21 replies to this topic

[AntaholicAnonymous]

In this topic I wanna hear yalls opinion on feeding life insects.
It's common practice to pre kill feeder insects by boiling, freezing, cutting them up or whatever.
There is also the option of feeding living insects but many ant keepers have concerns about morality and safety.
So let's discuss our opinion and experiences to learn from each other.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I'll start
I had a lasius colony for 3 years (released them because of their colony size) and I feed them almost always already dead prey.
Reason being that they are simply too weak to kill the prey within a reasonable time.
I didn't want it to suffer for hours cause they weren't able to finish it.

But now I have a manica rubida queen and they are very capable of killing most of the things you'd give them to eat and to make their experience as natural as possible in my massive natural tank I wanna give them the opportunity to hunt freely without much of my interference.

How do you handle feeding and what do you think about letting the ants do the killing themselves?

[TennesseeAnts]

I feed all of my colonies that have a population of 300 or more live insects. I find they are less receptive to thawed or boiled insects. They will take dead insects if I kill them right before feeding, but it is a lot easier and faster to just dump a bunch of live crickets into the outworlds. Especially if you have lots of colonies like that, like I do.

I am perfectly ok with the ants killing their prey.

Edited by Ant_Dude2908, September 1 2019 - 10:47 AM.

[DDD101DDD]

I think that the main reason most people freeze/boil their insects is to prevent diseases from the feeder insects from being transmitted to the ants, and to kill any parasites.

[TennesseeAnts]

If you raise the insects in captivity like I do, you don't have to worry about much of anything but the harmless, yet annoying grain mites.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I think that the main reason most people freeze/boil their insects is to prevent diseases from the feeder insects from being transmitted to the ants, and to kill any parasites.

Yea I totally get that. I don't feed wild insects besides the ones that crawl into the tank themselves like spiders.
There are people tho who have a moral issue with life feeding cause they wanna minimize the suffering.
I'm not too concerned with that as long as the ants are able do deal with it in a reasonable time I'm cool with it.

[drtrmiller]

But what about people who enjoy seeing animals suffer?

 

*cough* dermy *cough*

 

I don't typically feed live insects because ants can't easily overtake many larger insects, and some ants end up dying, or the insect somehow gets inside the nest and causes a huge disturbance.

[Canadant]

Catch live or buy live crickets/grasshoppers, maim severely and toss in.

I also am an opportunist. I catch any insect when I'm out and about and feed to ants. For example, lately the cicadas are on their last leg here. They're bumping into things and generally buzzing on the ground. I maimed then tossed one in and they loved it.

It's not something that makes me happy doing but I love to watch the ants attack too.

However you feel, I'm willing to bet most folks on this forum are the least likely to kill insects for fun or because they're a pest. Flies are welcome in my home but that comes with a price for all flies. You could wind up in the pit of Carkoon!

[dermy]

But what about people who enjoy seeing animals suffer?

 

*cough* dermy *cough*

 

 

To be fair, yes I do like that..... but that's besides the point At least I'm not  Someone who over-glorifies it for views on Youtube cough cough.

[FSTP]

The only insects I feed live are fruity fruit frlies. I do stick them in the freezer for a minute or two, but that is only to slow them down and stun them. If I freeze them all the way my ants are not as receptive to them once thawed. ALl other insect food is prekilled. That is just to save time and make it easier and faster for the ants to process.

Edited by FSTP, September 1 2019 - 2:36 PM.

[Serafine]

I've started feeding fresh insects (usually pre-killed) like 2 years ago and never had issues with mites or parasites. My ants react much stonger to fresh food than to food that has been boiled. They will accept frozen food as long as it's not too dry.

[Canadant]

The only insects I feed live are fruity fruit frlies. I do stick them in the freezer for a minute or two, but that is only to slow them down and stun them. If I freeze them all the way my ants are not as receptive to them once thawed. ALl other insect food is prekilled. That is just to save time and make it easier and faster for the ants to process.

I'm sure they don't feel anything but that's like getting out of a cold pool and have a lion attack you! Lol! RIP fruitflies. For science. Respect.

[RushmoreAnts]

I've fed flies to my ants live before, yet only aggressive ones who can kill it fairly quickly such as Tetramorium or Formica. I do occasionally feed fruit flies live as well.

 

The only insects I feed live are fruity fruit frlies. I do stick them in the freezer for a minute or two, but that is only to slow them down and stun them. If I freeze them all the way my ants are not as receptive to them once thawed. ALl other insect food is prekilled. That is just to save time and make it easier and faster for the ants to process.

I'm sure they don't feel anything but that's like getting out of a cold pool and have a lion attack you! Lol! RIP fruitflies. For science. Respect.

 

You mean a pride of lions....

[AntaholicAnonymous]

Well obviously it's live feeding not life feeding.
I'm not a native speaker my bad lol

[ANTdrew]

My brother’s big Tetramorium colony was lost die to mites this summer, and my buddy who bought a Camponotus colony from me lost half of them to mites. In both cases, they weren’t freezing the insects first to kill possible mites. I’m pretty serious about always freezing bugs beforehand now as a result.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

So I think we can summarize it by we don't feel much pity for prey but have concerns about mites and diseases wich can be prevented by buying or breeding them like I do.
Or even simpler
we care about our ants the rest is secondary.
Even tho we handle feeding differently that's the one thing we can agree on

[FSTP]

I've fed flies to my ants live before, yet only aggressive ones who can kill it fairly quickly such as Tetramorium or Formica. I do occasionally feed fruit flies live as well.

 

The only insects I feed live are fruity fruit frlies. I do stick them in the freezer for a minute or two, but that is only to slow them down and stun them. If I freeze them all the way my ants are not as receptive to them once thawed. ALl other insect food is prekilled. That is just to save time and make it easier and faster for the ants to process.

I'm sure they don't feel anything but that's like getting out of a cold pool and have a lion attack you! Lol! RIP fruitflies. For science. Respect.

 

You mean a pride of lions....

 

I think you mean a school of lions

[GeorgeK]

I usually chew worms for my ants and feed them chewed matter, like penguins do with their offsprings.

[FSTP]

I usually chew worms for my ants and feed them chewed matter, like penguins do with their offsprings.

 

That's the best way. It helps build a better bond and relationship between ant and ant keeper.

[DDD101DDD]

I usually chew worms for my ants and feed them chewed matter, like penguins do with their offsprings.

Wait what