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How do I make a lid for vivarium?

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 2:26 pm
by tiger01vincent
Hi, I have this acryllic made box that I am making into a vivarium, The plants will be moved and others added so dont mind those.

Image

The question I have is; How do I create the maximum safe lid? Or is it safe enough to put barrier on the side? I will have lasium umbratus plus maybie formica.... Cant remember the name XD A black tiny formica, ye...... I was thinking on making a lid with a big hole in the middle and applie barrier on the under side of the lid, (the sides of it) To create an even tougher barrier, one that you have to climp upside down to escape. But how do I do that? Just use an acryllic piace and cut it out? Or do you know some better ways?

The other problem I have with this is that the long side and the short side is not the same height.... like 2mm differance, the long sides are shorter, how can I solve that? Cause even if I place a whole covering lid on there, there will be a gap between the lid and the long sides? Maybie do I use silicone layer all around the edge so it becomes (almost) totally flat? Or can you give other suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

<3

Re: How do I make a lid for vivarium?

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:29 pm
by YSTheAnt
With most non tropical ants, which I believe you are keeping, a regular sideways barrier should be aqueadate. If you want to be extra safe, add two rings, one higher than the other, of your barrier. If you want to make a downward barrier, your best bet would be using tape and plastic sheets or 3D printing the top. Although honestly, I don't see a need for a downward barrier, as formica and lasius aren't extremely hard to contain. Nice vivarium by the way!

Re: How do I make a lid for vivarium?

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:47 am
by tiger01vincent
YSTheAnt wrote:
Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:29 pm
With most non tropical ants, which I believe you are keeping, a regular sideways barrier should be aqueadate. If you want to be extra safe, add two rings, one higher than the other, of your barrier. If you want to make a downward barrier, your best bet would be using tape and plastic sheets or 3D printing the top. Although honestly, I don't see a need for a downward barrier, as formica and lasius aren't extremely hard to contain. Nice vivarium by the way!
Alright, thank you for responding and helping me out! spreading the love!

(btw, campo. sp. they are even easier to contain right? Since they are so big and heavy?)

Re: How do I make a lid for vivarium?

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:15 pm
by YSTheAnt
tiger01vincent wrote:
Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:47 am
YSTheAnt wrote:
Tue Sep 19, 2017 11:29 pm
With most non tropical ants, which I believe you are keeping, a regular sideways barrier should be aqueadate. If you want to be extra safe, add two rings, one higher than the other, of your barrier. If you want to make a downward barrier, your best bet would be using tape and plastic sheets or 3D printing the top. Although honestly, I don't see a need for a downward barrier, as formica and lasius aren't extremely hard to contain. Nice vivarium by the way!
Alright, thank you for responding and helping me out! spreading the love!

(btw, campo. sp. they are even easier to contain right? Since they are so big and heavy?)
Yeah, camponotus aren't hard to contain. And yeah, spread the love!

Re: How do I make a lid for vivarium?

Posted: Sat Sep 30, 2017 7:00 pm
by AntsOnTheCoast
I'm sure anything like insect-a-slip or any of the barriers mentioned should be alright.

If you want to be extra safe, you can just get a lid of any sort (plastic container, etc) and place it over. Make sure to poke a few small holes in it as well, if you want your ants to have ventilation (Then again, who wouldn't?)