Price
Moderator: ooper01
Price
So, I got a Solenopsis Hybrid Nest. It arrived today. I was super excited. SO excited. Even when I opened it I was excited. I just have one complaint. The price tag. It's a little to pricey. $50 (plus $13 for shipping) for a nest that is really really small. Like 4 inches by 4 inches. I understand business is business but with this price tag there is no way I am going to keep buying them. Imagine, my fire ant colony grows and grows. Now what happens when 2 months later they need a new one? Ok so buy another one. So what about 2 months later and they need another one. Ok another $50. Now look ahead 3 years and I already spent like at the very minimum $350 when I simply could have made my own or just made a colony out of test tubes for less than $5. Now I know I am the person who bought it, but I mean it is really pricey for a nest that fits in the palm of your hand and there is a lot of wasted space that is used up by all the columns that really don't need to be that thick. I'm sorry for complaining but I just wanted to notify you guys that a some people out there like me are not willing to invest so much money when we can either make our own or just simply use test tubes if needed. I think the nests are really cool. Really amazing you way you guys did it. It is SO cool. But the price tag destroys it for me. I would say that a decent price tag would be $30 and lower because you also have to think that we have to pay shipping costs. I'm really sorry about complaining but I really want you guys to understand. Is there any way you guys are going to lower the price tag by a large margin or perhaps make them bigger for the price (like maybe it be 8 inches by 8 inches for $50)?
- Batspiderfish
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- Location: Maine
Re: Price
Commercial formicariums are a mostly headache-free way to keep ants. This nest may seem small to you, but depending on where you live and which species is inside, a nest of that size can last you 1-3 years before the colony grows too large. Any ants which naturally live in small colonies (with a few hundred members at most) may be able to live in that nest for their entire lives.
At the very least, this nest will give you plenty of time to learn how to make your own formicariums. AntsCanada does have this video which is good inspiration for home-made nest designs, as well as personal critique:
At the very least, this nest will give you plenty of time to learn how to make your own formicariums. AntsCanada does have this video which is good inspiration for home-made nest designs, as well as personal critique:
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
Re: Price
Yes, I agree. The only problem is my fire ants. They grow quite fast. I will just deal with it for now. I have made my own formicarium a out of grout before and they always move out of them. They always move out. Never fails. I've made so many different combinations and with sanded, unsanded, perlite, no perlite, a little bit of perlite, sanded with some unsanded, unsanded with some sanded, half and half, everything really with the resources I have. They just always move out. So I bought a hybrid nest to see if it is easier and better and I have to say it is. The more I though about it and the longer time went, I wasn't so dissatisfied anymore because I didn't realize how big it is in comparison to my fire ants and how easy the thing is. I do not like the color though. It's really hard to see my ants with that dark color. But overall decent. Will wait for them to be lowered in price or something else appear though. Formicarium are just so expensive online for some reason.Batspiderfish wrote: ↑Sun May 07, 2017 9:04 amCommercial formicariums are a mostly headache-free way to keep ants. This nest may seem small to you, but depending on where you live and which species is inside, a nest of that size can last you 1-3 years before the colony grows too large. Any ants which naturally live in small colonies (with a few hundred members at most) may be able to live in that nest for their entire lives.
At the very least, this nest will give you plenty of time to learn how to make your own formicariums. AntsCanada does have this video which is good inspiration for home-made nest designs, as well as personal critique:
Re: Price
Our latest development is 8" x 8" and we are going to do our best to keep it at the same price point. Stay tuned...AntsAreAwesome wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2017 6:44 pmSo, I got a Solenopsis Hybrid Nest. It arrived today. I was super excited. SO excited. Even when I opened it I was excited. I just have one complaint. The price tag. It's a little to pricey. $50 (plus $13 for shipping) for a nest that is really really small. Like 4 inches by 4 inches. I understand business is business but with this price tag there is no way I am going to keep buying them. Imagine, my fire ant colony grows and grows. Now what happens when 2 months later they need a new one? Ok so buy another one. So what about 2 months later and they need another one. Ok another $50. Now look ahead 3 years and I already spent like at the very minimum $350 when I simply could have made my own or just made a colony out of test tubes for less than $5. Now I know I am the person who bought it, but I mean it is really pricey for a nest that fits in the palm of your hand and there is a lot of wasted space that is used up by all the columns that really don't need to be that thick. I'm sorry for complaining but I just wanted to notify you guys that a some people out there like me are not willing to invest so much money when we can either make our own or just simply use test tubes if needed. I think the nests are really cool. Really amazing you way you guys did it. It is SO cool. But the price tag destroys it for me. I would say that a decent price tag would be $30 and lower because you also have to think that we have to pay shipping costs. I'm really sorry about complaining but I really want you guys to understand. Is there any way you guys are going to lower the price tag by a large margin or perhaps make them bigger for the price (like maybe it be 8 inches by 8 inches for $50)?
~ ooper
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Re: Price
Oh boy. I saw that the Formica is supposed to come out this month?ooper01 wrote: ↑Sun May 07, 2017 8:28 pmOur latest development is 8" x 8" and we are going to do our best to keep it at the same price point. Stay tuned...AntsAreAwesome wrote: ↑Sat May 06, 2017 6:44 pmSo, I got a Solenopsis Hybrid Nest. It arrived today. I was super excited. SO excited. Even when I opened it I was excited. I just have one complaint. The price tag. It's a little to pricey. $50 (plus $13 for shipping) for a nest that is really really small. Like 4 inches by 4 inches. I understand business is business but with this price tag there is no way I am going to keep buying them. Imagine, my fire ant colony grows and grows. Now what happens when 2 months later they need a new one? Ok so buy another one. So what about 2 months later and they need another one. Ok another $50. Now look ahead 3 years and I already spent like at the very minimum $350 when I simply could have made my own or just made a colony out of test tubes for less than $5. Now I know I am the person who bought it, but I mean it is really pricey for a nest that fits in the palm of your hand and there is a lot of wasted space that is used up by all the columns that really don't need to be that thick. I'm sorry for complaining but I just wanted to notify you guys that a some people out there like me are not willing to invest so much money when we can either make our own or just simply use test tubes if needed. I think the nests are really cool. Really amazing you way you guys did it. It is SO cool. But the price tag destroys it for me. I would say that a decent price tag would be $30 and lower because you also have to think that we have to pay shipping costs. I'm really sorry about complaining but I really want you guys to understand. Is there any way you guys are going to lower the price tag by a large margin or perhaps make them bigger for the price (like maybe it be 8 inches by 8 inches for $50)?
Re: Price
We are hoping it does, though our manufacturing folks have been dragging their feet.AntsAreAwesome wrote: ↑Sun May 07, 2017 9:24 pmOh boy. I saw that the Formica is supposed to come out this month?
~ ooper
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Re: Price
Yea. Well just take your time to get everything right. Hope all goes well!ooper01 wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2017 12:54 amWe are hoping it does, though our manufacturing folks have been dragging their feet.AntsAreAwesome wrote: ↑Sun May 07, 2017 9:24 pmOh boy. I saw that the Formica is supposed to come out this month?
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