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Plaster nest setups Updated

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The Darkwun	Plaster nest setups *Updated*		Lead	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/07/2007 12:15 AM	Hey whats up guys? I have been lurking around here for some time now, and I realized that there aren't any good plaster nest pictures. There are a lot of people that want to try making them but have no idea where to begin. First you will need plaster of paris and follow the instructions of how to mix it. I do 2p:1w Anyways I finally managed to borrow my friends' camera and took a few pics of the nests I made recently. I used the soap dispenser set from Ikea( credit goes to 4mykids from antstore.net for finding this great product) This is what I used: i215.photobucket.com/albu...x/ikea.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu.../ikea2.jpg As you can see you can have different moulds from these few items which cost only $7.99 BTW Anyways here are 2 of the nests I made today: i215.photobucket.com/albu..._mould.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...i_nest.jpg This is a good setup for small colonies and because the way it is done you don't need to glue the glass. It comes off easily if need be, but holds tight. This is the same setup that I house my formica colony in: First I used modeling clay for the layout of the nest. i215.photobucket.com/albu.../mould.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...mould2.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...mould3.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...mould4.jpg Then I filled up the box with p-o-p (came out a little chunky on top...dog got in the way of mixing) i215.photobucket.com/albu...laster.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...aster2.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...aster3.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...aster4.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...aster5.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...aster6.jpg I used a plastic modeling clay molding tool thingie that I bought a set for under $3 at Michaels Arts & Crafts to remove the clay after the plaster has set. i215.photobucket.com/albu...x/clay.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu.../clean.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...clean2.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...clean3.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...clean4.jpg After that I used some sandpaper to even off the chambers and tunnels and put the plaster back into the box. i215.photobucket.com/albu...mplete.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...plete2.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...plete3.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...plete4.jpg In a day or two I will upload some more pix of other nest designs I came up with including using one of those gel ant farms. That farm was the biggest pain in the butt to make and to take out of the farm it self...took me a good hour to get the plaster out. Anyways I hope this post will help noobs and experienced keepers alike.
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Buckingbs	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#1	[url]	[-]
Posts: 3 09/07/2007 5:36 AM	I like this idea, thank you for sharing it.
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MrILoveTheAnts	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#2	[url]	[-]
TAFMF Addict Posts: 3667 09/07/2007 8:41 AM	Way to think around the box. I like it! Hay where did you buy those plastic containers at? They look perfectly sized to make a small dirt setup.
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#3	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/07/2007 9:39 AM	Ikea whole set is $7.99 in the bathroom section.
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seamonkey84	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#4	[url]	[-]
Minor Worker Ant Posts: 124 09/10/2007 4:04 PM Minor Worker Ant	that is awesome. I was just recently thinking about something like that just the other day before this post showed up. i was thinking i would have the watering points along the corners, or right in the middle depending how much moisture they want. with a solid block like that it would hold moisture for a long time wouldn't it? was it difficult to get the paster and clay out of the solid boxes?
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#5	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/10/2007 8:17 PM	No it was pretty easy...only one that took more than 2 min to get out was the one for the soap dispenser. I also tried to do mould and pour plaster into one of those gel farms and man was it a pain in the neck to get the plaster out and now I can't put it back in.
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#6	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/14/2007 4:44 PM	Here are some pics of the the gel farm I used to make a plaster nest. Only one good use out of the gel farm but I don't think that I will ever do this again i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo036.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo037.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo038.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo039.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo040.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...deo041.jpg side note If anyone will try to do the same setup as above make SURE that you shave off the sides a little bit...otherwise the plaster won't go all the way down.
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antdude	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#7	[url]	[-]
Posts: 18800 09/14/2007 5:56 PM Borg Ant, Your Overlord	Darkwun: Who is that in the background (blue jeans)? For some reason, that scene reminds me of young Bill Gates showing off: moronland.net/media/pictures/Gates.jpg ... "He who dislikes aardvarks was an ant in his former life." --unknown /\___/\ / /\ /\ \ Ant (aka AntDude), Your Host & Fearless Overlord\| \|o o\| \| \ _ / The Ant Farm, Ant's Quality Foraged Links (AQFL), and this forum. ( )
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MrILoveTheAnts	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#8	[url]	[-]
TAFMF Addict Posts: 3667 09/14/2007 6:11 PM	Antdude: With pants like those Bill Gates could replace Tobey Maguire in the next Spider Man movie. Darkwun: I like it a lot. Where did you get that Gel setup with the side entrances?
