6 replies to this topic

[cap_backfire]

Hello, Ant Folk!  

IN building my vivarium for my ants (maybe four days from completion?   Maybe less depending on how much time I get with it this weekend) I need to figure out or be advised as to a good anti-climb barrier on power cords.   I'm installing a waterfall feature (very small and basically decoration with plenty of escape routes, and jam packed with java moss) into the design and am looking for a way to make the power cord impervious to escape.   

Species involved is Camponotus Novaborencis.   They're about 350 strong and eager to move into a larger home, and this is my solution for them.  And I don't want them to escape.   Again.   They recently breached their old/ returned setup and were recaptured, and I learned a lesson about how savage they can be if they are in the process of moving and over protective... I was treated most rudely.  

 

I have had success on plastic with the alcohol/ baby powder method and am willing to use this, just curious what you folks have used.   

Thanks in advance!   

Josh

[ZTYguy]

Test with fluon. What you can do is get some workers from the colony and run tests. Put them in a box and test what they can’t climb cords with. 

[Barristan]

In my opinion, Talcum (which is the main part of baby powder) works best if applied dry, just put your finger in it in rub it over the surface.

 

if you can remove the cord from the waterfall you can put it into vinyl tubing and lay it through a hole. To make it impossible for ants to escape just use a cable gland:

 

he end of the tube that is open and in the vivarium can be sealed with shrink tubing or zipties for example.

 

Edited by Barristan, May 20 2021 - 9:59 PM.

[ANTdrew]

It would be an investment, but you could get glass drill bits and make a hole in the side for the cord to go out of.

[Chickalo]

It would be an investment, but you could get glass drill bits and make a hole in the side for the cord to go out of.

If you already have it mostly set up I wouldn't recommend trying this, since there are about 1000 ways this could go wrong.  If it was empty, at least if it was cracked things wouldn't end up flying everywhere.

[Skwiggledork]

I know AC is far from loved here and doesn't always do things well, but in one of his videos he runs a power cord through the top half of a soda bottle with cotton around the wire going out the mouth of the bottle and a barrier inside the bottle neck. Seems easy enough a solution to me, but not very pretty.

[cap_backfire]

I know AC is far from loved here and doesn't always do things well, but in one of his videos he runs a power cord through the top half of a soda bottle with cotton around the wire going out the mouth of the bottle and a barrier inside the bottle neck. Seems easy enough a solution to me, but not very pretty.

OH!  That sounds like a good idea!  I was thinking of something similar actually, putting like, a ring of plastic around the cord and applying the barrier to the "ring."  not sure how to make it impassable though... I'll work on a few things with a few workers and see what I like.  I happen to have a large bin with ant barrier around the perimeter so testing it on ants would be no problem.   

Thanks for ALL The input guys and gals!  As usual, very insightful and lots of solutiions possible here.