Sponge for feeding holes...

[Love2read]

I was wondering what type of sponge you guys used for putting in the feeding holes? Is it just a regular old sponge that you cut into pieces or a special kind?

I ask because it seems like all of the regular sponges at the grocery store have special anti-bacterial stuff added to them and I wasn't sure if that would be harmful to the mantids.

 

[D_Hemptress]

i get my sponges from the dollar store, they arent like regular sponges you get from the grocery store. its softer, more of a foamy texture. i get a pack of four and just cut them up

 

[Rick]

I use the plugs for fruit fly vials. I bought a big bag of them years ago.

http://www.carolina.com/drosophila-fruit-fly-genetics/drosophila-anti-mite-vial-plugs-pack-12/173091.pr?catId=10419&mCat=&sCat=&ssCat=&question=

 

[Love2read]

Thank you both!

Rick- I noticed that it says those plugs will etch plastic...makes me think they might be made of the same thing as Magic Erasers, which happen to be rough enough to scratch plastic. Hmmm....I happen to have a big box of those at home!

 

[DinehCaveman]

What use are artist sponges(art supply section) cut to size. Also called painter's sponge.

 

[Rick]

Thank you both!

Rick- I noticed that it says those plugs will etch plastic...makes me think they might be made of the same thing as Magic Erasers, which happen to be rough enough to scratch plastic. Hmmm....I happen to have a big box of those at home!

Not sure. I think magic erasers might have some cleaning chemicals in them. I've never seen these things etch plastic. They just seem like regular foam to me but in a convenient shape.

 

[jrh3]

i bought a twin size memory foam topper and just cut pieces off. i will last forever and it hypo alergenic and not bacteria can grow on it.

 

[Love2read]

Magic Erasers are made from Melamine foam, which is harmless, but is mildly abrasive(like fine sandpaper), so people always think there are chemicals in in when their hands become irritated.

I tried looking up what the foam plugs are made of and couldn't find much...found 1 thing that said "ceaprene", but couldn't figure out what that was.

Jrh3- that's ingenious!

 

[Rick]

Magic Erasers are made from Melamine foam, which is harmless, but is mildly abrasive(like fine sandpaper), so people always think there are chemicals in in when their hands become irritated.

I tried looking up what the foam plugs are made of and couldn't find much...found 1 thing that said "ceaprene", but couldn't figure out what that was.

Jrh3- that's ingenious!

Not the irritation that makes me think that but the bubbles/foam that comes out when they are wet and squeezed. Looks and feels like soap.

 

[Love2read]

There's a line of magic erasers that has a cleaning solution already added to it, but the ones I have are the original ones, nothing added.

 

[Rick]

There's a line of magic erasers that has a cleaning solution already added to it, but the ones I have are the original ones, nothing added.

Well in this case using those makes little sense due to cost.

 

[CareyMendi]

I'm new here and haven't used any sort of sponge plug yet...but as I was looking at them, it seems that upholstry foam might work? It's available in craft stores and the price depends on the thickness (?) and comes in green and the muted gold/yellow of regular sponge.

 

[d17oug18]

I recommend dollar store sponges, they work good and you get a lot for just a buck lol. I dont use sponges but when i did they came in mighty handy =D