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phasenp: Small ytong nest for winter (1. Sep 2014 11:59)

Hello!

I am soon to order a small colony of Messor barbarus. While preparing a larger nest I have made a small setup to allow containing them during the winter.
I have one question though, I plan to use a normal plastic storage box with paraffin oil on the sides and the lid. I have made a hole in the top so that I can do the necessary work regarding food, cleaning and water. I washed the box(was some soapy stuff making bubbles when I washed it. Will this be sufficient for keeping them in?

Attached is a few pictures of the small nest and I plan to attach this in the plastic box with silicone and have a small layer of sand.
I hope you like my small nest, I also made a small cavity on the side with a small hole in the plexi for a syringe to place water making that part a bit moist. I know its a bit rough with the glass, but its very short term.

Markus: Re: Small ytong nest for winter (1. Sep 2014 13:28)

You know that Messor barbarus are able to "burrow" in Ytong?

phasenp: Re: Small ytong nest for winter (1. Sep 2014 13:57)

Yes! Thats why I will have this in a basin and not as a standalone.

Markus: Re: Small ytong nest for winter (1. Sep 2014 15:38)

But escaping is just one problem,
you may not see alot, while hundreds may be in tunnels inside the block!

phasenp: Re: Small ytong nest for winter (2. Sep 2014 05:46)

Markus, thanks for the insight. I think however I will still go with this setup. Over the winter I will have two ytong nests ready to mount into the aquarium. Each is 40*20*10cm. As the colony is quite small I will start with one of the nests blocked off entrances with cotton in spring. Aquarium is 60*40*35.