New to antkeeping?
?
Welcome to the world of Ant-Keeping. Keeping pet ants is a growing hobby, one full of excitement and reward. It is super easy to get started too.
01
Get your queen/colony and feed them proteins & sugars bi-weekly
02
Keep them in their test tube somewhere dark until 30-60+ workers. Be Patient
03
Move them into the right size nest for the colony.
Keeping pet ants is pretty amazing as a hobby. You can learn directly from nature with the most organised critters on the planet. Unlike us humans, ants are selfless and live only for the common goal. With the right care and love you can see your colony bursting with egar workers ready for exploration.
Starting Species
Starting is the hardest part. We have so many latin names to learn! Dont worry though as you will quickly get to grips with it. The suggested beginner species to keep are native to the UK, easy and forgiving to grow and are also extremely fun to watch. Choosing one of the species below are what we recommend for a brand new keeper.
ALSO- Check out the youtube videos below
Small Colony Nests & Outworlds
We naturally have starter kits with everything you need to get going, but if you prefer to choose your own and mix and match then we suggest these to be an easy to use nest for small colonies. (by the time your colony grows your knowledge will too and navigating our site will be much easier)
Remember though, your colony will need a setup which fits them.
Starter Kits
We make things as simple as possible here at Ant Antics. You have a choice, you can either select your species by using our store and sorting by beginner friendly. Or you can get yourself a kit with everything you need to get started directly from us.
Feeding
Before your Lasius queen has workers she uses her fat reserves to raise brood and does not require feeding. (as a treat though a drop of sugars will keep her energy up)
Once you have workers, In addition to the constant supply of water (sipped through your new colonies cotton test tube plug), your colony will need feeding. This should be as varied as possible and consist of Proteins and Sugars.
PROTEINS: Given by way of insects (you can get these from mail order shops, pets at home or even frozen from Bavisters) They will need this regularly (weekly) with the amount increasing as the colony grows.
SUGARS: Many people choose to provide a feeder with diluted sugars on constant tap for the colony, but while small it can be difficult. So you can easily add a couple of drops of sugar snaps or diluted honey to their test tube or outworld instead.
Our food range is here:
Homes to Avoid
As well as to tell you what is good, it is only fitting we tell you what is not, 2 such examples are the ever popular nests below.
These nests are designed for people who do not wish to have a Queen ant. They are for worker ants who are stolen from their colonies and placed into the nest. The sad this here is a colony is a single unit, all working together and if you remove a worker from their queen they will go crazy as the loose her pheromone, they will dig and try to find her, they spend 3 to 6 months (if you are lucky) doing this then they will die.
GEL NESTS: For Gel nests the marketing will tell you they are super, the gel is even food. This is not true, it is a moist environment which is too light, mold outbreaks happen quickly, brood dies and the stress the colony undergoes is terrible. Please avoid their use and if you have already purchased one then you can remove the gel and use a suitable sand-loam or earth to make it useable.
