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I consider getting some high quality toolboxes as additional nesting space for my Camponotus at some future point, how hard do they need to be? Is regular hard plastics okay? Does it need to be acrylic? Is softer plastics bad?

Anyone?

Hello Serafine,
Camponotus sp.can chew through cork, but deffinitely not plastics. ABS, PET and other tipycal plastics are fine.

I would reccomend glass over plastic.

Firestar any reason in particular for that? I've never had an issue with Campotonus and plastic and I've housed colonies off and on for years. Current setup is a hybrid nest and the only issue I'm having is them pulling at the cotton balls.

I would be careful with softer plastics. I had a camponotus queen escape from a soft plastic container by chewing through it. I found her soon after but it still scared me. Go with glass or hard acrylics.

Can they chew through cotton?

god yes, they pull at cotton and can get out that way, just add extra

If you go with plastic go with hard acrylics and the like. I had a camponotus pennsylvanicus queen chew through two different tupperware containers and escape. (I was waiting for test tubes in the mail and she was in a sealed cabinet so all i had to do was put her back in a container)

Interesting topic. What about plastic test tubes? Are they okay? Made of some hard and transparent plastic.