I've been keeping ants for almost 10 years, all the way since middle school. Today, it's my job, and it's one that's brought me a ton of opportunity. As a nature freak, I've kept almost every single pet you can think of. And after everything I've tried, here's why I think you should keep ants.
Kids, this is what you should show your Parents to Convince Them You Want Ants. Grown-Ups, Welcome Home. Even if it's just your Inner Child
- Sincerely, a former child.
I've kept all sorts of bugs for awhile (Photo dated 2014)
Ants aren’t exactly the first creatures that come to mind when you think of a pet. Most people barely even notice them unless they’re stealing our picnic snacks or marching across the kitchen floor. But if you take a closer look, you’ll see there’s a lot more to ants than you’d think.
Keeping an ant colony as a pet can be one of the most fascinating, low-maintenance hobbies out there. It’s a little world all its own—one that’s small in size but big in surprises.
tl;dr (Too Long, Didn't Read)?
- Ants are Pets you can Watch for Hours
- Taking Care of Ants Takes 5 Minutes a Week
- You Won't Need a Lot of Space (Nor a Lot of Money)
- Ants Teach us About Human Societies
- Modern Ant Keeping Lets Your Pets Thrive
- Nurturing Ants Fosters a Sense of Perspective
- Ant Keeping is an Avenue to a Growing Community
A Busy World That Never Stops
Looking into an ant colony is a lot like peeking into a bustling little city. Without looking closely, it can be difficult to tell what the ants are doing. Ants are always on the go, whether they’re digging tunnels, gathering food, or taking care of the queen and her baby ants. Everyone has a job to do, and they’re all working together to keep the colony running smoothly. Some species even have healthcare systems and work democratically. Keeping ants means having a front-row seat to a secret world.
You start to notice things you wouldn’t expect, like how some ants bring food back for others, or how they cooperate to move big objects. How they talk to each other with little antenna taps. It’s a hands-on way to learn about nature, and it might even make you curious to learn more about biology, teamwork, or the world around you.
Taking Care of Ants Is Actually Pretty Easy
Compared to other pets, ants are about as low-maintenance as it gets.
For a small colony, a weekly care schedule might look like this:
Monday: Refill the Ant Farm Water Reservoir and Sugar Feeder
Tuesday: Nothing
Wednesday: Give Half a Pre-killed Cricket
Thursday: Refill the Ant Farm Water Reservoir
Friday: Nothing
Saturday: Nothing
Sunday: Give Half a Pre-killed Cricket
You can start with a simple setup, like a test tube with a bit of water in it, and gradually upgrade to a bigger habitat as the colony grows. You can find out more about how to set up a basic ant habitat in our ant farm checklist.
Plus, ants naturally go into a resting phase called diapause during winter, sort of like hibernation. This means they don’t need much care for a few months out of the year, which is perfect if you have a busy schedule or want to travel. You don’t have to worry about finding someone to watch your ants—they can just take a break until you’re back. For more on diapause and seasonal care, see our article on managing diapause for your colony.
A Hobby That Doesn’t Take Up Much Space (or Money)
One of the best things about keeping ants is how little space they need. You can keep an entire colony on your desk or a small shelf, and the cost of getting started is really low. All you need is a queen ant, which you can catch yourself during certain times of the year (here's our guide to do that), and some basic supplies. There’s no need for expensive vet bills, fancy food, or giant cages. I actually started keeping ants because I didn't have an allowance. I used to make all my supplies from scratch, and even then, I loved watching my colonies.
Tabletop Ant Farm Setup
And you can decide how big you want your ant colony to be. You can control ants' growth speed by giving them less protein (feeder insects) or by heating them less. You might start small and keep it that way, or you might want to let your colony grow into a bustling, multi-room setup. It’s totally up to you. Ant keeping fits into your life, rather than the other way around. To explore different habitat options, check out our ant housing guide.
There’s More to It Than Just “Having a Pet”
Keeping ants isn’t just about having another thing to take care of. It’s about finding a kind of meaning in the little things. When you watch a colony of ants grow and thrive, there’s a sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing you’re helping something live and do well. This is especially true for kids, who can learn a lot about responsibility and what it means to care for another living thing, even if it’s small. If you're interested in introducing kids to ant keeping, we provide free nature studies [link awaiting] that can help.
Harvester Ant Colony and Foraging Area
Plus, there’s something calming about watching ants work. Their movements are steady and purposeful, and there’s a kind of peacefulness in seeing them carry on, no matter what. It’s a reminder that even tiny creatures have a lot going on, and sometimes, paying attention to the small stuff can bring a lot of joy.
They’re Tiny, but Their Lives Are a Lot Like Ours
When you think about it, a colony of ants isn’t all that different from a human community. There’s a “queen” who starts the colony and lays the eggs, but it’s the workers who do the everyday tasks like gathering food, taking care of the young, and building the nest. Each ant has a role to play, and they all work together to keep things running smoothly, just like people do in a town or city.
Watching them can teach you a lot about cooperation, problem-solving, and even leadership. It’s kind of like looking at a tiny, simplified version of our own world. The more you watch, the more you realize that ants aren’t just crawling around randomly—they’re actually doing some pretty amazing things to keep their society going. We publish a series of blogs about ant behavior you can learn about here.
Modern Ant Keeping
These days, ant keeping is a lot more advanced than it used to be. With the right habitat and care, ants can live long, healthy lives in captivity. Queens can live for decades, and their colonies can grow and change over time, just like a family. Often, many ant-keepers will name their queens, and watch as they grow. It’s not just a short-term project; it’s a hobby that can last for over a decade, with a colony that grows and evolves right alongside you. Learn more about how to keep your colony healthy with our 2024 Ant Keeper's Guide.
The oldest colony I have is a Western Harvester Ant Colony, or Pogonomyrmex occidentalis colony all the way back from 2020. They have tens of thousands of workers now, and are producing new queens all the time. In my research about the species, I found that they'll probably follow me for another decade. Watching them develop and grow has been a source of hours of entertainment.
A New Frontier in a Small Package
Ant keeping isn’t as mainstream as other hobbies, which is actually one of its strengths. The community of ant keepers is still young, and there’s always something new to learn or share. You’re not just keeping ants; you’re part of a growing group of people who are discovering more about these fascinating creatures every day. What you observe with your own colony might even end up contributing to what scientists know about ant behavior.
In my own ant keeping journey, I became one of the first to ever raise a type of parasitic citronella ant, and helped researchers studying the species produce captive colonies. My experience ant-keeping actually connected me with the National Geographic team all the way back in high school, who asked me to help them set up some colonies for filming in "A New Bug's Life." It connected me with a lot of folks in the research community, many of whom are friends I still cherish to this day.
The ant-keeping community is tight-knit and constantly growing, and you're always able to meet interesting people through forums like Formiculture and through discord servers like Canadian Ant Keepers.
In the end, keeping ants is about finding wonder in something small. It’s about noticing the tiny worlds that exist right under our noses and learning to appreciate the details. So, why keep ants? Because when you look closely, you’ll find that even the smallest life can be filled with meaning, purpose, and a quiet kind of magic.