Frequently asked questions

Contact us at least 2 to 3 weeks before you leave and let us know when you will be out of town. We will be glad to coordinate the delivery of your ants. Please include your 7-digit order number, which was emailed to you when you placed your order.

Have your Ant Farm habitat ready before the ants arrive, and place them inside as soon as possible.

Yes. If you use your own ants, make sure they all come from the same place. Ants need to be at least 1/4 inch long or they could escape from the habitat.

With proper care, they should live one to three months.

Gel Colony: no feeding or watering needed. The gel gives the ants everything they need.

Sand Ant Farm: give your ants two to three drops of bottled spring water every other day. Once a week, drop in one tiny crumb of bread or cracker. Your instruction booklet lists other treats.

Once your habitat is set up, move it as little as possible. Ants don’t like earthquakes!

Shipping live creatures takes a lot of planning. We check temperatures weekly in your state, the ant farmer’s state and the state where the ants are collected. If all three are safe, we ship. If not, we hold your order until temperatures improve.

In spring, summer and fall, allow three to six weeks from the day you order. In winter, shipping can take months, barring weather delays. You can also email us to ask if your state is currently open for creature shipments.

Ant Farm and Butterfly Farm instructions are on our Toy & Game Instructions page under Uncle Milton.

Yes. Our ants ship in special ventilated containers for safe travel.

No. Federal agricultural regulations prohibit us from selling or shipping queen ants. Only the queen reproduces, so the regional ecological balance is the main concern. Ant Farm habitats are also not designed for a large queen and the thousands of offspring she produces. Your ants will work without a queen.

Yes. The Ant Farm habitat is designed to provide plenty of air through tiny openings.

Yes. You can use the sand twice before replacing it. Pour it out and sift out any dead ants and food particles.

The gel is both the ants’ food and the material they tunnel through. It is very different from what they are used to, so give them time to adjust. After a week or a little longer, they will start feeding on the gel, and tunneling goes hand in hand with feeding.

If they are still hesitant after that, carefully widen the starter tunnels you made. Go slowly, since the ants may see your hand and tool as an invader.

Don’t panic! Western Harvester ants are not poisonous. A bite or sting can hurt, but there should be few lingering effects. Some swelling is normal and should go down within a few hours. If the swelling does not improve, contact your doctor.