ANTSTORE World of Ants

[matt-man123]

HI everyone,

just a few months or so away from getting me lasius niger's colony and i thought i would ask you lot if i have everything ready and ok


-i am heading to a couple of car boot sales in the next few weekend's to but some cheap fish tanks. (read on)

-i have been bought a................Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar and i know its to small but it will be ok for a few months im sure but anyway in one of the tanks this will be placed with a tube going from the main nest to the out world.

-the other tanks will have 5 cm height of sand and then some old bark that i will collect later on this summer just before i get my ants.

-i will be buying some of that stuff that keeps ants from escaping the top of tank.

-food will be caught/bought later on this summer aswell................i am a vegeterian so my dad can do the live foods and i will do the sweeter foods


A QUESTION:

??? i have read on how to give them water but do you just soak some cotton wool and they get the water from that or what because i really dont understand..........so could you explain to me simply or with pictures......thanks.


so please tell me if everything is ok and answer my question thanks in advance

matt

p.s. please dont ask how big the tanks are/will be because i havent bought them yet

[Hauntedhavoc]

for the water i recommend a test tube set up.

get a test tube and fill it will water, about 3/4 and block the end with cotton wool. enough so the water doesnt trickle out not so the end of the cotton isnt wet

what species are you planning to get and are you getting a lone queen or with workers or brood

and good luck with your set up. im still a ways from getting mine going

[SteveUK28]

I use bird feeders for my ants with cotton wool to stop them from drowning..
Ive already said it.. n im gonna say it again matt... You really are rushing things a little.. First you want to concentrate on getting your ants and establishing a good colony inside a simple testtube setup.. as i have said you can keep them in that for well over a year.. i know some people who even offer a second testtube when the first is full.. and then move them once both testtube are full. Also if you are thinking about a sand nest.. then you want to think about things like how your going to keep the sand damp.. and how big your gonna want it.. Lasius niger will grow to huge numbers.. so you either need a large setup to start with.. or make sure its expandable. Also that antworld from argos.. well its useless really.. far to small to keep a colony, and placing it inside something else is just a waste of a good tank lol.

I have to say i would recommend keeping them in there test tubes till you have a minimum of 50 workers, then maybe introduce them to a ytong, that is inside a large fish tank, with sand.. This way they can make a nest in both the ytong and the sand and you will not have to have a seperate outworld.

[Phasmid]

Um, a test tube setup is REALY cheap and is probably the most practical and reliable. If you are trying to save money then go with this.

[SteveUK28]

You do realise this forum is for advise.. you post here asking for advise then when we give it.. you have a tantrum.. The test tube setup IS the least expensive.. And considering im telling you not to rush into buying all the stuff your talking about.. id say its saving you money and helping out.. And if your gonna be rude.. then this forum really is not for you!

[matt-man123]

While my dad has some small income we have got everything so i am really trying..........where do u buy test tubes from?..........dont say online because we cant do postage and packing!?!?

[Hauntedhavoc]

if money is a problem then try these
Hyperlinks sind nur für registrierte Nutzer sichtbar

very cheap and you can keep more than one queen

as i have learnt you can keep them in a tube or even multiple tubes for a considerable amout of time

if you are determined that you want to get straight to a farm wickes and bnq sell ytong (called celcon or aerated concrete) for less than £2 and glass can be bought for around £5 at a local glass/mirror shop and an out world could cost you as little as 50p try containers from Wilko. try pets at home or some other pet shop for aquarium tubing. i cant remember how much i bought mine for but it is very cheap

it all adds up to around the same price for that antworld.

starting off ant keeping doesnt cost alot. my set up is only going to cost me £15 and i am going to be using ytong and glass

as steve rightly said this forum is for advice, wether you heed it or not is your choice but rudeness is not the answer

i hoped this helped

[matt-man123]

thanks hauntedhavoc

[Hauntedhavoc]

no problems.

on the subject of test tubes. i just realised i have some jagermeister shot tubes (23 to be exact lol) would these be suitable after being stererlised as they did contain copious amounts of jager lol... ahh the drink of kings

if it turns out they are ok i am willing to send you some if you want. i got them for free anyways so it a matter of a 30p stamp and an envolope i can pinch from work

[SteveUK28]

A cheaper way around the glass for a ytong is buyng a photoframe from asda.. the cheap ones are like £1.. and the glass from that will do fine. And instead of using silicone you can just buy a roll of ducktape and use that.

[Hauntedhavoc]

what an even better idea. cheap glass FTW!

[matt-man123]

Huantedhavoc keep me updated for those test tube please buddy

[Hauntedhavoc]

no worries. does anyone know if they are suitiable? i couldnt see why not