3 replies to this topic

[Antdaddy]

I have a camponotus cromoides colony that is outgrowing its test tube. I was looking at ant nests but they are expensive. Are there any good ant nests under 60 dollars? I also might diy a nest, any tips?

[Stubyvast]

Agreeeddd they are expensive. I usually just make one myself. 3d printed are great, wood is nice but you should probably go with a hardwood, just so that the ants don't chew their way out. Camponotus don't need much moisture, so a simple moisture set-up should be fine. I must say though, a nice wood formicarium is awesome. Looks great, natural, and suits carpenter ants beautifully. Just be careful, really. 

Good luck!

[Antdaddy]

How do i make a moisture setup

[Stubyvast]

Well for formicariums I make, I honestly just drill a hole into the wood near where the ants' tunnels are, put a sponge or piece of cotton in, and then just keep it wet. Since it's wood, the water gets absorbed into the fibres and out of the sponge, and then the ants can drink from the wood. This keeps a nice even moisture level throughout the nest. The more of these you include, the wetter the nest. Alternatively, you can use an old tea candle without the wax, cover the top in fine 100 grit mesh (hot glue, melting it in place, etc.), and drill a tiny hole in the side that you can put water into. This way the water evaporates into the nest. For an even neater look you can drill a slot into the floor of your formicarium where you can insert the tea candle, and then put some tubing through the side or something to reach the tea candle so you can refill it whenever it gets low. 

Hope that helps! Lol a bit hard to describe without images honestly.