even than a stick, I think. I actually have a hard time getting my older Popa spurca off the lace, lol. Honestly I think she'll molt perfectly well with the shoe lace, especially since the Popa spurca have such strong, gripping feet.

And I actually didn't pay for any of my new mantids, I just paid for the shipping, because Peter Clausen and I did a trade. I gave him about 20 different invertebrates and in return he gave me 9 Parasphendale affinis, 2 Blepharopsis mendica and 2 Popa spurca.

 

[OctoberRainne]

That was lucky then,it just looked really wet and empty in the cage,so didn't want you to over spray them and lose them,im swimming in budwings,hoping to see other people also breeding them this year,all of my popas molt from sticks and the mesh lids,i think i keep too many now to customize cages outside of a few adults here and there,so they almost all get similiar cups now lol,You'll have to repost when adult,if this works out for you. I still have never had an issue like that with mold or disease or anything,maybe its the type of things you are choosing to begin with outside,i go for bare and dry sticks mostly probably knocks that down a good bit

 

[MantidBro]

That was lucky then,it just looked really wet and empty in the cage,so didn't want you to over spray them and lose them,im swimming in budwings,hoping to see other people also breeding them this year,all of my popas molt from sticks and the mesh lids,i think i keep too many now to customize cages outside of a few adults here and there,so they almost all get similiar cups now lol,You'll have to repost when adult,if this works out for you. I still have never had an issue like that with mold or disease or anything,maybe its the type of things you are choosing to begin with outside,i go for bare and dry sticks mostly probably knocks that down a good bit

I think it just looks wet because I used one layer of paper towel for Rekka's side, unlike the other side, which has a few layers of folded up toilet paper. Plus when I mist, I don't spray the entire container, I just put a few drops on the paper towel, which is why it looks wet. It wasn't even wet at that particular moment, just had molded into that shape because of previous drops. I keep the same paper towel for a few days before replacing it. And the emptier the cage the better, when it comes to mantids that aren't yet adults, because a cluttered container can result in mis molts. I love Budwings, I plan to breed mine in the future. And my Popa spurca turned out to be at L6 when I got her as opposed to L5 as I was told she was. Her wings are separated from her body somewhat after her molt so I feel she'll be an adult after one more molt, meaning she's currently at L7 now. I used pretty dry sticks as I figured that's easier to hold on to. But still they grew mold, particularly at the tips, which rested on the paper towel. I just don't like using sticks and don't want to risk mine getting sick from any mold that might grow.

Rekka (Popa spurca) molted last night from the shoe lace, the exuvia actually stayed hooked onto the lace much to my surprise! Here's a photo:

 

[Sticky]

i find popa love clinging to sticks and they dont need particularly high humidity

Because of the ice storm I have a huge choice of sticks and branches to choose from! Im getting some babies soon so I better get thier house ready!

 

[MantidBro]

Nice!