2 replies to this topic

[neonseri]

Hello Ant World:

 

Here and there, I have to be gone for 7-10 days mostly for consulting work.  In fact, finalizing travel plans for both vacation and work right now.  

 

My ants do know how to feed from a sugar water tube.  But I am worried about their protein intake while I am gone.

 

Question 1:  As long as I feed them with a lot protein before leaving, will they be ok?

 

Question 2:  Has anyone tried mixing sugar water with something else for protein?  I don't think they can FULLY consume complex protein powder (specially casein) but it seems some people do this.  But has anyone else tried BCAA powder in their sugar water as protein source?  

 

Any tips would be appreciated!  

 

 

[NickAnter]

How big is the colony/ies, and what is the species. This info is important. Even without this though, if it is a small colony, I would just give them a mealworm right before you leave(this should work for most species.)

Edited by NickAnter, July 24 2019 - 6:03 AM.

[Mercutia]

xD Loving the idea of giving my ants some of my BCAAs but highly doubtful that would work.

 

A week is not that long a time. For smaller colonies, like NickAnter says, leaving a mealwork or dead cricket in the outworld should be enough to suffice until you can get back. It's even less of a problem in bigger colonies because if the ants are that starved for protein they'll cannibalize some of the larvae or eggs and as horrid as this sounds, it's really not that big a deal and won't make a huge difference in a healthy large colony.