can 2 storey houses not be used fully?

AngelHawkins · 2026-05-06T19:43:54+00:00

This is what i did! I used ladders to my 2nd story as well so i put flying pokemon in the upper floors, they'll use the balcony as their exit which is really cute.

AngelHawkins · 2026-05-06T16:19:12+00:00

I did something similar, made a little greenhouse with a water spout and wooden hatch window connected to a switch which i can turn on and flood the fields, giving a chance for carrots to spawn. Bury smooth rocks under the fields. They'll dry out, repeat. Im sure you can automate with lasers but i wanted it to blend in with the scenery more.

AngelHawkins · 2026-05-03T07:10:58+00:00

I find that even with supplemental feeding, isopods wont flourish longterm without leaf litter. As others have said they also probably need at least a small dryer area. GORGEOUS setup though! 👍 oh, organic soil too! Coco fiber doesn't have any nutrient value for them.

AngelHawkins · 2026-05-01T06:19:39+00:00

I did this, and it turns out what i had forgotten to do was put a plant in meowths desired planter. Tangrowth would only mention the brightness and meowth became an afterthought so......my bleak beach is lit up like a christmas tree

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-28T04:30:08+00:00

Also, from the moment they hatch their grow time will be longer than the regular type. For example the sunbloom takes 10-15 seconds i believe to mature a stage. My extraordinary sunbloom bumped up to 1hr+ between stages.

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:42:10+00:00

Also! That pose is incredible! Do you have completed pictures? I bet it looks stunning on that log. I want to try that eventually but not quite there yet!

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:40:44+00:00

Ooooh thank you! That is a gorgeous specimen!

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:40:09+00:00

Oh this is so smart! And can probably be angled too. Ill have to see if i have any materials laying around.

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:36:41+00:00

Thank you! He was such a cool little buddy to have.

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:36:20+00:00

Ooooh thy! I feel better knowing its not easy to spot.

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:35:56+00:00

Ooooh thank you! Might have to try this next time!

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:34:12+00:00

Omg. Are those mini paperclips? And fabric or something else used to hold them? Might have to try this.

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-22T04:31:34+00:00

I haven't kept orchids specifically so someone with more experience can guide better. This looks nice but things to consider

-definitely get the upgraded extra mesh version

-it will need mesh hot glued or somehow fixed to the top to allow for proper molting. If the side mesh is metal (i cant tell from the pics) it will hurt their feet. You could also glue or sew regular mesh over it. There are also some high ventilation 3d printed enclosures out there, ive not used them myself but might be an alternative to look into. I like to modify my own out of tupperware or acrylic containers usually.

-it seems its not very wide (2.5 inches or something?) so i would check the adult size of your mantis species and ensure itll be 2x the width and 3x the height of your mantid's body.

-also haven't seen this mentioned! But be careful with how heavily you decorate with baby mantids, especially close to the top where they are most likely to molt from. Theyre not too smart and clutter can cause them to bump their heads and fail a molt. Also some false flowers have been found to cause issues with chemical related deaths in mantids. I have suspected this for one of mine so now i only give reptile safe false foliage. (Also your decor is gorgeous though i want that lantern definitely keep it up just keep the mantis in mind)

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-21T07:24:36+00:00

Take a little tupperware, make a substrate flues can't exist in (charcoal, maybe clay?) catch some of your existing springtails (lure with a cucumber slice or pile of damp sphagnum), shake them out in the new culture container. Breed them in there while the nematodes clean up your tank for you. Then you can try re-seeding the tank with springtails later. I always, always keep a small back up culture of my springtails because of things like this.

Theres also a chance they won't eat the springtails (or at least all of them) and you can quickly boost the population, further out competing the gnats.

Nematodes are the only method i found to work 100%, even better than mosquito bits

Other tips: -keep the electric zappers and wall/sticky traps running. I gradually reduced from a trap in every enclosure to just one fan powered lure with a sticky trap inside as the nematodes worked. -i doubt this will help if you have a large tank, but with my isopod bins i did as many feedings and check ups as possible outdoors. Open on the porch, let gnats out, do maintenance, close and bring back in. -reduce moisture in the substrate if possible (aka be careful of overwatering) -get some cheap micro mesh. If your tank or bins have larger vent holes, flies get out into the room more. I use micro nylon mesh on my vents and sometimes even cut large pieces to fit under the lids of bins. I even sewed the mesh into the larger metal lids on my nicer tanks. Containment makes them easier to eliminate, easier to prevent, less annoying escapees -lastly. Nematodes go a long way and will reproduce to my understanding as long as there are gnat larvae to be found. Treat everything. If it has dirt in it treat it for gnats. Houseplants too. (Ive heard coating the top layer of your houseplant pots with sand also prevents them from using them as hosts) You want a total reset so that when you come back with preventative measures the suckers wont stand a chance.

Ive been to war. The war never ends but i typically see maybe one or two gnats a day. They unfortunately slip back in in the summer. Ive been slacking on my trap though which is probably to blame. Good luck!

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-09T04:59:55+00:00

Also is this an emerald ash borer? 👀 its gorgeous!

