FAQ's

Help to the newbie

FAQ's

Beitragvon JimmyVe » 20. Apr 2008 09:16

Ok guys here we have a general FAQ that are mostly asked.. Hope it helps... Feel free to Copy and put in your own answers.. the more the better really. If you have more FAQ's feel free to add. :)

It is always better to look up first the likes and dislikes from the species you are willing to buy that way you can learn all about them before you buy them.

1. What is the best ants to start with?

If you are completely new to keeping ants it’s recommended to start off with a European ant species. Like Lasius niger they adapt very well and grow quick so you can not make many mistakes.

2. How often should i feed my ants?

Depending on the size of you colony and the species. You should never give them more food than they take. If they leave to much food untouched you feed to much. ;)
For example Lasius niger colony 1-10 workers. 2 times a week a small cricket (ore 2-3 fly’s) and some dish with sweets (honey).

3. What should i feed my ants?

Ants need protein and sweets. So it is best to feed them insects, like meal worms, cockroaches, grasshoppers, spiders, worms… and sweets, like sugar water, honey, nectar…
Some species prefer other stuff, like leafcutters ore ants who collect grains.

4. What nest is best for my ants?

Depending on the species, most ants can be kept in a sand nest. You can use a farm for this, like a glass apartment. If you use a sand nest the ants can make there own home but you can not see much of the nest. If you prefer to look into the nest once in a while you also can use a y-tong nest, most species can be held in it to.
http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... arter-sets
http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... y/antfarms

5. How much water should i add to the nest to keep it moist?

If you use a sand nest you need to figger that out, make the nest (without putting ants in it) put some water in it and watch it every day, when the sand look dry you need to add a bit more water. (depending on the size of the nest, the temperature you keep your ants at, the humidity of the room they are in…) Try it out for a few days and than you can put your ants in it.
If you use a y-tong nest you also need to check it out, if you make a leg on the y-tong you can put that one into a container filled with water and you just need to add water if the container is empty ore you can make a hole into the y-tong and fill it when the y-tong looks dry.
http://www.antstore.net/viewtopic.php?t ... c&start=15

6. Do i need to add drinking water for my ants, if so how much?

Yes it is best to give your ants some fresh water. If you use a bird feeder and place a bit of cotton in it so the ants can not drown, you can put that into you out world and your ants can drink as many as they like. If the feeder is empty, refill it.
http://www.antstore.net/shop/product_in ... 35ml-.html

7. What formicarium do you use?

Depending on the species, before you buy ants you need to check out what they like and what they prefer. Most species can be held into a y-tong but some can chew trough it.

8. If you buy any food from Antstore which do you buy and why?

You can buy all kind of food from Antsotre depending on which your ants like ore need. (For insects check you're locale pet shop)
http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... egory/food

9. How often should i clean the nest?

If you colony is getting bigger it is hard to clean the nest (out world) but try to clean up the left over at least once a week.

10. I have noticed black stuff inside the test tube my ants are in should i be worried or clean it?

Not really, the cotton turns black from the excrements from the ants. If it gets to bad you can always add another tube so the ants can move if they like.

11. Should i force my ants into the new nest?

No, always try to let your ants move buy there own. There are some tricks that you can use to make them move but don’t force them.
You could uncover there old nest and cover up there new.
Make the new nest warmer than the old one (for ants that need heating)
Make the new nest moist and let the old one dry up.

12. What should i do if i don’t want my ants anymore?

If you are tired of you ants you can always give them to someone ore sell them. Don’t let them (back) into nature. You could harm the eco system of your country.

13. Should i release my ants into my garden?

No (look previous question). If you buy ants from another country don’t release them in nature. Sell ore give them to someone who is willing to take them over (here at the forum you can always find someone).
Even if you captured the ants in you own country it is better to not let them back into nature. (Ore if you could place them back at the same spot you captured them)

14. What can i use to stop my ants escaping?

There are several glide material to stop your ants from climbing onto the walls. You have PTFE, paraffin oil ….
http://www.antstore.net/shop/index.php/ ... e-material





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Thanks !
JimmyVe
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Beitragvon miszt » 3. Jul 2008 19:08

9. How often should i clean the nest?

If you colony is getting bigger it is hard to clean the nest (out world) but try to clean up the left over at least once a week.

