How to Take Care of Black Carpenter Ants as a Pet?
How to take care of black carpenter ants as a pet?
Keeping ants as pets is the new modernity. Many people are obsessed with keeping pets because they believe that pets are the source of joy, and keeping a pet reassures them that they are not alone. However, most people prefer dogs and cats as their pets. Although there are few exceptional people who love to pet unusual animals, like some keep snakes as pets, while others are interested in petting a rabbit. Then there comes a list of people who love to pet “carpenter ants”. So if you have carpenter ants, read below for enticing tips and care instructions for these tiny little pets.
But before we go any further, we want to give a quick overview of what carpenter ants and why they are named as carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants – A quick overview
These ants are named as “carpenter ants” because these tiny insects as a whole are capable of preparing their home shelters (colonies in galleries) for themselves by engraving the woods. Before creating their nest they first clean the nesting area and remove the moist and excess soil from the site resulting in clean and smooth galleries or passageways.
Natural habitat
Usually, they form their colonies in a damp wood that is severely exposed to the moisture. So, they can be dangerous to the building structures that are made from wood.

Can we keep Black Carpenter Ants as a pet?
Yes, if you want to study these tiny insects’ activity, you can keep them as pets, but you have to take proper care of them because they are incredibly susceptible to change.
How do you care for Black Carpenter Ants?
Provide Moisture
They can be held in a glass frame and in the form of colonies. As discussed above, they are attracted to moisture, so make sure you provide enough moisture by either putting the standing water in a petri dish or placing wet cotton swabs in the box. Check the moisture level and change or remove the cotton/petri dish from time to time.
Feeding correctly
Many people believe that these ants engrave the wood to feed on it, but in reality, they can be fed a variety of foods, especially meat and sweets. They also feed on various insects. Make sure that you provide them with enough food.
Keep the temperature
Keep the temperature around 25°C because extreme temperatures (either hot or cold) may lead to their death.
Reproduction control
The carpenter ant queen is responsible for its reproductive-cycle and puts approximately 9 to 16 eggs in the first year. Usually, the eggs complete the life cycle in 6 to 12 weeks. Therefore, it is necessary to keep an eye on their growth rate, as they may need more space when they multiply.
Secure their escape area
If you have prepared an ant farm, make sure your escape area is safe; otherwise, they will roam into your house once they have escaped and could cause enough damage to the wooden structures. So you can coat the terrarium housing with PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene; Fluon). You can also apply a thin layer of fine sand at the base.
Conclusion
Black carpenter ants will prove to be the best pet for you if cared for properly because you will love to explore how these tiny creatures work hard for their livelihood and their colonies’ preparation.
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