WaKooshi Mercury Nest Review
Hi guys! I hope you’re doing well!
Today I'm going to make a little review of a cool ant nest made by the company WaKooshi!
Let’s see if it’s any good!
Discount!
Get this extremely cool ant nest on the WaKooshi online shop! Use the discount code BRUMA to get 10% off your entire order!
General Info
This is the WaKooshi Mercury Nest. It’s a really cool-looking test tube-based ant nest, very different from the other nests you can find on the market.
As you can see, it also includes a little outworld and a small liquid feeder, attached to the side of the outworld. The outworld is placed on top of the test tube, creating an unusually attractive nest structure.
The panels of the outworld are made of very clean plastic, allowing you to see clearly everything that happens inside it. The outworld also includes a little transparent lid. It is very easy to remove and provides easy access that can be useful when feeding the ants or cleaning the outworld.
The included liquid feeder is based on a test tube, and it can provide the ants with a constant source of sugar water or some other liquid food. It is attached to the outworld via a clicking mechanism, making it very easy to detach for cleaning and refilling.
The ants can easily travel from the test tube to the outworld by crossing this little curved 3D-printed piece. Despite being mounted in a vertical position, the ants have no problem climbing it.
That’s because the internal surface is 3D printed in a way that maximizes grip, making it as easy for the ants to climb as walking on a horizontal plane.
The Test Tube
Now let’s examine the main part of the nest: the test tube. The test tube used in this nest is a standard medium-sized test tube. It’s made of really good transparent plastic, which makes watching the activity inside the test tube fairly easy and enjoyable.
If you're a beginner ant keeper and don't quite know how to make a test tube setup, I would suggest you check out this easy tutorial!. In this guide, I explain in detail everything you need to do to create the best possible environment for your colony!
Included in the package, we also find these nest entrance reducers. They come in three sizes, perfect for almost every ant species. If you want, you can place one or more of these right at the entrance of the test tube.
Using these can make the colony and the queen feel more comfortable and safe, as the nest entrance is significantly smaller.
If your colony already needs more than one test tube of space, this other product could be a better option for you! This nest is made by the same company, and it can hold up to 5 test tubes, 4 full test tubes of nesting space more than the Mercury!
The Red Shield
The nest also includes a clever light shield system to create a comfortable dark space where the colony can live without stress. It consists of two red transparent acrylic panels, positioned to block light from entering the test tube.
The shield is placed under the outworld, covering the living area of the test tube entirely. As you probably already know, the majority of ant species are not capable of seeing the red light spectrum.
This is a great advantage for us ant keepers, as we can create a system that enables only red light to enter the nest.
Because humans can see the red light spectrum, using this system allows us to easily watch the ants inside their nest, without them being able to see outside.
The shield also features a small opening, located at the bottom of the red panels. It can be used to fit a heat cable under the nest, in order to heat the colony and provide the perfect temperature for each of the various species of ant.
The Assembly
When you buy the nest from the online store, it comes disassembled in a transparent plastic bag. I suppose the company opted for this strategy to reduce the shipping volume of the package, as an already assembled nest would have taken up much more space.
This is not at all a negative aspect, as the assembly process is very easy and enjoyable. If you recently bought one of these nests or you're planning to buy one in the near future, I would suggest you check out this video.
It’s an assembly guide for this particular version of the nest. It shows you in detail every step you need to take to successfully build the nest, without any risk of misunderstanding.
The Feeding Dish
One curious thing I found about the nest is this 3D-printed tool, used in the assembly process to hold the corner fixings when tightening the screws. It has the perfect size and shape to be used as a feeding dish!
I don’t know if WaKooshi thought about it and designed it this way on purpose, but nonetheless, I think it’s a really cool touch!
I hope you have found this guide helpful!
If you’re planning to buy some other ant nests, I would suggest you check out this other review!. It’s a really cool ant nest made by the same company!
FAQs
It includes a test tube-based structure, an outworld, a liquid feeder, and entrance reducers.
The light shield consists of red transparent acrylic panels that block light, allowing only red light to enter, which most ant species cannot see.
Yes, the nest comes disassembled in a transparent bag but is very easy to assemble, with available guides.
The liquid feeder is easy to detach for cleaning and refilling, providing a constant source of food for the ants.
Yes, the WaKooshi Saturn Nest can hold up to 5 test tubes and may be a better option if your colony needs more space.
Product Review
Mercury Nest
It is a really cool-looking test tube-based ant nest, very different from the other nests you can find on the market. The nest includes a very cool outworld and a small liquid feeder attached to the side of the outworld, from which the ants can obtain the sugar they love! In conclusion, this nest is a good-looking low-maintenance solution for your beloved colonies!
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