Let everyone see the story of your colony(ies) over time. Pictures, developments, success and failures, what works / what doesn't, and your plans for expansion as time goes by!
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Bitterlime
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by Bitterlime » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:11 pm
The main entrance to the nest!
I can't put the leaves on the second platform anymore because I have a glass sheet which covers the top half of the tank to increase the humidity which causes the condensation to drip onto the leaves soaking the platform! But I am going to try and put the glass sheet at an angle to redirect the drips.
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Formica123
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by Formica123 » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:12 pm
The drips won't matter, why don't you try covering the whole top so it evenly disperses the water in the arie
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Bitterlime
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by Bitterlime » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:19 pm
I'm worried about making the nest too damp, also the ants stopped going down to the second platform!
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Formica123
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by Formica123 » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:23 pm
I think your nest isn't humid enough. You said they take grape and apple a lot? Perhaps because it is full of moisture?
Try (for tonight) covering the whole of the tank opening, see if anything changes. If your really worried about the nest being too damp place a peice of cardboard or something just over the soil to stop water dripping down
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Bitterlime
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by Bitterlime » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:30 pm
yes they have been taking grapes more frequently! I'll be back from London tomorrow night so I'll try covering the whole thing and see if anything changes!
Thanks
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Formica123
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by Formica123 » Tue Dec 22, 2015 11:32 pm
It will increase the temperature and air humidity. Deansie covered his when he had this setup, worked great. You'll find that the ants become a lot more active in the right conditions
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Jackie62
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by Jackie62 » Wed Dec 23, 2015 1:05 pm
Just as a point of interest, our A. octospinosus colony drinks from water droplets that fall onto the platforms/sides of dump tank etc. when I'm topping up the water in their main, containing tank. The humidity seems to be OK with a heat mat under the main tank and the colony also goes down the sides of the tanks within the main tank to the surrounding water to drink. Sometimes they fall in, but they are never too far from the side of something to be able to clamber out again. And when they get red grapes, they love them!! Apple is provided on a daily basis to ensure they receive liquids.
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Deansie26
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by Deansie26 » Wed Dec 23, 2015 2:39 pm
Hi, can I ask why you think you need to increase humidity?
I covered this tank when I had it but it wasn't to do with increasing humidity it was because the evaporation was causing mould on my walls.
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Bitterlime
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by Bitterlime » Wed Dec 23, 2015 5:51 pm
Last edited by
Bitterlime on Wed Dec 23, 2015 6:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Bitterlime
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by Bitterlime » Wed Dec 23, 2015 5:56 pm
The water in the tank kept evaporating and I had trouble keeping the tank at a constant temperature. The temperature kept dropping which caused the ants to become less active, so I covered the top half of the tank to keep some of the heat in and the temperature has stayed at 25C so it seems to be working!