For larger colonies, or even smaller ones, I recomend you have a trash basin aswell, you could populate it with Arthropod like Wood Live and Millipedes which will help clear up the rubbish
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon amrik singh » 11. Jan 2011 17:52

For every body but specially for beginners I will recommend to chose Tetramorium caespitum or a related specie of Tetramorium : They are easy to feed , eating practically every sort of dead insects and spiders and small seeds or fresh decorticate peanuts for example . They are also tolerant to some mistakes in there keeping. Keeping Tetramorium is really interesting and rewarding , if keep reasonably well they are dynamic and the colony's fast growing.
If somebody want bigger, more spectacular ants with a bigger accommodation Messor barbara or Messor structor are also easy to feed because they eat mainly seeds and constitute reserves .
The Myrmica's must I think be consider as a difficult sort of ant to feed properly : They need a steady daily supply of soft body insects or spiders without interuption during all the activity period and the queens does live generally only two or three years.
For the accommodation plaster nests or ytong nest ( with the gallery's covered with a thin layer of loam-sand) in a large bassin or in a small bassin connected with a large bassin or arena and with the nest covered to keep the inside dark or at least a red filter have always give the best results and best observation possibility.
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon amrik singh » 18. Jan 2011 15:42

The plaster nest is better covered inside with a thin layer of sand-loam mix that permit the ants to adapt the nest to their needs, specially the entrance(s) size ,it is also much fun to see them moving it and making small gallery's. For Tetramorium and many other ants the plaster nest must be contained in a bassin or other ant proof enclosure because these ants are capable to tunnel in the plaster .
For Tetramorium it is necessary to cover the nest ,when not observing the inside, to keep it dark otherwise these ants do cover the glass from inside with whatever they find to stop the light from going in the nest.
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon amrik singh » 23. Feb 2011 23:18

I must correct what I have written above : I mistakenly wrote that a Myrmica queen live generaly only 2 or 3 years but I wanted to say that it live often only two or three years but I read also that they can live sometime much longer.
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon amrik singh » 1. Mär 2011 12:25

If ,like me, you like to observe the natural behavior of the ants outside the nest a big "outside world"arena or tank is a must otherwise,with a small outside world the ants behave as at the surface of their nest in natural conditions .
The European ants can be divided in three groups concerning food : 1) Insectivorous ants who feed on soft body preys and a
small or medium proportion of diverse sugar sources like Myrmica.These ants need a daily supply of soft body insects ,spiders,... during the active period so a steady supply is a must .
2) Ants that feed mostly on sugar rich food with insects only for larvae and the queen like Lasius ,Formica , Camponotus ,Tapinoma are easy to feed with Honey and practically any sort of arthropods.
3) Ants like Tetramorium ,Pheidol , Messor that feed largely on seeds and insects (with small amount of sugar) are easiest to feed because the seeds can stay good several days in the nest before been eaten or weeks in a dry arena .
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon amrik singh » 1. Mär 2011 12:25

If ,like me, you like to observe the natural behavior of the ants outside the nest a big "outside world"arena or tank is a must otherwise,with a small outside world the ants behave as at the surface of their nest in natural conditions .
The European ants can be divided in three groups concerning food : 1) Insectivorous ants who feed on soft body preys and a
small or medium proportion of diverse sugar sources like Myrmica.These ants need a daily supply of soft body insects ,spiders,... during the active period so a steady supply is a must .
2) Ants that feed mostly on sugar rich food with insects only for larvae and the queen like Lasius ,Formica , Camponotus ,Tapinoma are easy to feed with Honey and practically any sort of arthropods.
3) Ants like Tetramorium ,Pheidole , Messor that feed largely on seeds and insects (with small amount of sugar) are easiest to feed because the seeds can stay good several days in the nest before been eaten or weeks in a dry arena .
amrik singh
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon alexaarchila » 12. Dez 2011 01:36

I want to purchase Leaf-Cutting ants, but it requires a risk class declaration.
Could you please explain what this means and what would be necessary for it to get clearance.
Thank You
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Re: FAQ's

Beitragvon SteveUK28 » 12. Dez 2011 10:39

Hi Alex,

Pretty sure the risk class means that you have to send Antstore a signed document to say you will accept all risks with the ants. Im sure one of the Antstore gang can clear that up!
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