# Post your mantis's houses!!!



## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Hello all,
I was just wondering what would be best suited to keeping praying mantis's in.. And any unique house's..
Also how do you heat yours?
Preferably
Giant African Praying Mantis
Asian Praying MatisMantis 
And Indian Flower Praying Mantis
(These are the ones i would like to keep)
Also please post your own so i can see how your mantis's are kept, and it doesnt have to be the ones above!:2thumb:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Thought there would be a loads of people with mantis's!! LOL


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/habitat-pictures/585888-mantis-viv-pic-heavy.html

This is the one I made for my Bud-winged mantis :2thumb:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Thank you biggys!


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/spiders-inverts/640167-phyllocrania-paradoxa-green-female.html

No worries dude :lol2:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

LOL!! OMFG i love that mantis! I really want one of those!.. Is there anything else you can use a bit cheaper than an exo...


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

Trootle said:


> LOL!! thats good to.. Is there anything else you can use a bit cheaper than an exo...


gallon jars work really well mate


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

But surely not for the bigger ones?


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

Trootle said:


> But surely not for the bigger ones?


they will be fine for a while 

the you can move them into cereal tubs ( large ones )

basicly the rule of thumb is as long as the tube is 3x the lenght of the mantis it will be fine, although saying this I always do 4-5 times the hight just to be on the safe side


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Ok that sounds good... Might have to go for a larger mantis one now!!


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

Trootle said:


> Ok that sounds good... Might have to go for a larger mantis one now!!


Haha I would personally go for the Giant asian green mantis

they are phsyco's when it comes to feeding 
look the part
and easy to keep
and are ok to handle ( ocassionally )


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Ok they sound good, not sure if my local shop is getting them in though.. Thin there getting giant african mantis's bright green :mf_dribble: are they ok to handle??


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

Trootle said:


> Ok they sound good, not sure if my local shop is getting them in though.. Thin there getting giant african mantis's bright green :mf_dribble: are they ok to handle??


Yeah they are really cool mate 

Congo green mantid : victory:

Awesome little critters


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## The Rook (Mar 17, 2010)

For the moment I've just got my month old _Creobroter gemmatus_ (Jewelled Flower Mantis) in a glass jar with a piece of fabric from old tights streched over the top (held on by elastic band) & I've got a few sticks in there, though she spends most of her time hanging from the top.

I've also got an arboreal exo terra terrarium setup for her, with orchid bark substrate & stones on the bottom plus more sticks than you can shake a...well a stick at.

She wont be moving to the larger enclosure til shes abit older, since shes only about 10mm long at the moment.

I'll take a photo when I get home from college.


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## frogbmth (Jan 1, 2010)

This cage is from Gurdersmantis, currently housing a female Orchid mantis











This is the inhabitant











For small animals, I use these £1 jars from Asda


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

Thank you both!! Could you use one of thjose staples 'rubs' turned on its sides with lots of holes to breath??
http://www.staples.co.uk/office-sup...re-euro-sized-stacking-storage-box-clear?r=bf
http://www.staples.co.uk/storage-bo...rage-boxes/really-useful-19-litre-xl-box?r=bf 
Would any of these work? 
Thanks alot!


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

The Rook said:


> For the moment I've just got my month old _Creobroter gemmatus_ (Jewelled Flower Mantis) in a glass jar with a piece of fabric from old tights streched over the top (held on by elastic band) & I've got a few sticks in there, though she spends most of her time hanging from the top.
> 
> I've also got an arboreal exo terra terrarium setup for her, with orchid bark substrate & stones on the bottom plus more sticks than you can shake a...well a stick at.
> 
> ...


ooh i would like to see!


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## The Rook (Mar 17, 2010)

Trootle said:


> ooh i would like to see!


I finally got round to taking photos & uploading them, here they are. Shes just finished eating a cricket almost as big as her in this photo (I've run out of fruit flies), took her a while to do so. Since shes so small, I've photographed her though a magnifying lense. She won't go into the terrarium til shes decently bigger. I do handle her at least every few days, she often refuses to get off my hands when I try to put her back 









Her in her jar









The setup









Jar in setup (for extra security & room saving)









Yum, cricket.









Ruby again

Enjoy


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

Biggys said:


> Haha I would personally go for the Giant asian green mantis
> 
> they are phsyco's when it comes to feeding
> look the part
> ...



everytime I open the lid of mines enclosure hes out like a shot and on to my hand he loves being out and about and exploring my bed sheets :lol2:


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

geckodelta said:


> everytime I open the lid of mines enclosure hes out like a shot and on to my hand he loves being out and about and exploring my bed sheets :lol2:


I meant to add that but it wouldn't let me edit it :whip:

I was going to say if they come out the great but If they don't I wouldn't force them


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

Biggys said:


> I meant to add that but it wouldn't let me edit it :whip:
> 
> I was going to say if they come out the great but If they don't I wouldn't force them


haha yep I agree although you cant stop mine from coming out :lol2: and hes a bugger to get back in aswell haha Ive kept all sorts of mantids and these are by far the most active/friendly ive ever seen, you cant help but love them :2thumb:


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

geckodelta said:


> haha yep I agree although you cant stop mine from coming out :lol2: and hes a bugger to get back in aswell haha Ive kept all sorts of mantids and these are by far the most active/friendly ive ever seen, you cant help but love them :2thumb:


what type is he dude ?


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

Biggys said:


> what type is he dude ?


he's a second instar ( at a guess ) giant asian


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

geckodelta said:


> he's a second instar ( at a guess ) giant asian


such an awesome _spp._ was gutted when mine died


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

Biggys said:


> such an awesome _spp._ was gutted when mine died


I know, I thought my little guy had injured his forearm earlier and I was almost bought to tears ( kinda :whistling2: ) haha turned out it was just a false alarm thank god :flrt: Im assuming hes a guy anyway I had a quick peak and thought I counted 7 body segments but im kinda hoping hes a she :lol2:


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## Biggys (Jun 6, 2010)

geckodelta said:


> *I know, I thought my little guy had injured his forearm earlier and I was almost bought to tears ( kinda :whistling2: ) haha turned out it was just a false alarm thank god :flrt: *Im assuming hes a guy anyway I had a quick peak and thought I counted 7 body segments but im kinda hoping hes a she :lol2:


 
I did have a little laugh at your thread :lol2:

and hopefully mate


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

Biggys said:


> I did have a little laugh at your thread :lol2:
> 
> and hopefully mate


haha I was like dont cry man you have only had this guy for 2 days :whistling2: when ever one of my mantids die I get upset but I think if this guy dies I will be brought to tears haha and I dont even cry at films :lol2:


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## Brandan Smith (Nov 17, 2010)

im thinkin bout mantis agen


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

The rook: that is a lovely set up and a nice mantid!!! Thanks everyone else for the replys! I'm so torn on which one to get!! Hopefully I will be getting it next week...


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## geckodelta (Dec 11, 2008)

go with a giant asian, they do well at room temp they are very active and they get huge and a lovely bright green :2thumb:


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

O might but they only have an african mantis and dead leaf and indian flower mantis...


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## JustJack (Apr 19, 2010)

This is what i picked up for £2.99, the cereal tub that Tyler reccomended.. For the flower mantis hopefully... Is it to small for the african mantis..
























It measures externally (H)23x(D)10cm..
And internally a 1-2cm smaller.
Where would i drill the air holes shall i put mesh over the top where the flap is..
Thanks


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