5 replies to this topic

[NotAxo]

I have a few questions. I was planning to make a THA mini hearth style formicarium with my tiny ferrero richer box (the small cuboid one). I almosted scrapped it because sand is an absolute pain to work with. But today, I found an old container with untouched and unopened cake fondent inside. It is 3 years expired, but I wanna know if it would work to achieve a modeling clay alternative.

Also I found a cup set box and inside was a styrofoam box with 6 compartments, open to one side. I was thinking, if I add a watering dish thing like THA mini hearth with the mesh, and silicone it into the styrofoam, and then proceed to layer all the sides of the box with about 7mm of grout, would it be good enough for C. Parius or irratians?

Also, there was a massive nuptial flight the other day and I caught a few queens of 3 sp. The shop from where I usually buy test tubes has been closed for a week now and I I'm not able to buy any. As a temporary accommodation, I have placed each queen in small containers (I will give some water through cotton calls today) but not as small as a test tube. I need some very quick help for these queens. Or will they be okay until the next day too?

[ANTdrew]

The heat and water released from the plaster may melt the fondant.

[NotAxo]

The heat and water released from the plaster may melt the fondant.

I am planning to use grout, but would the same occur to grout?

also, please give an idea for the queens, I really don't want to stress them anymore but I have to do something.

[ANTdrew]

I think your small containers should be fine as long as they can feel somewhat secure and can stay hydrated. Can you post a picture of the containers?

[Stubyvast]

Yes containers should work, so long as not too much moisture is being released, and they have space enough to move around. Just keep the wet cotton somewhere where you can easily water it, say at the opening of the container, and use a pipette to water it so as not to disturb the queens too much. 

[NotAxo]

Thank you for the help, I think my queens are much more under stressed now. Lets hope I can get test tubes before they lay eggs

Also, I see everyone saying plaster, gypsum, and grout. I guessed that plaster of Paris of Paris is referred as plaster and when cured, it is gypsum (according to my Chemistry text, I might be wrong)

and grout is cement right? Like actual cement used to build houses and such.

I've used both of these items to make formicariums in the past and they didn't work out the best. I first made a white cement nest with red oxide and modes it with a drill. And I dunked the whole thing in a bucket of water for a month, cause that's how long it takes to cure completely. And I did that cause I've heard that cement, during its curing process, releases a slightly acidic/basic chemical. So I changed the water in which it cured every 5 days. The nest worked very well, for a month that I used it, but the problem was, I molded it in a plastic tin. It was supposed to be a out world also, but the cement, after curing, expanded a bit, so when I put the nest back in, it ripped the plastic. What did I do wrong with this? Cement company - Ultratek, if you wanna search it)

with the gypsum, I used it with a sand mold. And ants lived in it for a solid 2 months. But right after it cured,I placed it on a slightly sunny (not too sunny) windowsill. After a week of drying, I drill a hole in the gypsum. With the 5th screw in the middle, I touched the tip of the bit on the gypsum, and it formed a fault line. It wasn't useless, so I still used it. What was wrong with the gypsum? I used the same water-plaster ratio that the workers did to plaster it to my new houses walls, but mine cracked. (Plaster-gyproc company)

the gypsum eventually got mould due to my ants...

Edited by NotAxo, June 21 2024 - 5:49 PM.