38 replies to this topic

[ParaStatic]

I use 2oz. Portion cups you'd easily find in a restaurant. Take a small portion cup and make a small cut on the lip. Fill with liquid, flip over and place a little cotton down so it dose not completely fill the rim. Just by the hole. Without the cotton it would act like a dog self watering bowl and fill the whole rim before it stops. No worry about leaking as it can only drain out to the level with the hole. On my mobile and cannot add pictures directly but here are 2 links.




just have up with these last night.

[Crystals]

That is a good idea if you don't like washing the containers.  You can find big bags of these at most grocery/catering supply stores.  About 300 cups and lids for ~$8

 

With that big lip, it is less likely to overflow than the ones I used.  Then again, mine wouldn't overflow if the ants would stop piling stuff to make a siphon.  In the end I just put mine on a 1cm tall rock and they stopped doing it.

[ParaStatic]

I work as a cook in a restaurant and have access to all sorts of these.

[AntsTexas]

we r on "meals on wheels" program and we get these on the time.... gonna try it out, ty

[AntsTexas]

here's something i'm gonna try out that i made....

[Ra3MaN]

I work in a lab, so I got hold of 2ml micro-centrifuge at ~ZAR2.80 or so but i intend on using 20ml tablet (pill/medicine) containers that I bought (~ZAR13 for 20), for a larger reservoir- because my ants really drink a lot of sugar-water.

 

 

My take on the water feeder, I just heat up a needle using a flame, depending on the size of my ants, and then puncture a small container. I put holes all around the base of the container and there is no leaking at all, the bubbles that form are able to start at a hole that the ants are not using - which I initially thought would be a problem.

 

 

 this pic actually shows the feeder tilted horizontally, with liquid in it ant there is no leakage. It works like a charm 

Edited by Ra3MaN, March 8 2015 - 11:25 PM.

[antsinmypants]

Hi, Drew

 

Do you recall the stainless steel mesh size you used?

 

4 mesh has 4 wires per inch, and 5.45mm holes
8 mesh has 2.465mm holes
10 mesh has 1.98mm holes
20 mesh has 0.915mm holes
30 mesh has 0.567mm holes
40 mesh has 0.411mm holes
60 mesh has 0.263mm holes
80 mesh has 0.178mm holes
120 mesh has 0.122mm holes
200 mesh has 0.075mm holes
400 mesh has 0.035mm holes

 

Where did you purchase the plastic bottles with the lids? What size drill bit did you use to make the holes? What about the non-toxic glue brand? I realize that the correct humidity is species-specific, but in general do you think your custom-made water feeders provide sufficient humidity in addition to primarily serving as a water source?

[Ra3MaN]

I tried the same style using a heated needle and 25ml sauce containers. This is the result: It works great, no leaking despite multiple holes. 

 

[unusualfire]

I made a few of these. You can buy these things cheaply by the 100's at a partycity if you live near one.  I use a hole puncher from a dollar store to put holes in them. I use cotton and thread it through the hole.

Edited by unusualfire, March 15 2015 - 10:21 PM.

[Ra3MaN]

Ok, sounds good, roughly how big are the wholes that the punch makes? I don't really need to put anything in the holes because the vacume is sufficient to hold the liquid in, due to the holes being ~1mm in diameter I am not sure how big one can make the holes before the liquid starts to leak. 

[unusualfire]

Using a puncher the hole is the size of a pencil. So the holes must be plugged.

[dspdrew]

Hi, Drew

 

Do you recall the stainless steel mesh size you used?

 

4 mesh has 4 wires per inch, and 5.45mm holes
8 mesh has 2.465mm holes
10 mesh has 1.98mm holes
20 mesh has 0.915mm holes
30 mesh has 0.567mm holes
40 mesh has 0.411mm holes
60 mesh has 0.263mm holes
80 mesh has 0.178mm holes
120 mesh has 0.122mm holes
200 mesh has 0.075mm holes
400 mesh has 0.035mm holes

 

Where did you purchase the plastic bottles with the lids? What size drill bit did you use to make the holes? What about the non-toxic glue brand? I realize that the correct humidity is species-specific, but in general do you think your custom-made water feeders provide sufficient humidity in addition to primarily serving as a water source?

 

I used 100 mesh. I don't remember what size holes I drilled, maybe around 2.5 mm. I didn't use glue. The mesh was pressed into the plastic with plastic welding solvent. I don't even make these anymore because for some reason if the diameter is too large for the height, it will slowly leak. You are better off using something skinnier relative to the height like plastic test tubes.

[Crystals]

For those who have a hard time finding steel mesh.  Those frying pan splatter screen covers that you find in dollar stores have a larger mesh and are only a dollar or two.

 

My larger Camponotus colonies have taken to chewing through the plastic mesh I originally used.  I have to upgrade a few containers with steel mesh.

 

This mesh also works well on ventilation holes for larger species.

 

When cutting steel mesh, do it over a table.  Those little mesh pieces hurt if you step on them. 

[dspdrew]

When cutting steel mesh, do it over a table.  Those little mesh pieces hurt if you step on them. 

 

Yeah, I use #100 mesh. Try getting some pieces of THAT stuck in your feet. The wire is so thin it just goes right in with no resistance. I've had it happen quite a few times already.

[TheAnswerIsTheLogic]

I like it , thx

[benai]

Hallo,

 

i like the idea of the upside down waterer. Mostly my ants didn't like the wick waterer. (The ant behavoir of putting dirty, sand and other things at the wick is a bit nerv-wrecking, natural behavior but for the keeper still meh)

 

Does it make a difference if i put the mesh in or outside the container?

 

 

greetings,

benai

Edited by benai, October 5 2016 - 10:13 AM.

[Crystals]

With smaller holes, inside is best due to how bubbles of air get inside during evaporation and consumption.

With larger holes, it doesn't matter.

With some, I simply stuck a bit of cotton in the hole and skipped the mesh.

Try one or two and see how they preform with your particular species of ants.

[Works4TheGood]

Hi Crystals,

How often do you replace the contents? I see a reddish fluid inside, which makes me think that they might be filled with store-bought hummingbird nectar. If so, do you avoid those brands with preservatives, or do the brands with preservatives have no noticeable effect on the ants?

[Crystals]

About once a week or sooner.  Often my larger colonies drain it in about 4-5 days.

I only have one brand available in my rural location, perkypet.  I have never had issues with this dry mix, although plain sugar water can easily be used.  I just like it because I can easily tell it apart from the waterers that contain water.