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Giwi: How to start? (12. Okt 2006 22:13)

Hello!

I wanted to start a farm with ants, I am all new in ants so I dont know were to start, so is Lasius niger a good ant to start with?

Also I dont know what do u need to keep them in, since my lizards is both dead can I use their old glass place if I make sure they can't get out?

I live in Sweden, Malmö, how much would to cost to get ants sent here ?

How do you build a place for the ants to live in, what do you use as ground and how big has the place to be?

Please help me and if ugot something extra to tell me please tell!

delirium: (12. Okt 2006 23:31)

Hello and welcome to the board!

It's a good idea to start antkeeping :grin:

Ok, at the beginning, you need an ant-nest. This ant-nest should be an antfarm. The advantage of an antfarm is, that you are able to see them mine in the sand/loam. I think, this is the most naturally kind of keeping ants.

The antfarm is the nest, where they are living. But they need an "arena", where they can search their food (honey and little insects) and where they can dump their garbage.

If you are searching a good package for the beginning, I adivse you to buy this starter-set . It contains everything you need at the beginnig. Another aspect is, that you are able to order a colony of Lasius niger.

Yes, Lasius niger is a very interesting species, because they are very robust and the colony will grow up very fast. Even you don't speak german, you can read my

experiences with Lasius niger.

I hope, I was able to help you.

mpir: (13. Okt 2006 08:06)

Try to read as much of this formum as you can. At least all the old topics under "questions for beginers". Look also other pages about ants. You need to get as much information about ants as possible. Believe your ants will be thankful to you... and they will live longer. :wink:

Good luck

JimmyVe: (13. Okt 2006 18:38)

First off all, Hi Giwi and welcome to the forum. ;)

Ants are very interesting to keep. But like mpir sad, you can read around in the forum and learn some stuff before you start with it.
The starter-set the delirium talk about is very good to start with, but keep in mind that you have lot of other options, like Y-tong nest etc... If you look on the gallery of this site you see lots of farms. but for a starter its is maybe easy'er to start with the starter-set.
Take your time to learn about the ants first, and then

Happy ant keeping !