Ant Farm® Light-up Gel Colony FAQ

First, understand that the gel is a specialized food source for the ants as well as the intended substrate through which they will eventually being tunneling. It is likely very different from the substrate the ants are used to, so they will need some time to acclimate to their new environment. After a week, or maybe a little longer, the ants will be driven by necessity to begin feeding on the gel, at which point they will also begin tunneling as the two acts go hand in hand.

After this allotted time, if the ants are still hesitant with the gel, try widening the starter tunnels you made. Be sure and do this carefully as the ants will likely see a descending hand and tunnel starting tool as an invader. :-)

Shipping live creatures is a very delicate process, requiring lots of pre-shipment calculation. It's kind of like a space shuttle launch. :-) We want to ensure that your creature order arrives in a happy and healthy condition, so we monitor the temperatures on a weekly basis. Based on the temperature averages in your state, if we see that your night time temps are above 32 degrees and your day time temps are below 85 degrees, congratulations! We can safely ship creatures to your state.

However, if you fall below or above those temperatures respectively, we may have to hold your order until the temperatures improve.

So! In a nutshell, from the day you mail in your coupon, or place your order online, give us between three to six weeks to ship, barring any weather delays or extenuating circumstances. You may also email us to see if your state is currently open for creature shipments.

Don't panic! Western Harvester ants are not poisonous. Though a bit or a sting can hurt, there should be few lingering effects. There will be some swelling around the area, but this should dissipate within a few hours. If the swelling does not show signs of abating, contact your doctor.