The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

G'day all. I have just gotten my hands onto this jar and would like to make it into a formicarium for my ants. Any ideas for ways I could make this into a natural formicarium. Cheers

Dimensions:
Height: 20cm (excluding the lip)
Length/width: Around 16cm
Bottom diameter: 18cm
Lip diameter: approx 16.6cm

Pictures: http://imgur.com/a/jAKZP

Anyway. Thanks for including me on this awesome and already helpful forums.

Jackson, signing out!

You could place in the center a tube with small holes drilled into it, and use that tube as a watering chamber. Possibly cap it and put a tiny spout that you can close with stopper of some sort so the ants can't access it. That way the watering chamber is hidden, but also allows for water to spread to all sections of the nest. Then you'd just have to place cotton or whatever into the chamber and water it when necessary. Just a thought.

Yeah, sounds like a good idea. When I make it into a formicarium i'll add that to it.

Is there any types of gravel/dirt I could use to fill the jar up. I want the ants to be able to dig.

I'd say playground sand. Its small grained and the ants will be able to pack it pretty easily. Also, the tube would allow so the ants tunnels may be easier to see against the jar as it would take up a bit of the center.

Oh and you can buy playground sand pretty much everywhere. If you have a Home Depot in your area I know they have it there.

I'm not sure they have home depot in Victoria but i'll find it somewhere.

AceCadet wrote:You could place in the center a tube with small holes drilled into it, and use that tube as a watering chamber. Possibly cap it and put a tiny spout that you can close with stopper of some sort so the ants can't access it. That way the watering chamber is hidden, but also allows for water to spread to all sections of the nest. Then you'd just have to place cotton or whatever into the chamber and water it when necessary. Just a thought.

Do you think this would be better as a formicarium or a outworld. I would sorta like to see my queen inside her nest.

Would this work as an outworld?

So if you give them a way to nest in their outworld, they will. If you wanna use this as an outworld put a very thin layer of gravel, or alternatively make a ground plate using grout and decorate with fake plants. I would worry how you are going to attach a formicarium. You will have to cut through the glass. But sure. I mean itd be a little compact, but with some sort of deterrent on the lip and a mesh top it'd work fine for an outworld. To be honest Im not a huge fan of natural formicarium only because Im far to anxious of caveins and not being able to watch my ants for mold outbreaks etc. So I think personally an outworld would be a better option. However in the end its all up to you.

AceCadet wrote:So if you give them a way to nest in their outworld, they will. If you wanna use this as an outworld put a very thin layer of gravel, or alternatively make a ground plate using grout and decorate with fake plants. I would worry how you are going to attach a formicarium. You will have to cut through the glass. But sure. I mean itd be a little compact, but with some sort of deterrent on the lip and a mesh top it'd work fine for an outworld. To be honest Im not a huge fan of natural formicarium only because Im far to anxious of caveins and not being able to watch my ants for mold outbreaks etc. So I think personally an outworld would be a better option. However in the end its all up to you.

Yeah. Well i'm quite new so i'm unsure at the moment.

I'll probaly use this as the outworld and buy a formicarium from the AntsCanada store.

Thanks for the ideas!!