Has anyone else got an ANT WORLD? Please come and talk ants with me

[FrannyandZooey]

Right we finally scraped together about 25 nervous looking ants and introduced them to their spacious new accomodation. Several promptly died and the rest spent a couple of days running around, much to ds's delight:

"We've got PETS!"

"Mummy look they are having a RACE!"

"Those two are very funny they just bumped HEADS!"

"Now they are having an ANT CIRCUS!"

So I was thinking this has got to be one of the best things anyone had ever bought him. Now on day 5 the ants are

well

I don't know where they are. They have gone somewhere. Underground? There is a tunnel. It doesn't seem to have ants in it. There is bugger all sign of life. Is this it? Are the first few days the only time you get to see them doing anything? Or have we killed them all? What do I tell ds?

thanks franny

i do not know

actually "escaped" is what I told ds

it puts me in mind of the Amiga, Worm World does.

worms can certainly shift themselves when they're trying to escape a life of captive hell

Oh we've bought worm world for dds birthday next week.

Do they lead a life of captive hell? Can they not be happy in worm world? I don't really like worms, but dead worms are far worse - not sure if i'll be able to cope with this, not after reading about the ant world traumas in frannys house.

I find gardening fills me with anguish as i often do that thing where you slice a worm in half with a trowel and one bit keeps moving [cringe shudder boak]

well, boco, it is hard to tell with worms. But small plastic case, the whole world.

I think the worms would choose the same as me.

Not that I trouble myself thinking too much about worms.

But it's all dark in the mud, they don't have eyes - i kind of thought they'd just wriggle around making tunnels and it wouldn't make too much difference if they hit the sides every now and then?

Oh what a vision. Worms banging their heads against plastic walls.

What if they want to find tastier stuff to eat?

'please mommy, I'm so hungry, can we get some tasty food agin?'

'I'm trying, son, but our world seems to have shrunk and the chemicals from this plastic are kiiiillllling meeeee'

Oh well that's just guurrrate! Thanks for ruining dd1s 5th birthday, she only has worm world and some hama beads!

I will just have to make sure their soil is full of nutrients - we compost y'know - got access to some very tasty stuff - the worms we pick will be the lucky ones!

Oh no, it's a great present, Boco. Really. No one's that bothered about worms anyway

Swop it for Ant World

my ants are living a life of luxury under their teatowel

I'm glad you started this thread Franny - ds was given an Ant World, and we are going to set it up after half term (we are going away for the week, so I didn't want to set it up, go away, and come back to a pile of dead ants.)

I am taking notes....

i'm gonna have another go at ant keeping too

You are welcome. I am willing to admit it is trickier than I had initially expected

You are welcome. I am willing to admit it is trickier than I had initially expected

TWICE as tricky

Is there much movement under your teatowel then Franny?

(not a sentence i think i've ever written before)

Seems you are doing better today!

Although mistaking a bit of grit for an ant and then attempting to drown it suggests you have a little more to learn

That`is a good sentence, Boco!

erm

yes a fair bit of life in there

it is slightly dull after the first thrill I must admit

I don't think they liked the heat yesterday, they seem more active now it is cooler

SO, do you know how snails lay their eggs?

Could you post a link, maybe?

I am going to get a little ant farm.

There's a link ealrier, to interplayuk, who make them

Sorry Franny, I was thinking about a nice visual of a snail laying an egg.

I have looked at the link, and am tempted by too many things, especially on the cusp of half-term.