Heat cable temporarily unavailable — price reduced
This kit normally includes a heat cable. We're out of stock until late September, so the kit price has been reduced while it's missing. The photos still show the cable, since it returns to the kit once stock arrives.
Heat in the meantime: nearly all species need one warm end near 82-85°F, with the other end at or near room temperature. A heat cable is the only heat source we recommend — an inexpensive one is available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/07at29R0
Please don't substitute a heat mat or a heat lamp. Both heat too broadly, which defeats the gradient, and they can dry out or overheat the nest. Never heat the whole nest — the ants need to be able to choose.
Questions about your setup? antopiausa@gmail.com
Not a toy ant farm. A real ant keeping starter system.
Pogonomyrmex rugosus is one of the best first colonies you can keep. These are seed-harvesting desert ants — hardy, forgiving of beginner mistakes, and genuinely interesting to watch as they mill seeds and build refuse piles. Your colony arrives with a mated queen, 1-5 workers and brood, so you skip the slowest and most fragile stage of founding.
Everything in this kit was chosen because we use it ourselves on thousands of colonies. Unbox it, follow the guide, and you have a working setup in about fifteen minutes.
What's Included
Live Pogonomyrmex rugosus colony — 1 mated queen, 1-5 workers and brood
1 ant nest
1 outworld
Double liquid feeder test tube setup — one drinking water, one Red Ant Drank (90 day supply of both)
Small container of Fluon with Q-tip applicator
4 test tubes (16 x 150 mm)
4 PVA sponges (blue or grey)
1 blackout shield
10-20 live mealworms or Dubia roaches (about a 40 day supply for a young colony, less for a larger one)
Feeding tweezers
Large feeding dish
Connector vinyl tubing (3/8 inch OD)
Illustrated setup guide and direct support from us
AntopiaUSA heat cable — temporarily out of stock until late September. The kit price is reduced while it is missing.
Feeding
Red Ant Drank is their carbohydrate source and stays available at all times. For protein, offer fresh killed feeder insects only — never frozen, and never gel. Harvester ants will also take seeds.
Approved Shipping States
Pogonomyrmex rugosus may only be shipped to the following states:
California · Kansas · Oklahoma · Texas · Colorado · New Mexico · Nevada · Arizona · Utah
Approved shipping states are listed above. If the species you ordered cannot be legally shipped to your state, we may substitute a comparable species of equal or greater value that we are approved to ship to your location, at our discretion. If we do not have a suitable substitute available, your order will be canceled and refunded minus a 15% restocking fee.
Live arrival guarantee: your colony is covered for 7 days from delivery. To qualify you must be present to receive the package, and you must contact us within 15 minutes of the delivery notification with clear photos or video of any substantial issue. We do not use signature confirmation, so please watch your tracking and don't let the box sit outside in heat or cold.
Every live ant order ships with heat packs or ice packs and an insulated box at no extra cost. These are always included in the shipping price.
We ship live ants Monday through Wednesday only, so no colony spends a weekend in transit. During peak season the most that should pass before your order ships is 5-7 days; in slower months it's typically 2-3.
Heat cable temporarily unavailable — price reduced
This kit normally includes a heat cable. We're out of stock until late September, so the kit price has been reduced while it's missing. The photos still show the cable, since it returns to the kit once stock arrives.
Heat in the meantime: nearly all species need one warm end near 82-85°F, with the other end at or near room temperature. A heat cable is the only heat source we recommend — an inexpensive one is available on Amazon here: https://a.co/d/07at29R0
Please don't substitute a heat mat or a heat lamp. Both heat too broadly, which defeats the gradient, and they can dry out or overheat the nest. Never heat the whole nest — the ants need to be able to choose.
Questions about your setup? antopiausa@gmail.com
Not a toy ant farm. A real ant keeping starter system.
Pogonomyrmex rugosus is one of the best first colonies you can keep. These are seed-harvesting desert ants — hardy, forgiving of beginner mistakes, and genuinely interesting to watch as they mill seeds and build refuse piles. Your colony arrives with a mated queen, 1-5 workers and brood, so you skip the slowest and most fragile stage of founding.
Everything in this kit was chosen because we use it ourselves on thousands of colonies. Unbox it, follow the guide, and you have a working setup in about fifteen minutes.
What's Included
Live Pogonomyrmex rugosus colony — 1 mated queen, 1-5 workers and brood
1 ant nest
1 outworld
Double liquid feeder test tube setup — one drinking water, one Red Ant Drank (90 day supply of both)
Small container of Fluon with Q-tip applicator
4 test tubes (16 x 150 mm)
4 PVA sponges (blue or grey)
1 blackout shield
10-20 live mealworms or Dubia roaches (about a 40 day supply for a young colony, less for a larger one)
Feeding tweezers
Large feeding dish
Connector vinyl tubing (3/8 inch OD)
Illustrated setup guide and direct support from us
AntopiaUSA heat cable — temporarily out of stock until late September. The kit price is reduced while it is missing.
Feeding
Red Ant Drank is their carbohydrate source and stays available at all times. For protein, offer fresh killed feeder insects only — never frozen, and never gel. Harvester ants will also take seeds.
Approved Shipping States
Pogonomyrmex rugosus may only be shipped to the following states:
California · Kansas · Oklahoma · Texas · Colorado · New Mexico · Nevada · Arizona · Utah
Approved shipping states are listed above. If the species you ordered cannot be legally shipped to your state, we may substitute a comparable species of equal or greater value that we are approved to ship to your location, at our discretion. If we do not have a suitable substitute available, your order will be canceled and refunded minus a 15% restocking fee.
Live arrival guarantee: your colony is covered for 7 days from delivery. To qualify you must be present to receive the package, and you must contact us within 15 minutes of the delivery notification with clear photos or video of any substantial issue. We do not use signature confirmation, so please watch your tracking and don't let the box sit outside in heat or cold.
Every live ant order ships with heat packs or ice packs and an insulated box at no extra cost. These are always included in the shipping price.
We ship live ants Monday through Wednesday only, so no colony spends a weekend in transit. During peak season the most that should pass before your order ships is 5-7 days; in slower months it's typically 2-3.
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