Regarding Dirt Formicarium
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Regarding Dirt Formicarium
Hi guys, my colony is starting to get big and I can't buy a formicarium because I am underage. Is it safe to put my ants in tub of dirt?
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- Posts: 107
- Joined: Fri Mar 01, 2019 11:13 am
- Location: Netherlands
Re: Regarding Dirt Formicarium
Hi there!
It is safe to put your ants inside a tank of dirt, but you have to consider some important notes:
1. You wouldn't be able to observe your queen and brood.
2. You could put a smaller box inside a bigger box, so there is like 5 cm whidth of space for your ants to dig in and you will have a better chance to see your ants dig chambers.
3. Always make sure that you have some sort of an escape proof barrier, like babypowder around the edge of your tub or a lid with a mesh for ventilation.
4. Make an additional hole for further extension when your colony outgrows your dirt setup.
5. Make sure that the ground is always somewhat moist, so your ants don't dry out.
6. You can ask your parents permission to buy a small, cheap formicarium. Why can't you
- You could also try to build a formicarium yourself from cheap materials like plaster or ytong. It's highly water absorbent and easy to carve tunnels in. You can search up video's on YouTube about "How to make a formicarium" or "Formicarium diy". It is always a cheaper option than buying a 'professional' formicarium
- What is always a good way to observe your ants is to put them in a 'tubs and tubes setup'. It is basically an escape proof outworld with many water test tubes inside it. When your colony outgrows the old test tube, just put another one inside so they can move to that other one. You can keep this setup empty (with only test tubes) or put some sand and decorations in it. This type of setup works great for me
Hope this helps you and if you have any more questions, then just ask me. Good luck!
- Ants Netherlands (good2know15)
Also known as Ants_Netherlands18 on Instagram
Keeper of:
I have kept 48 species of 18 different genera of ants over the course of 3.5 years of antkeeping
For species ID, feel free to message me privately!
Keeper of:
I have kept 48 species of 18 different genera of ants over the course of 3.5 years of antkeeping
For species ID, feel free to message me privately!
Re: Regarding Dirt Formicarium
Thank you! The reason I can't get a formicarium is because my parents aren't too fond of my hobbies. For the homemade outworlds, I was considering using my father's concrete and some modified ziplock bags. I haven't done it yet is because I had no time.Good2Know15 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 14, 2019 1:44 pmHi there!
It is safe to put your ants inside a tank of dirt, but you have to consider some important notes:
1. You wouldn't be able to observe your queen and brood.
2. You could put a smaller box inside a bigger box, so there is like 5 cm whidth of space for your ants to dig in and you will have a better chance to see your ants dig chambers.
3. Always make sure that you have some sort of an escape proof barrier, like babypowder around the edge of your tub or a lid with a mesh for ventilation.
4. Make an additional hole for further extension when your colony outgrows your dirt setup.
5. Make sure that the ground is always somewhat moist, so your ants don't dry out.
6. You can ask your parents permission to buy a small, cheap formicarium. Why can't you
- You could also try to build a formicarium yourself from cheap materials like plaster or ytong. It's highly water absorbent and easy to carve tunnels in. You can search up video's on YouTube about "How to make a formicarium" or "Formicarium diy". It is always a cheaper option than buying a 'professional' formicarium
- What is always a good way to observe your ants is to put them in a 'tubs and tubes setup'. It is basically an escape proof outworld with many water test tubes inside it. When your colony outgrows the old test tube, just put another one inside so they can move to that other one. You can keep this setup empty (with only test tubes) or put some sand and decorations in it. This type of setup works great for me
Hope this helps you and if you have any more questions, then just ask me. Good luck!
- Ants Netherlands (good2know15)
P.S. The box inside another box was genius. I could've never thought of something like that.
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