9 replies to this topic

[Swirlysnowflake]

Hello!

I was planning on buying an AC ant tower small for a colony of tetramorium (50 workers). Is it possible that the substrate put in this will collapse? Also, does anyone know if the substrate that comes with it includes clay, because I have heard that clay stops the tunnels from collapsing.

 

Thanks for any help 

[ANTdrew]

It will not collapse if it has some clay content. Basically, if you can roll it into a ball that holds its shape, you’re good. The bigger issue I see is that if you have Tetramorium immigrans, they will outgrow that in a month or less.

[JenC]

Yes it's better to make something yourself that will last longer.

[Swirlysnowflake]

It will not collapse if it has some clay content. Basically, if you can roll it into a ball that holds its shape, you’re good. The bigger issue I see is that if you have Tetramorium immigrans, they will outgrow that in a month or less.

Really? Wow... 

Assuming you can re-use the nests, I have other colonies that can go into it- I just need a nest that arrives quickly because the Tetras are currently trying to nest in the dry sand under a rock (the sand is not even thick enough for them to dig into, but their old test tube is moldy, and they are tunneling into the cotton) instead of the fresh tube I placed out for them. The queen is wandering around the "outworld".   They are currently in a tubs and tubes setup.  I do have a THA mini hearth but I've read that tetras don't like the vertical ones, and i only have a vertical one.

Edited by Swirlysnowflake, October 9 2020 - 5:10 PM.

[Swirlysnowflake]

Although, do you know of any other "digging" type nests that would last a bit longer?

[TestSubjectOne]

They should be able to adapt to a vertical mini-hearth as long as they can climb the tubing connector. Alternatively, you could leave them living under the rock for the time being and wait for another nest to ship.

[Spazmops]

You could pull out or sand down the mini-hearth tube, you could leave them where they are and wait, or you could go AC. In my experience AC stuff is way overpriced and I lost a really big S. molesta colony I had because a test tube adapter failed.

[Swirlysnowflake]

They should be able to adapt to a vertical mini-hearth as long as they can climb the tubing connector. Alternatively, you could leave them living under the rock for the time being and wait for another nest to ship.

they just returned to the test tube, and are furiously tunneling into the cotton-

they are about half a centimeter in now... i don't want it to flood

[ANTdrew]

They do totally fine in a vertical mini-hearth. Sounds like you need to give them additional test tubes to nest in. Make sure there is a tiny entrance to the tube ( I like the test tubes that come with plastic caps, so I can poke a tiny hole in it), and cover the tubes with something to make them dark.

Edited by ANTdrew, October 9 2020 - 6:39 PM.

[Ants_Dakota]

however, the wait for a THA formicarium to ship, like months.