How do I make my soil moist?

Questions from those who are just starting or considering getting into the ant keeping hobby. If you’re intimidated or confused by the in-depth posts of the other sections of this forum, feel free to post here, and we'll start from square one!

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Nathans
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Joined: Mon Aug 06, 2018 6:00 am
Location: Paraguay
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How do I make my soil moist?

Post: # 49286Post Nathans
Mon Sep 03, 2018 3:27 pm

My ants live in a small box especially for ants... it is clear and has 1cm of dirt thickness throughout they have a food pallet a rock and a stick. They also have a water test tube. They used to live underground but suddenly moved into the test tube the water in the test tube has never gone down and they don't drink! I think the soil may be to dry and I need them out of the test tube because I think it may have a black mold on the cotton separating the water from the ants!

How do I move them out of there?
Do I move them into a new box without dirt?

Please help!
Thank you

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: How do I make my soil moist?

Post: # 49347Post Hunter36o
Tue Sep 04, 2018 3:29 am

Water the soil, just in small amounts.
You want it to be softish for the water and not a swimming pool. The ants went to the test tube because with is moist and the now have control of dry to damp egg placement depending on their broods current needs.

I use a water dropper or you can also use a syringe.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: How do I make my soil moist?

Post: # 49349Post Hunter36o
Tue Sep 04, 2018 3:34 am

Oh also this could be just me but I do not directly water the area needed to be moist rather then near and around that area so it does not get water logged.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

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idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: How do I make my soil moist?

Post: # 50085Post idahoantgirl
Tue Sep 11, 2018 11:19 pm

Your ants are drinking. Just think about how small their abdomens are. Now think about even if their gasters were completly full of water how little of a difference you would see in the tube.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

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