3 replies to this topic

[Tmhernandez77]

I just got my first colony, a desert harvester ant colony from Southern California.  I am trying to keep them in the 90-92 F range, and I'm currently having trouble keeping them that warm.  It has been unseasonably cold as of late, and I have my colony in a small test tube setup in a cardboard box.  In the box I have a reptitherm RH-7 mini 4W heater, and I can't get the box to get warmer than about 84-86 F.  Is this small difference important to the rate the colony will grow?  Can I do something to the box to insulate it to stay warmer?  Any help would be appreciated.  I tried lining the inside with aluminum foil, with the shiny side facing inwards, and that has only made a 1-2 degree difference.  Should I try adding some foam insulating boards, or do I just need a larger heater?

 

Thanks.

[Martialis]

Definitely don't keep them that warm.

[soulsynapse]

No harm keeping them that warm if they're a veromessor or pogonomyrmex colony but it's not like they HAVE to be that warm.

 

I'd suggest ~85f to someone I were selling them to. I keep them at 85f myself.

[Mdrogun]

Definitely don't keep them that warm.

I had a very large Pogonomyrmex colony I just got rid of. They seemed to do their best in the low 90s, but it wasn't required. Just make sure you're keeping them above 80 degrees and they should be fine.