Uncle Milton John Deere Ant Farm User Manual
AGES 6 +
13250
To Start Your Ant Farm® Habitat
1 Turn upside-down and remove
base. (Hint: Attach the base to the
top end and use as a stand.)
3 Replace the base. Make sure
that it snaps rmly into place.
2 Cut a small corner o bag of
sand with scissors. Carefully pour
into lower half of Ant Farm until
lled.
4 Turn Ant Farm® right-side-up.
Slowly pour in about 2 oz. (1/4 cup
or 18 cl) clear drinking water. Sand
should be evenly damp but not
soggy. Don’t worry if a little water
leaks out.
Top frame
Cap
Antport
Stand
Base
Normally, we mail the ants to you within 4 to 6 weeks after we receive
your order. But sometimes we delay them because it is too hot or too
cold for them. It’s best for you to send for ants when the temperature
is less than 85° F and above 32° F. If you have an outdoor mailbox,
don’t let the ants stay in there for too long. It may be too hot or cold
for them!
All the ants we send you are nonbreeding worker ants. (The government says we’re not allowed to send a queen.) If you want to, you can
stock your habitat with ants right out of your own neighborhood.
Look for large ants that cannot go through the air holes. Let the ants
crawl up onto a stick without touching them. Remove the top frame
and carefully shake the ants in.
5 Using supplied stick or a piece of
wire, push the cotton stopper halfway
into sand. This will start a tunnel.
6 Replace top frame. Make sure
it’s evenly centered and snapped
in. Slide stand onto center of base.
Order Online To Populate Your Live Ant Habitat
Follow the instructions on the enclosed order form to order online.
We will mail you an ample supply of Western Harvester ants (scientic name
is Pogonomyrmex, meaning “bearded ants” because they appear to have
little beards).
CAUTION: NEVER HANDLE OR TOUCH ANTS DIRECTLY. THEY CAN BITE OR STING TO DEFEND THEMSELVES.
If you get your ants in the mail, remember that they have been in a tube
for quite a while, and are apt to be very hungry and thirsty. So it’s a
good idea to drop a little water into the habitat before you populate it.
When your ants arrive, be sure to read the directions that come with
them. Before you open the tube of ants, put it in the refrigerator (not the
freezer) for about 15 minutes. This makes them less active and much
easier to put into the habitat. They will soon “warm up” to start working.
Remove the top frame, carefully open the plastic tube of ants. Then
replace the top cap and carefully squeeze the tube of ants so it ts
between the clear windows. Shake or tap the ants in and replace the
top frame.
If the ants seem lazy the rst few hours, don’t worry. Put the habitat
in a dark place overnight. They’ll soon become accustomed to their
new home.
Ant FAQs
Q: What do ants eat and drink?
A: Ants eat almost anything. They like unsalted crackers, cake, bread, fruit,
meat, and leaves, just to name a few. Once a week, remove the top cap and
drop in two or three pinhead size pieces of food. You will also need to give
the ants a few drops of water every 2 days. Just open the top cap and drop
the water in. Please do not overfeed or over water your ants!
Q: Do the ants get enough air?
A: Yes. Your Ant Farm
the air holes.
Q: Are there both male and female ants in a colony of workers?
A: No. All worker ants are females. The only male ants are the “princes.”
They mate with the queens and die soon after mating.
Q: Do ants take baths?
A: Yes. They are very clean. Watch them closely and you will see the ants
rubbing their faces with their legs. They are cleaning themselves when
they do that.
Q: Can ants “talk”?
A: Ants communicate primarily through their sense of smell. They emit
chemical signals called “pheromones” which communicate specic
information to other ants. The ants will pick up on the chemicals with
their antennae which will tell them where the signal is coming from and
how strong it is. Some ants can also communicate using sound by
rubbing certain parts of their bodies together much like a cricket creates
noises with its legs.
®
habitat provides sucient air through
Q: Do ants work all the time?
A: No. They work very hard, but they like to play, too, and they also rest.
When they play, they bump and wrestle with each other. Sometimes two or
three of them will roll a bit of grain or sand around like a ball.
Q: Will the ants build hills over the farm scene?
A: Yes. If they had a plain space, they would simply build plain hills. The
farm scene gives them a more interesting place to work, and it is more fun
to watch them.
Q: Is my Ant Farm
® brand habitat escape-proof?
A: Yes. The habitat is designed with a self-locking device that makes it
escape-proof, as long as you use large ants that cannot go through the
air holes.
Q: Do ants really know what they are doing and why they are doing it?
A: While each ant shows signs of distinct behavior, the ants themselves
should not be thought of as individuals. Rather, an ant colony is like one
large organism with many dierent functioning parts. Each ant has a set of
duties that it will follow unquestioningly for its entire life.
Making the Connection
You can connect several Ant Farm® habitats together. To connect, cut Antway travel tube to desired length and attach end tightly onto an open Antport.
Attach other end onto a another Ant Farm Antport. Be sure to keep all unused Antports tightly capped!
To Re-populate Your Ant Farm®
Welcome your new ants to a clean home. Take your habitat apart and sift the sand clean for dead ants and leftover food bits, or use new sand. Rinse the
plastic parts with water and blot dry (do not wipe – the clear parts can scratch easily). Fill the reassembled habitat with clean dry sand and moisten as
directed at the beginning of this manual.
You can order a re-population kit online at www.unclemilton.com
The re-population kit includes everything you need to use your Ant Farm® Habitats over and over again.
KEEP THESE INSTRUCTIONS FOR FUTURE REFERENCE — DO NOT DISCARD
Questions? Visit unclemilton.com
MANUFACTURED BY UNCLE M ILTON INDUS TRIES, INC.
THOUSAND OAKS , CA 91359 USA
©2011 UMI. All right s reserved. ® and
Product colors and styles may var y.
P.O. Box 6281
TM
designate trade marks of Uncle Milto n Industries, Inc.
MADE IN CHINA
© 2012 Deer e & Company
and/or its suppliers.
All Rights Reserved.
13250-0250-0312
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