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#9	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/14/2007 7:26 PM	Uhh thats my friend...she works for me...yup taking pics while at work.. I got the gel farm at Toys r us
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#10	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/18/2007 9:13 PM	Here is the plaster/gel farm in use: i215.photobucket.com/albu...ormica.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...rmica2.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...rmica3.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...rmica4.jpg i215.photobucket.com/albu...rmica5.jpg
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seamonkey84	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#11	[url]	[-]
Minor Worker Ant Posts: 124 09/19/2007 8:29 PM Minor Worker Ant	wow thats a active colony. how are you supplying moisture? is there a moisture variance from one side to another? i was thinking about where to find cheap clears plastic containers like that you showed in your step by step pics. I just found some older "critter keepers" that i used for various creatures. i may just pick some of the ones that are clearest, but they aren't that big. then again, my largest colony is about 30 strong.
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The Darkwun	Re: Plaster nest setups PIX	#12	[url]	[-]
Adult Worker Ant Posts: 221 09/19/2007 8:43 PM	For the gel farm/plaster setup I just use a spray bottle and spray the top part of the plaster every day. The box containers you can buy at Ikea and the other ones at any pet store, the smallest ones go for either $2.99 or $3.99 Well in Philly they do but they shouldn't be much more expansive than that.
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seamonkey84		#13	[url]	[-]
Minor Worker Ant Posts: 124 01/22/2008 6:47 AM Minor Worker Ant	ok, i just made my first plaster setup, and i used a rectangular plastic box i got at petco. how did ou get the nest out once it was set? was i not suppose to fill the box all the way up with plaster? i've been tapping it upside down in the floor, but its not moving at all.
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nepenthes		#14	[url]	[-]
Henchant Posts: 1264 01/22/2008 1:13 PM Chocolate Covered Ant Keeper	you usually put some oil or something so it can come out easier. __________________________________ My Flickr Page Tetramorium caespitum Blog
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MilitANT		#15	[url]	[-]
Young Worker Ant Posts: 66 01/22/2008 11:03 PM Young Worker Ant	I remember reading somewhere rubbing the inside of the mold with a bar of soap works well too. Newbies are people too
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seamonkey84		#16	[url]	[-]
Minor Worker Ant Posts: 124 01/23/2008 9:34 AM Minor Worker Ant	do you add the oil on the surface of plastic itself before you put the clay on? it seemed that the clay was sticking to the sides so it kept the plaster in.
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campoqueen		#17	[url]	[-]
Minor Worker Ant Posts: 157 01/26/2008 10:03 PM Minor Worker Ant	how do you keep these set up humid?
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janpi2000		#18	[url]	[-]
Callow Ant Posts: 9 01/31/2008 4:08 PM	So, why used plaster for an ant farm?? And do all ants get used to that kind of environment. I have RIFA ants(Solenopsis invicta) and I was wondering if they could work in that type of environment. Also, don't the ants eat away the plaster?? JP
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MrILoveTheAnts		#19	[url]	[-]
TAFMF Addict Posts: 3667 01/31/2008 5:09 PM	The plaster is porous and light weight, water diffuses right into it as it would soil. As it evaporates the humidity spreads out and into the tunnels. However, this is also an ideal environment for mold to grow but it will be some years before it decomposes the setup. Usually by that time anyhow the ants are ready for an even bigger home anyhow. Yes ants are happy living in a pre-made nest. The main thing they need is humidity and as long as they have it they can nest in anything. However most species have a preference for what kind of nest they want to live in (soil, dead wood, specific plants, sand, hallow cavitie; in field, in forest, etc...). Darkness is the second thing on their list of needs but it isn't needed to survive and the ants will get used to the light. If they can find a dark spot though then it's very likely they'll take advantage of it and eventually move the whole colony. They may nibble at the plaster some but usually it will dry to a very hard state. I believe brand names can effect the quality of the plaster setup you get. Some are rock solid while others turn out soft and almost chalk like.
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VaansenAmeise		#20	[url]	[-]
Callow Ant Posts: 12 02/01/2008 12:34 AM	As I build my plaster nest, I'm thinking of using this oil-based "protective enamel" from Rustoleum to keep the plaster dry, figuring I could come up with some way of keeping the air humid. Not sure if there are drawbacks though...
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