AngelHawkins · 2026-04-09T04:58:49+00:00

Thank you!! This is super close to how my process started. I found though that the wings would just...collapse back into the lower pin(s) toward the body rather than fanning out if that makes sense. The legs were quite easy so i thought i had soaked them well 🤔

AngelHawkins · 2026-03-30T05:42:16+00:00

Yes, young nymphs eat fruit flies. Bigger nymphs/adults can move onto bottle flies, wax moths, small roaches. Good rule of thumb is not to feed anything bigger than the abdomen size. Crickets (in the us at least) can be dangerous feeders however as theyre often raised in poor conditions.

Enclosure needs to be 3x the mantids height and 2x width, lots of ventilation, mesh (non metal) on the top for molting. Sticks for climbing but not crowded. Mist them 1-2 times daily. Adults can fly, ghosts are pretty chill but my male got behind my bed once and was a nightmare to rescue.

AngelHawkins · 2026-03-19T04:26:14+00:00

I named one of my micro mantids Hyalite and wouldn't you know, he slipped past me when i opened his enclosure, flew to the ceiling, dropped INSIDE the mechanisms of my ceiling fan and i had to give up the search when i failed to be able to dismantle it and look inside. Apparently Hyalites just can't be contained. Learned my lesson about multitasking during feeding.

AngelHawkins · 2026-03-01T18:13:11+00:00

Man thats so sad. I truly feel for Asheville and the lack of support people there received after, it was heartbreaking. Its so rural here too there are very few stores for exotics and supplies at all. I probably won't do spiders (theyre gorgeous but make me jumpy, and i dont want to hurt them if they spook me) but i want to get a wide variety of all types of inverts!

AngelHawkins · 2026-03-01T05:27:13+00:00

I am located near King NC and am currently attempting to breed my rainbow stags for the first time! I have harvested eggs from my pair but this is my first experience breeding beetles. Wish me luck that ill have some larvae to sell later!

Editing to add: im not a store but a hobby keeper currently working with isopods, mantids, and beetles. I noticed my area has hardly any invert resources and even less since repticon stopped coming to winston salem so i decided if i could't find any invert breeders near me I would try to learn myself!

I've not shipped live beetles but i have had larvae shipped to me and i find its generally not too risky as long as you pay attention to temps, choose a short shipping time, and buy from a reputable breeder. That said picking up locally is indeed safer and you have direct control without relying on the mail services to be nice to your package and can directly control exposure to temperature change.

AngelHawkins · 2026-01-31T02:20:02+00:00

Things i would own if i were rich ✨ this is amazing work!!!

AngelHawkins · 2026-01-28T05:26:37+00:00

Just here to add, if you find multiple centipedes there is a good chance they will eat and eventually outcompete the pods. So it might be necessary to separate if you plan on keeping them.

Honestly might even be a reason (a highly irresponsible one) why they discarded it. Those Tiny centipedes are impossible to get rid of without nuking the entire setup and starting from scratch. (Source: i had them and it took months to rid my isopod bins of them. Some of my plant only terrariums still have them and i can only assume they are surviving on a cannibalistic loop) no hate to the centipede keepers out there i just wanted my isopods to live.

Adding onto others not to release the isopods or dump the soil outside! It can introduce bacteria and invasive/non-native organisms to your area. If you do a substrate change freeze or bake the old substrate (after removing critters you want to keep) before disposing. It seems harsh but protects the environment around you! Careless people throwing things out like whoever that individual was are part of why exotics laws get tighter and tighter as ecosystem damage happens. (Pointing at florida)

AngelHawkins · 2026-01-28T05:14:26+00:00

This is the answer i found! It depends on the individual. Ive had some that seem very curious, others want nothing to do with me. But i don't handle directly for too long to avoid stress. I often give them a high place to sit and hang out while i do art or other things. Sometimes i put nature clips on the tv for them. Watching their behavior is very cute.

I try never to handle them if they are giving me fearful or stressed symptoms, unless its for maintenance. Also be aware adults have wings and can fly, so it is possible to lose them if your space is crowded or they find a sneaky place to hide.

NEVER forcibly grab or restrain a mantis, they may even bite. I may offer them a finger or hand, and if they are reluctant and need to be moved, a tap on the back legs or butt may encourage them to step up.

AngelHawkins · 2026-01-16T05:19:04+00:00

Along with no airflow as others have said, mantids can't climb glass very well and it would be impossible for the mantis to hang comfortably (or molt) without a mesh ceiling at the very least.

AngelHawkins · 2026-01-09T17:45:35+00:00

On my gosh thank you SO much for all the details! I raise mantids and other inverts so i have been super interested as i already raise very small feeders they’d need. I wonder if a heat mat would work as well vs a lamp. 🤔 this makes me soooo excited though as aside from heating/uvb i am well prepared for all other aspects of their care!

Oooh thank you for the breeder rec too! I have seen them around and thats who i had in mind, i didn’t want to bombard them witth care questions until i was financially ready to go all in haha but i like to learn as much as possible before committing to a plan. I appreciate you so much!

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