9 replies to this topic

[OllieMelb14]

hey guys, i'm new to ant keeping, thought this might be the best place to ask this (as I can't seem to create a forum account on ACs forum itself).
I made a rather large 1st order with 2 AC Outworld 2.0's, and neither came with a feeding port plug.
Has anyone else experienced this? I've emailed them and waiting on reply.

I just find it strange. 1 box coming without a plug I can understand, but 2? seems like i'm missing something, or maybe it is just whoever handles distribution has been forgetting to put them in the box with the outworlds.

Edited by OllieMelb14, March 30 2023 - 9:14 PM.

[OllieMelb14]

Also can anyone tell me why the AC forums registration thing just keep telling me I entered the wrong answer for the anti bot thing, when I clearly have? Quite perplexing.

[ZTYguy]

I will tell you this right now. AntsCanada’s stuff is not that great. I suggest buy from literally any other brands or company such as por amor art or Tar Heel Ants.

[OllieMelb14]

I did see someone post about ants having chewed through a plug, which is... concerning. Is that type of thing common?

[ANTdrew]

It has happened multiple times on here. I’d suggest buying rubber plugs from eBay. Also, their forum is a waste of time. Use this one.

[Manitobant]

Yeah the AC forums aren’t really active at all. Formiculture is the main antkeeper forum on the web.

[OllieMelb14]

Thanks for the info, i'll be hanging around here then =)

[Flu1d]

hey guys, i'm new to ant keeping, thought this might be the best place to ask this (as I can't seem to create a forum account on ACs forum itself).
I made a rather large 1st order with 2 AC Outworld 2.0's, and neither came with a feeding port plug.
Has anyone else experienced this? I've emailed them and waiting on reply.

I just find it strange. 1 box coming without a plug I can understand, but 2? seems like i'm missing something, or maybe it is just whoever handles distribution has been forgetting to put them in the box with the outworlds.

Arthropod Antics, TarHeelAnts and Por Amor Art are the only three companies I can personally recommend.

That being said, I do not use nests from any of these sites (although I do use some test tube accessories from Por Amor Art.. highly recommend them and will probably write a review on their market forum soon actually).

I buy my own acrylic boxes and make my own "Arthropod Antics" style nests and outworlds. You can make like 12 nests and outworlds for the cost of buying 3 or 4 nests and outworlds from the big companies. If making nests is not for you, by all means purchase some. However, I want to collect a LOT of ants, and I just can't afford to buy a nest for every colony and have to UPGRADE every 6 months til the colonies max out or you stop feeding so much protein.

It requires minimal tools.. I make my own nests, drill my own holes, cut my own vinyl tubing and make plugs with them myself as well. Here is an example:



That is a 150 (give or take) worker Solenopsis invicta colony with a massive pile of brood that is about to explode any day now. It will probably easily fit 6-800 ants before I need to upgrade and I have 3 others just like it as well as 4 of the XL version and 4 of one that's kinda similar to the XL.

I just need more outworlds, gonna upgrade to a larger size, too. Fit more stuff and not risk knocking down tons of talcum powder every time I reach in.


EDIT: If you are curious as to what you will need or the process of making these nests and outworlds and where to get the supplies, just ask! I can get all that info to you.

Edited by Flu1d, April 2 2023 - 12:45 PM.

[OllieMelb14]

Hey thanks mate,

I only just saw this post.
I eventually will be very interested in creating all sorts of custom formicarium/nest setups and etc.. at current I plan to start small time and experience the problems and such so I can learn how to deal with them as I go, so i'm not throwing myself far too in the deep end.
Also waiting until I actually move into my house in the next couple of years hehe, don't really feel like creating a 200cm+ aquarium setup or otherwise.... then having to move it/destroy it in order to move house.

I have this grandiose vision, eventually, of having multiple habitats within a few formicariums.
Like 1 which would serve as the ants nest and primary outworld. Probably with custom created nest tunnels like a lot of the bull ant nest guys on youtube make, in a hill type setup.
Then having tunnels/tubes to different outworlds, one with a smaller fish tank within a large tank so it can still have some land around it, and some fish setup, could double as a water source at that point.
One might be more dense in bush and shrubbery, maybe some natural food sources like sweet nector fruits.

Another might be more rocky desert.
1 or more of them could have passive predators in them, to help with overgrowth of a colony. eg. a lizard or frog or trap plant, etc.. where they wouldn't be able to leave their respective tanks through the ant tubes.
You get the idea.

Ultimately I am not much of a "hang art in the house" type of person, but having something like this would 100% be up my alley, and is far more interesting to discuss with guests than some random drawing.

Edited by OllieMelb14, April 6 2023 - 7:39 PM.

[Flu1d]

That's a very cool setup idea. I would love to see how that goes once you get started in a few years.