Adding substrate

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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pko9157

Adding substrate

Post: # 4846Post pko9157
Sat Feb 06, 2016 11:32 am

Hi. I'm quite new to any keeping and captured my queen last year in July and since then I have two workers and a whole pile of brood. I also bought the hybrid nest small for my ants to move into once they have 10+ workers.
So my question is: Do you recommend me to put substrate into my hybrid nest or not?
Thank you.

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MadVampy
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Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4848Post MadVampy
Sat Feb 06, 2016 5:09 pm

pko9157 wrote:Hi. I'm quite new to any keeping and captured my queen last year in July and since then I have two workers and a whole pile of brood. I also bought the hybrid nest small for my ants to move into once they have 10+ workers.
So my question is: Do you recommend me to put substrate into my hybrid nest or not?
Thank you.
Are you talking in the water tray or inside the nest?
MadVampy

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Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people. :lol:
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pko9157

Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4850Post pko9157
Sat Feb 06, 2016 7:41 pm

I'm talking about inside the nest :D. Any advice will be great. Thank you mad vampy.

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ooper01
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Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4853Post ooper01
Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:09 pm

What species do you have?
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MadVampy
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Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4854Post MadVampy
Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:16 pm

It really depends on the species, I know with my solenopsis I basicly filled the bottom 1/4 with fine play sand for them to moved around (they block the entrances with it) and it also helps with the humidity of the nest.
MadVampy

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Name is also Mike but please don't confuse me with Mikey Bustos, two different people. :lol:
Keeper of Solenopsis Ants. :twisted:

pko9157

Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4855Post pko9157
Sat Feb 06, 2016 10:22 pm

Mine is a Formica fusca.

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ooper01
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Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4872Post ooper01
Mon Feb 08, 2016 12:39 pm

It isn't a requirement, but I would add some sand and/or very small wood chips/bark. It allows the ants to do a little design work on the nest for themselves. They will block off areas, plug air holes, minimize entrance size, etc.
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pko9157

Re: Adding substrate

Post: # 4873Post pko9157
Mon Feb 08, 2016 4:41 pm

Thank you ooper 01 and thanks for the advice :)!

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