What do you keep your mantids in?

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MantidBro

MantidBro

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I keep my mantids in big containers. Depends on the species how big. I put nymphs in old fruit fly containers. http://www.snailtail.com/images/ready-to-go-culture_1.jpg Thoroughly cleaned out of course. Then I put a piece of cardboard in there and a paper towel on the bottom.

For smaller species I put them in containers of this size: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr1-jEtOpy4/Ta1xE05bUPI/AAAAAAAAAWU/UKd1NgeLnFs/s1600/betta+fish-4.jpg But I remove the separator in between since it's removable. I then do the same, put a piece of cardboard and paper towel on the bottom.

Then I have a terrarium which I usually use temporarily for molting mantids, and long term for bigger species: http://www.reptile-crazy.co.uk/standardfaunarium.jpg If the species isn't prone to cannibalism I keep a couple in there (such as the Phyllocrania paradoxa).

And last but not least, for huge species, such as the Tenodera sinensis, Idolomantis diabolica, Euchomenella macrops, Plistospilota guineensis... I keep them in a cage meant for lizards, such as this: http://www.lizard-landscapes.com/images/3d-painting-reptile-cage.jpg

I clean my containers once a week with antibacterial soap and remove feces or left over food at the end of each day. I used to give my mantids things from outside before I knew that nymphs from oothecae that were from captive bred females aren't immune to outdoor bacteria. I know you can bake or boil the items, but I don't feel the need to when I have cardboard which is just as easy to climb on.

*Edit: My Phyllocrania paradoxa, Kent-Lok (female, L7 adult, 2"), has an all natural set-up (baked and boiled items for hours for her sake) in a lizard cage.

So how do you guys house your mantids?

 
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Exo Terra L6 and up, net cage L2-5, 80 oz deli's for the rest... trial and error got me to this, and it seem's to work out nice, I could just be lucky though?

 
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I am currently using a custom screen cage from Bug Trader for my ghosts and cups for nymphs. We are also working on several new caging designs.

 
MantidBro said:
I keep my mantids in big containers. Depends on the species how big. I put nymphs in old fruit fly containers. http://www.snailtail.com/images/ready-to-go-culture_1.jpg Thoroughly cleaned out of course. Then I put a piece of cardboard in there and a paper towel on the bottom.

For smaller species I put them in containers of this size: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr1-jEtOpy4/Ta1xE05bUPI/AAAAAAAAAWU/UKd1NgeLnFs/s1600/betta+fish-4.jpg But I remove the separator in between since it's removable. I then do the same, put a piece of cardboard and paper towel on the bottom.

Then I have a terrarium which I usually use temporarily for molting mantids, and long term for bigger species: http://www.reptile-crazy.co.uk/standardfaunarium.jpg If the species isn't prone to cannibalism I keep a couple in there (such as the Phyllocrania paradoxa).

And last but not least, for huge species, such as the Tenodera sinensis, Idolomantis diabolica, Euchomenella macrops, Plistospilota guineensis... I keep them in a cage meant for lizards, such as this: http://www.lizard-landscapes.com/images/3d-painting-reptile-cage.jpg

I've seen some people put adults in old fruit fly containers... that's damn sad... it bothered me, I felt the need to refer to it. That's downright torturous. They're meant to be out in the wild, putting them in a container, even a big one, is torturous enough, never mind one THAT small. :( This specific person's container was so messy, too, full of who knows what gathering at the bottom. It was so dirty you could hardly see through the plastic.

I clean my containers once a week with antibacterial soap and remove feces or left over food at the end of each day. I used to give my mantids things from outside before I knew that nymphs from oothecae that were from captive bred females aren't immune to outdoor bacteria. I know you can bake or boil the items, but I don't feel the need to when I have cardboard which is just as easy to climb on.

So how do you guys house your mantids?
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A word of caution towards the funariums. I have had larger species have trouble moulting in them.

As for me plastic drinking cups->32oz->80oz->net cages of various sizes.

 
16 oz McDonalds cups with a saran wrap cover with no holes. JK, I won't say for fear of judgement and being accused not being a true hobbyist or even worse, a mantis killer. I know a couple. :lol:

 
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Usually Kritter Keepers. Easy to clean, plenty of ventilation and light, relatively aesthetic, enough size grades to follow mantid from larger nymph to adult and relatively easy to modify. I hot glue fine screening inside the top to keep HFs and BBs from squeezing through the air vent slots (and makes for terrific molting grab).

 
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angelofdeathzz said:
Exo Terra L6 and up, net cage L2-5, 80 oz deli's for the rest... trial and error got me to this, and it seem's to work out nice, I could just be lucky though?
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Sounds good. :) I bet it's more than luck, though, the deli's must just work good. Experience always helps. Do you think you will be replying to my private message tonight? Sorry, but I'm anxious to know what your decision is on what we talked about.

 
gripen said:
A word of caution towards the funariums. I have had larger species have trouble moulting in them.

As for me plastic drinking cups->32oz->80oz->net cages of various sizes.
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I had a large Tenodera sinensis who molted from it without any trouble whatsoever. It worked like a charm actually. It worked like a charm for all my molting mantids. I always look out for them when they molt though just in case.

 
I am currently not housing any mantids, but i have two oothecae incubating in old cake and pie containers standing on their sides (The kinds that have a solid bottom and clear walls and top) and they work good :)

 
Digger said:
Usually Kritter Keepers. Easy to clean, plenty of ventilation and light, relatively aesthetic, enough size grades to follow mantid from larger nymph to adult and relatively easy to modify. I hot glue fine screening inside the top to keep HFs and BBs from squeezing through the air vent slots (and makes for terrific molting grab).
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A big deli will cost you less and do a better job the way it is, screen lid? cloth lid? Either way it's much cheaper and effective.

 
enclosures.jpg my adults and larger nymphs are in these large hex containers...smaller nymphs 32 ounce cups until they get a little bigger...

 
D_Hemptress said:
i was just discussing this with malakyoma. not nearly enough people decorate the enclosures or give them room to move
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There is plenty of room for improvement, I am planning to utilize naturalistic enclosures for my collection once I settle on a design. Bare cups and paper towels do not do justice to the incredible forms of mimicry and camouflage that have evolved among mantid species.

 
Tony C said:
There is plenty of room for improvement, I am planning to utilize naturalistic enclosures for my collection once I settle on a design. Bare cups and paper towels do not do justice to the incredible forms of mimicry and camouflage that have evolved among mantid species.
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the dollar store has become my best friend as far as fake flowers and fouliage go. i use those instead of excelsior when sending out mantids

 
Digger said:
Usually Kritter Keepers. Easy to clean, plenty of ventilation and light, relatively aesthetic, enough size grades to follow mantid from larger nymph to adult and relatively easy to modify. I hot glue fine screening inside the top to keep HFs and BBs from squeezing through the air vent slots (and makes for terrific molting grab).
Click to expand...
I have a large critter keeper for my feeder crickets and I took your idea of pantyhose and put one leg over the top and tied it at both ends... it even snaps closed. fruit flys can't even escape this. I don't know if there would be enough ventillation with the hose on for mantids though.

 
patrickfraser said:
16 oz McDonalds cups with a saran wrap cover with no holes. JK, I won't say for fear of judgement and being accused not being a true hobbyist or even worse, a mantis killer. I know a couple. :lol:
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I was like what the heck are you a mantid hit man haha. you can do whatever you want with your mantids, but even so, i may or may not agree with it myself as i have my own idea for what a mantid deserves. its nothing against anybody i just feel how i feel and im not gonna lie and say i think its fine to keep mantids in a fruit fly container when i dont, you know?

 

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