Enclosure design

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When thinking about housing requirements for praying mantis you really have to consider a number of factors. is the enclosure for a small - medium nymph a sub adult or adult? What is the adult size of the species you are keeping? Can the mantis climb smooth surfaces like glass and plastic? 

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If you are dealing with a small species or sall to medium sized nymphs then i would suggest using plastic half pint cups / pint cups. They are cheap easy to clean, easy to aquire (most supermarkets stock them) and meet all the typical guidelines for housing mantis. No it doesnt look too exciting but they are practical. They are taller than they are wide, ideal for most mantis species which typically are more arboreal than ground dwelling. Are easily ventilated and with a few minor modifications you can make them very easy to regularly service. Especially when housing lots of individuals.

 

 Setting up cups for rearing mantis

1. Take a plastic half pint cup and carefully cut a small hole in the side about 2/3 the way up.

2. Bung the hole with a piece of cotton wool

   • This allows for easy and quick access to the pot so you can feed the mantis without removing the netting which will be used top off the enclosure.

3. Then cut a piece of capillary matting (can purchase very cheaply from most garden centers) so that it fits the bottom of the cup.

   • Soak the capillary matting under a tap and then ring it out leaving it damp not wet. 

4. Place some percing material in the cup. Depending on the species we either use netting on the side walls of the cup, small branches or wood wool. 

5.  Cut a piece of netting so that it overhangs the edge of the cup by at least 1/2 inch. Then using an elastic band secure the netting around the rim of the cup.

6. As the mantis grows increase the size of the cup accordingly. 

7. When the mantis reaches sub adult/ adult size i prefer to move them to a larger more naturalistic enclosure (See details below) 

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Extra notes

• Most species of mantis in this sort of environment will choose to suspend themselves from the netting most of the time. So the cotton wool bung in the side of the pot is especially benificial because as well as saving you hours by not having to remove and replace the mesh lids, you also do not stress your mantis as much by moving them every time you want to introduce food. 

• Capillary matting is so much more preferable to me because it is easy to clean so can be reused many times before being replaced but also it holds much more moisture than a piece of kitchen roll. 

• This type of set up is most useful for small nymphs which are more delicate and need to be monitored more closely. it is also very useful when you have 100's of mantis to feed and spray as it can be done quickly and without causing unnecessary stress to the animals. 

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Sub-adult / Adult set up

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When the mantis reaches a sub adult size I prefer to move them to a larger enclosure. There are a few exceptions including small species and species that have especially timid males that get a bit skittish in larger more open spaces. Once the mantis has reached a sub-adult size it should be capable of taking care of itself in a larger environment. I usually go for something like a 30x30x45 cm Exo terra. I mostly keep rainforest species so I use a mixture of coco fibre and potting soil for the substrate, sometimes I mix through a bit of sand too. Then I plant the tank up using grasses, ferns, bromeliads etc and provide a number of branches placed both vertically and horizontally to give them a variety of different perching options. They will of course often sit on the mesh lids regardless of how many perching options you provide. To finish off I also scatter some moss around on the surface of the substrate and around the edge of the tank backing to aid with humidity levels. These enclosures are also suitable for introducing breeding pairs to one another when the time comes. For much larger species like King Mantis and Dead Leaf Mantis I will often use larger enclosures such as a 45x45x60cm Exo Terra.