Photo Owner: D Coetzee

When people think of Ants, the idea that they may make a good pet is not often considered. While these creatures can not be classified as traditional pets there are several interesting characteristics that make these animals amazing pets

Do ants make good pets?

When people decide to buy a pet, most often they think of common pets, such as dogs, cats, or birds. While these pets are fun to own, they often require advanced pet care that can require a lot of resources and time to properly care for.



Due to the low maintenance of Ants, they make amazing pets. The reasons for this are the low cost to purchase, all that is required is a small ant farm, Ants do not eat much, and you can watch them and their amazing colony’s grow.



FUN FACT: The community that ants live in are called colonies.



Before you decide to buy an Ant there are several things you must know.





What do Pet Ants eat? How do I Feed Them?

In nature Ants eat a variety of items. Their diet can consist of living or dead insects such as fruit flies or Gnats. They also eat fruits, vegetables, and even meat.



While wild ants may have a variety of different food sources, Pet ants’ diets should be more restrictive to prevent the Ant colony from getting sick.



The most common foods to feed your pet Ants include:



Small dead insects such as crickets

Tiny pieces of bread

Small pieces of fruit

A mixture of sugar water

A small amount of kitten pet food



The type of food that you should avoid feeding your pet ants include:



Raw pieces of meat

Bitter fruits such as lemons or limes

Spicy foods

Greasy foods



Pet Ants should be fed two or three times a day. Feeding the Ants smaller meals over an extended amount of time will give the colony time to transport the food throughout their tunnel systems and assist in preventing food from setting in an area for long time. This will help prevent mold from forming in the feeding area.



Each day the area should be slightly moistened with approximately a soda cap full of water to drink. Be careful as to much water can result in flooding causing damage to the colony’s tunnels. If you notice that your colony needs more water use a spray bottle to gently mist the soil.





Feeding your pet ants is simple, use the same spot next to one of their tunnels.

FUN FACT: When Ants find a source of food they leave odor trails that lead other ants to the location of the food.





Can I have an Ant Farm in an Apartment?

Ants farms are great for apartments and small homes due the limited amount of space they take up. The size requirements for an Ant farm are typically small and can range from the size of a mason jar to the size of a small aquarium. The main factor in determining the size requirement for your ant colony are the number of ants you have.



One factor to consider before you place an ant farm in an apartment are animals and children. Due to the relatively small size of apartments, there may not be many safe locations to place your ant farm.

Lastly, Ants like warmer temperatures. One solution is to place a heating pad underneath the colony set a few degrees above room temperature. Ants also prefer areas that are dark and should be kept away from direct light.

How long do Pet Ants Live?

The lifecycle of pet ants varies quite a bit. Several factors influence how long Ants live:



The health of the colony

The species of ant

Whether the ant is a worker or a queen

Whether the queen ant is alive?



The health of the colony is important in determining how long ants live, due to the threat of sickness killing the ants.



The species of the ant also effects how long a average ant lives. Worker Fire ants typically live approximately 30 days and can live up to 6 years. Carpenter ants can live between 7-10 years and Garden ants can live up to 15 years.



Depending on if an ant is a worker or a queen the length of their lives vary greatly. Typically, a worker ant will live between a few weeks to a few months. Queen ants on the other hand live several years.

FUN FACT: Some queen ants have been known to live for almost 30 years.





The most important determination on how long an entire colony survives. Queen ants are important because they are the only fertile female ants in the colony. If a queen ant dies, the population can not reproduce resulting in the ant colony eventually dying off.

How Do You Clean an Ant Farm?

Cleaning ant farms is a fairly simple process. This is in large part to the cleaning habits of ants. Ants are interesting creatures that live in a very structured society. Ants naturally set areas in their colony for specific purposes. Examples of this include areas designated as graveyards, and bathrooms. When you need to clean the ant farm, simply remove old food remains left over, scrape out the dead ants and remove the area where feces are placed.

Conclusion

While Ants are not the typical type of pet people own, they are a great choice for pets. These animals are relatively cheap to own, require little maintenance, and are interesting to watch. Another great thing about ants are they barely take up any space and can easily fit on a desk.



Hope you enjoyed the post and good luck on your future ant farm.