Environment and Decorations

Silk plants are a great choice since they’re pesticide free and require no care to maintain them. If they get dirty you can always wash them with some hot water. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors to meet whatever preference you desire. 

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If you are looking for something safe and low maintenance this is the way to go.

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​Live plants can really add an esthetic appeal to your habitat. They can also help maintain humidity levels. These require larger areas to grow and a solid base and sides for soil. Drainage layers are recommended to keep roots from getting waterlogged. When picking live plants, look for a supplier that doesn’t use pesticides and species that don’t produce toxins as a mantis might take a nibble if they miss a prey insect.

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Many reptile suppliers have safe options. Grow lights will be needed for plant growth. 

Rocks and branches are also a good addition to your habitat as they provide something for them to climb on. Some species even require branches or sticks to thrive. Many mantid species mimic the appearance of sticks and need them to be able to hunt appropriately. Again its important to use ones that are free of pesticides.

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You can use branches from your yard, but its best to sanitize them by either baking them for 20 mins at 200F or boiling them to remove pests

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Some mantids live most of their lives in, or around flowers. Adding silk flowers or even flowering plants can help them thrive. Silk flowers have the advantage of not needing maintenance, while live plants can actually increase your humidity levels. Live flowering plants however might not have flowers year round.

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Substrate can be as simple as a layer of paper towels or coco fiber. Coco fiber or Moss can be used to increase humidity levels. These need to be changed out periodically to remove waste build up. Be careful of using potting mixes as some of them include insecticides. 

Bioactive terrariums are great for keeping maintenance low. Isopods and springtails can be kept as a clean up crew in soils and moss. they will remove organic waste and love to eat the shed exoskeletons. 

Vivarium’s are a large bioactive container with live plants and other living organisms. They can be very beautiful centerpiece to any room. The requirements for vivarium's are different and maintenance varies depending on how its set up. If you choose to go this path, be sure your mantis is at a large enough stage that it wont get lost in a large enclosure. Mantis will eat anything smaller than themselves, so be careful what roommates you place with them. A healthy and active vivarium doesn’t require large amounts of maintenance.  

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