3 replies to this topic

[Okiale]

I have a small heat pad non adhesive under half a a ants Canada omni nest small housing a sizable Pogonomyrmex c colony. Do I even need this. The heat pad is under screws, not the acrylic, because it can't touch plastic. Condensation is visible, is this okay?. Can I leave this on all the time? Is there a Safety risk to me or the ants?
Thanks

[Huch]

I have several terrarium heat pads, all with instructions not to use for plastics. I still use it with the plastics, but if there are warning labels, it is usually for a good reason.

I am not familiar with keeping the species you mention, but I have condensation in many of my formicarium, and it does not appear to be a problem.

[Okiale]

Thanks Huch

[drtrmiller]

 

1. Do I even need [a heat pad]. 
    
2. The heat pad is under screws, not the acrylic, because it can't touch plastic. Condensation is visible, is this okay?. 
    
3. Can I leave this on all the time? 
    
4. Is there a Safety risk to me or the ants?

1. Heat-loving ants will fare very poorly if restricted to adverse temperatures.  For example, the brood may grow very slowly, or they may not be able to assimilate nutrients from the food they eat.  It is best to provide a range of temperatures, and to monitor which the ants prefer, so as to give the ants a number of environments from which to choose.
    
2. A glass of ice water becomes covered in condensation because the temperature inside the glass is colder than the temperature outside the glass, causing water vapor in the air to lose energy and change from a gas to a liquid when in contact with the glass.  The reverse is true when you place a heat source underneath a formicarium.  You have created a greenhouse, where the warm water vapor from inside condenses upon contact with the layer of plastic above, that is exposed to the cool air in the room.  
   
   Condensation is especially problematic in plastic formicaries, as the water droplets are not absorbed into the plastic, and can drown ants, in the worst of conditions.
   
   ​Always heat a formicarium from the top or front to reduce or eliminate condensation.  Better yet, ensure that the temperature in the room in which the ants are kept can be adjusted independently, and is kept on the warm side.  The temperature difference between inside and outside the formicarium is the key factor in determining how much condensation will form.
   
   
    
3. A properly adjusted heat source can be left on as long as the temperature in the room remains fairly constant.  Because heat sources many times do not have thermostats, they may heat the formicarium to undesirable levels in the warmer months.
    
4. An improperly adjusted heat source, such as one covering the entire formicarium, will essentially produce a singular environment from which the ants may be unable to escape, or one that can cause harm.  Again, placing the heat pad partially on top of the formicarium will provide a range of temperatures within the nest, so the ants may choose the most desirable area.
   
   Remember that as ectotherms, ants' body temperature is entirely dependent on that of their environment.  In nature, ants excavate wood and soil to precisely regulate the temperature and environmental conditions of the nest—a benefit they rarely experience in casual captivity—and one that is often overlooked as a common reason for colony collapse by novice hobbyists.

Edited by drtrmiller, November 22 2015 - 2:25 PM.