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Heating Ants?


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13 replies to this topic

#1 Offline AntBread - Posted January 2 2019 - 7:06 PM

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I have a small formica subsericea colony in a Tar Heel Ants Mini Hearth (Type 1, 2 floors). I currently have it in my laundry room which is roughly 75-80 degrees Farenheight and wanted to put it in my room so that I can see them more often and not ignore them. My room is 71 degrees and I cannot make it any hotter because I am more of a cold loving person. I definitely do not want to use a heating lamp so I wanted to ask the community about which heating cables/mats are the best and can be bought on amazon. Also, I am not too sure how to heat the mini hearth with a heating cable if I do purchase the cable because it is a verticle formicarium with the outworld and nest connected side by side. Thanks!



#2 Offline Derpy - Posted January 2 2019 - 7:11 PM

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I personally used the Zoo-Med heating cable and it worked fine for me. You just have to experiment with the positioning of the cable to make sure you aren't overheating your colony.

 

Link to the cable: 

https://www.amazon.c...d heating cable


Edited by Derpy, January 2 2019 - 7:19 PM.

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#3 Offline AntBread - Posted January 2 2019 - 7:11 PM

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I personally used the Zoo-Med heating cable at it worked fine for me. You just have to experiment with the positioning of the cable to make sure you aren't overheating your colony.

 

Link to the cable: 

https://www.amazon.c...d heating cable

Ok thanks.



#4 Offline Manitobant - Posted January 2 2019 - 7:39 PM

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I personally used the Zoo-Med heating cable at it worked fine for me. You just have to experiment with the positioning of the cable to make sure you aren't overheating your colony.
 
Link to the cable: 
https://www.amazon.c...d heating cable

Ok thanks.
you know this will also drastically speed up their growth right?

#5 Offline AntBread - Posted January 3 2019 - 1:32 PM

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I personally used the Zoo-Med heating cable at it worked fine for me. You just have to experiment with the positioning of the cable to make sure you aren't overheating your colony.
 
Link to the cable: 
https://www.amazon.c...d heating cable

Ok thanks.
you know this will also drastically speed up their growth right?

 

Yes I am quite aware of that. That is what I am actually trying to achieve as my colony has not been too successful with producing new brood this year.



#6 Offline Will230145 - Posted January 3 2019 - 7:41 PM

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I use that Same cable, I like it. For a mini hearth see what your ants like. Do they like it in the back or front of the nest? It’s up to them to see what they like best!

#7 Offline AntBread - Posted January 4 2019 - 7:37 PM

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I use that Same cable, I like it. For a mini hearth see what your ants like. Do they like it in the back or front of the nest? It’s up to them to see what they like best!

Ok. Thanks for the tip!



#8 Offline CoolColJ - Posted January 4 2019 - 7:56 PM

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An incubator that heats the air inside the box/tank is better than a heat cable  ( use the heat cable inside or a mat to to do the heating)

You place your nest inside it

This eliminates condensation that can form with a heat cable


Edited by CoolColJ, January 4 2019 - 7:56 PM.

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#9 Offline Rstheant - Posted January 5 2019 - 3:14 PM

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I just used to keep the dry end on my mini hearth under the heat cable. One problem this posed was the water from the hydration container would soak into the nest.

An incubator that heats the air inside the box/tank is better than a heat cable  ( use the heat cable inside or a mat to to do the heating)
You place your nest inside it
This eliminates condensation that can form with a heat cable


Eventually I just made a cardboard incubator, that is functional, but definitely not as good as YsTheAnt’s. Since Drew is a perfectionist, he would really hate mine...:)

#10 Offline CoolColJ - Posted January 5 2019 - 5:01 PM

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I have two stryo foam box incubators ( go visit you locla fruit shop) - one small and one large.

 

The smaller one is lined with acoustic foam and test tubes sit on the channels perfectly and isolated from noise and vibration.

Small nests and tub and tubes setupd can sit on top of these

 

The larger one houses my feeder roaches and crickets, plus occasional ant nest but this one is set warmer


Edited by CoolColJ, January 5 2019 - 5:02 PM.

Current ant colonies -
1) Opisthopsis Rufithorax (strobe ant), Melophorus sp2. black and orange, Pheidole species, Pheidole antipodum
Journal = http://www.formicult...ra-iridomyrmex/

Heterotermes cf brevicatena termite pet/feeder journal = http://www.formicult...feeder-journal/


#11 Offline AntBread - Posted January 7 2019 - 2:47 PM

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I bought the Zoo med Heating cable (15 watt) 11 1/2 feet. I have want to know where the "heated" part of the cable actually starts (starting from adapter to end of the cable).



#12 Offline AntBread - Posted January 7 2019 - 2:52 PM

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Does it start from the black line and down to the end of the cable? Also, where should I place the wire? Behind the Mini Hearth? In front of it? I am asking this because there is a lot of excess cable hanging off of my table and I read that you cannot cross the cables over each other. Thanks!



#13 Offline YsTheAnt - Posted January 7 2019 - 2:52 PM

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I bought the Zoo med Heating cable (15 watt) 11 1/2 feet. I have want to know where the "heated" part of the cable actually starts (starting from adapter to end of the cable).


On mine there's a black painted band that indicates where the heat starts.
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#14 Offline Jamiesname - Posted January 7 2019 - 7:26 PM

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I bought the Zoo med Heating cable (15 watt) 11 1/2 feet. I have want to know where the "heated" part of the cable actually starts (starting from adapter to end of the cable).


Plug it in and you'll find out




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