- Title: GERMANY: BERLIN STORE SELLS ANTS
- Date: 1st March 2004
- Summary: (L!3) BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 25, 2004)(REUTERS) WIDE EXTERIOR OF ANT STORE PAN ACROSS TO STORE OWNER MARTIN SEBESTA ADVISING CUSTOMERS GIANT ANT CRAWLING AROUND IN A TERRARIUM ANTS CRAWLING OUT OF A GLASS DISH ANTS WITH LARGE PINCERS IN A GLASS DISH MARTIN SEBESTA GETS SOME ANTS OUT OF TERRARIUM USING PIECE OF CLOTH (SOUNDBITE) (German) STORE OWNER MARTIN SEBESTA SAYING: "Everyone can look after ants, it's not difficult, they're really easy to care for. That's the great thing about ants, they don't take up much room, they're not much trouble, don't make much noise, and they are easy to look after, they only have positive points these animals. The only think you can't do with them is stroke them." WIDE SHOWING BOXES OF ANT HOTELS WIDE OF BOOKS ON ANTS CLOSE UP OF BOOKS ON ANTS SOUNDBITE (German) STORE OWNER MARTIN SEBESTA SAYING "The prices range from ten euros to 1,400 euros. The local varieties, so to speak, all cost under one hundred euros, the tropical varieties start at one hundred euros. The Australian varieties are the most expensive, as it is very difficult to get them out." MAN IN ANT T-SHIRT GETTING OUT SOME OF THE LARGER ANTS LARGE ANT CLOSE UP ANT CRAWLS ABOUT IN TERRARIUM SMALLER ANT IN A TEST TUBE CLOSE UP
- Embargoed: 16th March 2004 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: BERLIN, GERMANY
- City:
- Country: Germany
- Topics: Business,Environment,Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVAA5ZQFOSCX2FHRHFUVRRFXXW9C
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: If you're looking for a present for someone who has everything, there is a store in Berlin which can help you they sell ants, colonies of them.
Ants are easy to look after, they don't take up much room, they're not dirty and don't make much noise. And in Martin Sebesta's opinion that makes them perfect pets.
The-28-year old sells ants for a living. The Antstore in Berlin is Europe's only ant shop.
Sebesta's customers used to be zoos and research centres, but he quickly realized that more and more people were buying the little creatures for their own homes. He now sells at least two colonies per day, for 100 euro each.
The colonies on offer cost between 10 and 1,400 euros.
While regional varieties cost under 100 euro, the most expensive, the bull ants, cost 1,400 euro for a maximum of
These not so little creatures grow to a length of 3.5 centimetres and have a sting on the end of their tail like that of a wasp.
Tropical varieties cost upwards of 100 euros.
Since it might be a little tough to try and stroke them, Sebesta suggests that new ant owners should let their pets roam around a house plant, with water around the base to prevent them from escaping.
Well and should they escape, you might just be in for a bit of unusual exercise. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
