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Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 10:53 pm
by AntsOnTheCoast
Good afternoon,

I have always wanted to make a formicarium out of plaster of paris, but I never really got the chance to.
However, I plan on making one today but I just have a few things I need experts to confirm.

I've heard that plaster of paris is hard to deal with mould, which is going to be a simple nuisance.

I've also heard rumours that ants use the plaster's powdery state (if it's still powdery) as an escape tool. Is this generally true?
Apparently plaster can also be chewed through from larger and aggressive ants, such as the iconic bull ant of Australia.

What are your opinions for this? I'd like to know any precautions before moving a colony in. Help would greatly be appreciated.

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 4:46 pm
by AntsOnTheCoast
bump

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 7:38 pm
by ACaseoftheMondays
I've never used it myself, for the reasons you've listed. A grout and sand mixture seems a better option, and works the same way.

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:48 pm
by AntsRule
Yeah I make all my formicariums out of sand/grout/perlite mixture. Here the YouTube video I used its part 1 of 3
[youtube]tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIJzYrMI7Q[/youtube]

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:42 am
by AntsOntario
AntsRule wrote:
Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:48 pm
Yeah I make all my formicariums out of sand/grout/perlite mixture. Here the YouTube video I used its part 1 of 3
[youtube]tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIJzYrMI7Q[/youtube]
Do you still sell them? If so, where can I buy them? :D

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 11:39 am
by Batspiderfish
I've never, ever had a problem with mold in plaster nests. The only issue is that little pinholes will develop where water flows through, and this could potentially allow some ants to chew through and escape. The easy way around this is to design in such a way where the ants would have to go underwater to escape and not to skimp on the thickness of the outer walls. I use hydrostone.

Re: Plaster of Paris in Ant Keeping

Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2017 12:05 pm
by AntsRule
AntsOntario wrote:
Wed Aug 16, 2017 10:42 am
AntsRule wrote:
Tue Aug 15, 2017 8:48 pm
Yeah I make all my formicariums out of sand/grout/perlite mixture. Here the YouTube video I used its part 1 of 3
[youtube]tps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDIJzYrMI7Q[/youtube]
Do you still sell them? If so, where can I buy them? :D
That video was not mine, I was just posting the link. :D