Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The kids were so excited and I put the ants in the moment they arrived. The fact that they eat the gel makes food and water issues moot, and I made a point to put them in a room with optimal temperature. I assumed we’d get at least a month or two of tunnel digging and happy ant harmony. It was going to work out this time! On the first day they built some great tunnels. The second day they lazed about a bit. On the third they staged an all out REBELLION. What had been happy worker ants digging for the thrill to dig, were angry, panicked ants, trying to figure out a means of escape. One was clearly the leader. He was at the very top, chewing away at the seal in the lid. I named him Che G. He was a rebel with a plan. I thought they’d tire and eventually get back to doing ant-y things, like digging tunnels. No. The next day, they were still hanging out at the top. The next, lying around at the top with twitchy antennae. Except Che, he was making headway on the lid seal. Are they getting food and water, if they aren’t tunneling? No. Another thing they do not get if you do not open the cage weekly is: OXYGEN. Even though the directions said air needed refreshed just once a week, I thought I should open it up. Maybe that was the problem. Slowly I pried up the lid on the opposite side of Che, thinking a few seconds would improve the air quality. They faked me out. Milliseconds after doing so, Che, and every other ant in the joint were racing to the opening. So much for sluggish. I got the lid back down, but not before Che ran out and across my arm, crawled down my shirt, and bit me right below the left breast. OOOUUUUU. Ant farm ants are harvester ants and have huge mandibles. I yelled and whacked the little bastard off. Last I saw him he was racing underneath the furniture. FREE. How exactly do I refresh the air or feed/water the not digging ants without them all running out hmmm??? This morning, it’s not looking too good in our space aged habitat. There are two bodies in the lid. They got caught in the lid when I had to shut it to keep them from running out. I’d take them out, but then, more will run. The ones on the bottom look to be dead. There are also dead ones in the white debris up top (from the digging). Never. Again. Ever.