We have all asked ourselves this question, and not just once. With every new species that you keep, this question is briefly worked through in the head and you usually fall back on experience or ask in various forums. Not infrequently, one gets very different suggestions on it and hot discussions arise.

Usually there are two different groups where the opinions differ. On the one hand, there are breeders who want to accommodate many animals and thus have to calculate exactly which mantis has how much space requirement. The next important aspect for them is the handling of the containers especially when feeding. Everything should be as quick and easy as possible. How the containers look plays a minor role in this case, since the animal stock is located in a hobby room and is not intended for display.

On the other side we have the owners who want to place their animals as exhibits in their home and are much more concerned about the appearance and the possibility of viewing the containers. The handling often takes a back seat.

At the end of the day it is about a praying mantis and it has no claim on the appearance of its terrarium. Our mantises have other requirements which we have to meet in order to keep them successfully.

A terrarium must meet the following requirements:

• Enough space
• Sufficient ventilation

Size of the Terrarium:

Most mantises are lurking hunters and wait almost motionless for their prey. Therefore it is not necessary to offer these mantids a huge terrarium. We often put ourselves in the position of the animals and think bigger is better and are later disappointed to find out that the mantis does not take any walks in the terrarium and mostly hangs motionless on the lid. When molting, the mantid has the largest space requirements, as this doubles its length. Since not all branches are directly under the lid and we also have to take into account the substrate height, special attention should be paid to the terrarium height.

I have developed a formula based on my experience and other keeping reports.  Using this rule of thumb, everyone can easily calculate the size of the terrarium themselves:

3 x 3 x 4

Terrarium Length= 3x Final Size of the adult Mantis

Terrarium Width= 3x Final Size of the adult Mantis

Terrarium Height= 4x Final Size of the adult Mantis

Keeping in Groups= +25% for each Mantis per Site

Example

Phyllocrania paradoxa – Ghost mantis

Final Size 5cm

Keeping individually

Terrariuml Length= 3 x 5cm = 15cm

Terrarium Width: 3 x 5cm = 15cm

Terrarium Height: 4 x 5cm = 20cm

Size of the Terrarium: 15cm x 15cm x 20cm

Keeping in Groups

2 Pair Phyllocrania paradoxa (4 Animals)

Terrarium Size (Keeping individually): 15cm x 15cm x 20cm

4 Animals x 25% = 100% (in this case simply double all side lengths)

Size of the Terrarium (Group with 2 Pairs): 30cm x 30cm x 40cm

Group husbandry can of course only be used for mantids where there is intraspecific compatibility!

Ventilation:

One of the really unhealthy factors in the terrarium is stagnant air that causes serious harm to our mantids in the long run. The movement of air in the atmosphere ensures that mantids are unfamiliar with such conditions in their natural environment. In the terrarium this stagnant air must be prevented by sufficient air circulation, because in such an atmosphere dangerous germs grow quickly in the terrarium. Mold can develop and unpleasant odors, which can be avoided right at the beginning, namely when buying or building the terrarium.

However, very open solutions also lose a lot of heat in the terrarium, so here should be weighed between economy and necessity, especially in a terrarium where a high level of heat must prevail. The higher the temperature in the terrarium, the better the air exchange with the colder room temperature.

Basically, the terrarium should be surface dry again in 2 hours after spraying.

Again, I have long compared and tested quite different terrariums and measured to offer a simple solution. Using this rule of thumb, everyone can easily calculate the ventilation of the terrarium:

min. 6% of the base area should be ventilation area
Example

Terrarium dimensions: 20cm x 20cm x 20cm

area of one side: 20cm x 20cm= 400 cm²

Area of the terrarium: 400 cm² x 6 sides= 2400 cm²

Ventilation of the terrarium: 2400 cm² x 6%= min. 144 cm²

I myself use prepared plastic cans from the packaging industry, BraPlast cans, screw cans and glass terrariums. Since I know how difficult it is to get a well ventilated terrarium or a perfect screw box, I offer both in the store under accessories.

Also, beautiful does not have to be impractical. I use drilled holes on my glass terrariums to feed the mantids quickly and stress free. If I’m away for a few days, I can always install a sprinkler nozzle to provide a water supply.

So buying a terrarium should be well thought out beforehand. First of all I should know which mantid species I want to buy and with the final size of the mantid I can calculate everything else.

Here you can see the video: