# Deansie's Atta cephalotes



## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

Hey, just sharing the set up for my new Atta's, got them this morning and really happy with them, they are looking great. Nice size garden with even what looks like a solider , first time seeing one. 
The set up is quite simple at the moment,

Storage box wish a smaller storage box at the bottom that is filled with water and houses an aquarium heater set at 30 degrees.


The box that houses the colony made up of John Innes No9 and coco fibre. Ive made 2 holes in the lid and 2 holes in the following boxes. I then silicone the boxes onto the lid. So one is a feeding the other possible dumping area.


I put a little play sand the in the 2 boxes to help catch any drips/ humidity etc and sticks in the holes for the ant to climb up.
I've also put holes in both these lids for ventilation. 


I also put some tin foil round the heating box to help insulate it as its a cold room but I left the front foil free for viewing and so the colony have light coming in.
Also got a temp gauge in there.


Some pics of the queen and colony, even seen some brood 





Eventually will get a plastic shed in my back possible which ill insulate etc to house these colonys.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*update*

Quick update. 
After receiving them and having a think about the set up I had made and what Adam had mentioned about temperature I decided not to use the set up and instead house them in an identical cube as I know these conditions are good and constant, I am just going to provide them with tile platforms for feeding at the moment. Sadly before I could house the colony the queen died, was gutted to see that. I contacted Andrew and he said these things can sometimes happen for no reason and replaced the colony which I was extremely grateful for. 
So I added the new queen and fungus to the fungus and ants I already had and this has made for quite a few ants. He also advised me to remove the solider, It must have known as it was no where to be seen??? lol

I've put up a few new pics of the colony, initially with the first colony I had put the plastic tub directly in on its side but they had started to build a soil wall up against the opening. Andrew explained that Acromyrmex will move out to a better environment but atta will not so I made a hole in the soil and placed them in it. You can see the difference in the 2 pics (over 2 day period) in that they are slowly building the sides up and over.


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## kyledawelsh (Mar 7, 2008)

long time no speak mate

this is looking good


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

kyledawelsh said:


> long time no speak mate
> 
> this is looking good


Hey buddy, had been ages eh. Hope the family's doing well.
Yeh the ants are good- really interesting to watch. I've also got an acromyrmex colony that's doing pretty well.


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## kyledawelsh (Mar 7, 2008)

deansie26 said:


> Hey buddy, had been ages eh. Hope the family's doing well.
> Yeh the ants are good- really interesting to watch. I've also got an acromyrmex colony that's doing pretty well.


awesome bud only just got back into T keeping a few months ago. 

I like ants myself wouldn't mind getting a good colony going one day


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Ants*



kyledawelsh said:


> awesome bud only just got back into T keeping a few months ago.
> 
> I like ants myself wouldn't mind getting a good colony going one day


There really interesting, only them and discus I keep now.
Well I'll be splitting my acro's into to two colony's so probably have one available soon


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## kyledawelsh (Mar 7, 2008)

deansie26 said:


> There really interesting, only them and discus I keep now.
> Well I'll be splitting my acro's into to two colony's so probably have one available soon


nice one mate once I sort all mine out and move things around I might look at getting a colony


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## garlicpickle (Jan 16, 2009)

Not seen you on here in ages, how the devil are you


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*pics*

Amazing difference in 3 days


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*hey*



garlicpickle said:


> Not seen you on here in ages, how the devil are you


Hey there, yeh been ages since ive been on. Don't keep any T's now since having a baby, only discus and leaf cutter lol. You still have as yours? howz that goliath?


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## kyledawelsh (Mar 7, 2008)

deansie26 said:


> Hey there, yeh been ages since ive been on. Don't keep any T's now since having a baby, only discus and leaf cutter lol. You still have as yours? howz that goliath?


congrats on the baby mate


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*new set up*

Hi all, here's my new Atta (capital letter wood-ant  lol) set up-is a rough job but you can get the idea, hope to do a refined one in the future.

















Is a large diameter waste pipe with bendy vine leading from the nest to the feeding tank. 
Holes drilled in the bottom of the white waste pipe to drain the water that gathers from condensation, it is then returned via a clear tube to the main container.
Can fit two cubes or an equivalent size tank.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*clips*

A few cool clips I've been trying to upload for 2 weeks- Some nice soilders )


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*New unit*

Hi folk, just a quick update. New baby on the way so ants are getting evicted to the garage. It gets really cold during the winter in there so need to get some good solutions for my acro's and atta's.
Anyway atta first- this is the unit I just had built for them. The guy who made it builds large cold frames for plants so I just asked if it was possible to get one built to specifications I'm looking for and hey presto.
Its a shell right now but it will be insulated inside with 50mm celotex and the glass is double glazing. Inside it will be heated with soil heating cable controlled with pulse stat. Garage also needs gaps all closed with expanding foam.
Its pretty large LXBXH 2M x 0.75M x 0.5M Can gauge size from my 16 month son on his zebra! lol.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

-----------------


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

Hi, just a few photos of set up so far.



Insulated Unit with celotex and arranged large heating cable. Still to make a second ventilation hole with the hole saw drill, don't think ill be using a fan at the minute as don't think its necessary yet.



Acrylic housing assembled. Consists of a longer section of pipe that will go straight out of the left hand side to a feeding box (so I can feed them with out losing heat in set up.



3 plastic boxes, the small square one to be the queens chamber. Ill need to put up little bars like Adam did to ensure she stays in there. At the end ill probably fit a plastic bottle for the time being. 

There plenty of scope for expansion and will just do so as the colony grows.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*new video*

Hi, got colony shifted -lost a lot of ants which is unavoidable to be honest. Still to get and fix insulated exo terra foraging tank. Here are some pics and video of the set up so far. Sorry if you can't understand accent ha ha.











New Atta cepholates build so far - YouTube


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

Absolutely brilliant. Cheers for sharing the link.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Update*



Basin79 said:


> Absolutely brilliant. Cheers for sharing the link.


Thanks Basin! Glad you liked it


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

deansie26 said:


> Thanks Basin! Glad you liked it


I admire your dedication to them. This latest set up is brilliant. 

Have you ever considered keeping any of the carnivorous species?


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Set up*



Basin79 said:


> I admire your dedication to them. This latest set up is brilliant.
> 
> Have you ever considered keeping any of the carnivorous species?


Cheers Basin : victory:

I'd love to keep Paraponera clavata and I believe I will at done point. To be honest I think when you keep leaf cutters they take up so much space you probably don't keep much else.
You not tempted?


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

deansie26 said:


> Cheers Basin : victory:
> 
> I'd love to keep Paraponera clavata and I believe I will at done point. To be honest I think when you keep leaf cutters they take up so much space you probably don't keep much else.
> You not tempted?


I'm tempted by the carnivorous type although that's only gone as far as me just thinking about it. I don't have a clue in what's available or more importantly how viable the idea is.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Ants*



Basin79 said:


> I'm tempted by the carnivorous type although that's only gone as far as me just thinking about it. I don't have a clue in what's available or more importantly how viable the idea is.


It's very viable mate, just depends on type/ ones that hibernate or not and how much you want to spend. I'll email you link of a good forum that has lots of good info and journals.

Deansie


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

deansie26 said:


> It's very viable mate, just depends on type/ ones that hibernate or not and how much you want to spend. I'll email you link of a good forum that has lots of good info and journals.
> 
> Deansie


Ah right. Your PM makes sense now. I'd love ants that didn't get to a big size colony wise and eat inverts. I've got a breeding colony of roaches so it would be great to be able to find a use for my freshly dead old breeders.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*clips*

Removing everything from foraging tank as need to stop new fungus gardens being created lol.
Sorry if over loading clips-just enjoying them at the minute










http://youtu.be/xF_rgvMhiRc


Leafcutter ants, Acromyrmex - YouTube


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

deansie26 said:


> Removing everything from foraging tank as need to stop new fungus gardens being created lol.
> Sorry if over loading clips-just enjoying them at the minute image
> 
> 
> ...


Never apologise. It's a fascinating thread.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*cheers*



Basin79 said:


> Never apologise. It's a fascinating thread.


 
Thanks mate!


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*photos*

Hey, just a few photos of my atta set-up, finished for the time being. In the winter the light will come down and it will be completely insulated with just the doors uncovered. Still need to seal up the garage but in no rush at the moment, summers just starting so temps fine at night.



Cant wait till there more of an army like the Acromyrmex


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## atta (May 29, 2014)

Nice


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*New clips*

Atta cephalotes - YouTube

Atta cephalotes - YouTube

Atta solider - YouTube

 quite good detail


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Video*

Video of how the colony is progressing, there using 2 tubs for rubbish at the minute, I've also added insulation to the glass on both sides. Loads if eggs and pupea are visible.


Atta cephalotes set up - YouTube


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Island*

DIY Island with moat that I'll be fitting in to exo foraging tank when silicone dries tomorrow. Will hopefully stop escapees and make a rope walk way easier to do next year.[br]


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Update*

New foraging tank set up, going to fill the exo with water then small amount if oil to stop evaporation.[br]Will leave it a few day for them to find the route as I had to leave loads in while I fitted it.[br]I'll put a rim around the island which the queen will be unable to scale should she ever appear, though I've pipe rather than vine which take the fall factor out there.[br]I've also put vents in the pipe for air flow.[br][br][br][a href="http://s360.photobucket.com/user/deansie26/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsc0d2a4a4.jpg.html"]


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Update*

New foraging tank set up, going to fill the exo with water then small amount if oil to stop evaporation.[br]Will leave it a few day for them to find the route as I had to leave loads in while I fitted it.[br]I'll put a rim around the island which the queen will be unable to scale should she ever appear, though I've pipe rather than vine which take the fall factor out there.[br]I've also put vents in the pipe for air flow.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*video*

Here's a short clip with commentary







of my new Atta foraging tank set up, I'm very pleased with it-some will die in the moat but not as much as will escape and die when it get really going as I've discovered with my Acromyrmex which are a night mare to feed and I kill loads. For everyone that gets put back 3 or 4 get out!
Ill be able to fit a rope straight on the that platform next year then have it going round the garage









Opinions welcome

Atta cephalotes foraging tank - YouTube


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Update*

Hi, due to the rapid rate the new garden is going up I thought i would get to work. I've now finished the new fungus tank expansion for the Atta, it will sit directly behind the current 3 boxes. I'm going for maximising space and cost efficiency as all the pipe has been expensive so saved on cheaper boxes. As there at the back crystal clear viewing isn't as important. 
It will be connected to the main pipe that connects the current 3 boxes.

When I start in the second half of the vivarium/ unit I'll be making a second main highway to the foraging tank as the first might be to congested.

I thought about using clay pebbles but have stuck with well vented tubs with plastic hanging basket mesh to provide a layer of air between fungus and base.
I get no condensation at all and did initially worry about this and lack of humidity as I don't use a meter with them but as you can see from the soldier clip(biggest soldier yet! 
The fungus seems to be growing well.

http://youtu.be/RgTzJqYnr1E


http://youtu.be/RgTzJqYnr1E


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

Extra fungus clips, good detail 
http://youtu.be/gHcKSG7j0w8

http://youtu.be/hkQpIhbCY2M


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Issues*

--------


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## Basin79 (Apr 1, 2014)

deansie26 said:


> Extra fungus clips, good detail
> Fungus garden - YouTube
> 
> Fungus garden - YouTube


Yes, portrait mode in the second vid. Miles better. And ants bark????............ My recent videos have my parrot screaming in the background.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*Portrait*



Basin79 said:


> Yes, portrait mode in the second vid. Miles better. And ants bark????............ My recent videos have my parrot screaming in the background.


Hi Basil, I'll make sure to do it in portrait in the future 👍
Yeh dogs barking, wish they where mute lol, I'll have a look mate, not browsed in a while 😁


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

Few problems had arose recently.
•Ants struggling to scale diagonal pipe with larger leafs
•Mist in foraging tank pipe.

•Possible causes>

•Recently tried them with pine nuts as they love almond but they degrade to quickly and there is one at foot of diagonal pipe, may be it's affecting there grip.
•Warmer air from viv condensing in cooler foraging tank pipes at cooler night temps. Could be the cause of ants not having grip also.

•Solutions???

• Remove nut and clean pipe.
• Improve insulation and connect the heatmat to work independantly of the viv stat which it currently is on so should be warmer.

l


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

Removed pine nut and cleaned pipe, though I don't think this was the cause as it didn't feel greasy. I managed to remove heatmat from the base and mount on the side, made adjustments to celotex insulation so it fits really tight against the glass and also added an extra layer under the top panel in the form of an old quilt ha ha. Once it gets colder the light will come down for the winter and top sealed.


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*update*

Few updates

https://youtu.be/-632GA5nNb0

New foraging area
https://youtu.be/T3ltlnzkTLc

Queen and new fungus
https://youtu.be/W4yB6yM4BOY


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*new pipe work and bigger feeding table*

https://youtu.be/VllfbFqR44M
clearer video
Cant say enough how essential fluon is when moving an ant colony!!!

colony is doing really well :2thumb:


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## deansie26 (Apr 28, 2009)

*leafcutter update*

Hi folks, ants are doing well- just a wee update, built a new dump and added more pipe work so the ants are travelling 11 feet for there leaves now, isn't a lot but not bad for a small exo-terra cube lol. Done a brief commentary, hope you can understand ha ha. Thanks for watching! 
https://youtu.be/ZrqZ1AKyuOM


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