14 replies to this topic

[OhNoNotAgain]

I saw a pic on FB of ants swarming cooked shrimp, so I had to try it. Got some Costco cooked shrimp (the type packaged with cocktail sauce). I probably should've rinsed it (slightly salty) but I gave little bits to the ants straight a couple days in a row. Even ants that turn their noses up at mealworm or cooked chicken seem to be into shrimp. Then again, they also seem to be eating fish flakes lately, which some of them used to ignore. I suppose as their colonies are growing they're getting into a more varied diet.

 

The only ones I haven't seen eating it are my C. salsabeanus, who keep acting like they want to bruminate.

 

Sorry images suck. V. pergandei, C. fragilis, P. californicus (super picky), and of course the Tetramorium seem to eat it, too.

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Edited by OhNoNotAgain, January 3 2020 - 4:19 PM.

[drtrmiller]

The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.  They will tire of this over time after they have gotten all the salt they need.

[CampoKing]

Seems right. My carpenters loved canned tuna in water. Of course, they also took slight interest in Himalayan salt fragments possibly for the same reasons

[OhNoNotAgain]

Interesting. I think it’s more the protein but maybe you’re right; we will see. I’ve never seen Pogonomyrmex cali get so excited about cutting something into little pieces and hauling into the nest. And here I used to try to ensure I got all the salt off the bits of chicken and stuff....

[Manitobant]

I've fed shrimp to my tetramorium bicarinatum before and they love it

[Antennal_Scrobe]

The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.

[OhNoNotAgain]

The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.

Hah! Have you tried giving them slightly salted eggs again?

[FSTP]

Their formicarium must smell fantastic.

[WondringLisa]

I periodically give my Messor Barbarus prawn for occasional protein and they go nuts for it

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[ANTdrew]

Salt is very hard to come by in nature and highly prized by most animals. Calcium is similar.

Their formicarium must smell fantastic.

This much is true.

[RushmoreAnts]

The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.

[RushmoreAnts]

The first time I fed my ants scrambled eggs, I forgot to withhold the salt until after I picked off a bit for the colony. I don't think they were ever as enthusiastic for the unsalted eggs they got after that.

That doesn't sound that far off from any other pet.

[drtrmiller]

 

The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.

 

 

https://en.wikipedia...dium_in_biology

[RushmoreAnts]

Ah, I see. 

[ANTdrew]

The ants are likely most attracted to the sodium/salt.

What use do ants have for salt? Just wondering.

They need a certain amount of sodium just like we do. We have as much sodium as we want, but it’s hard to come by in nature. Certain sweat bees will drink it right off your skin from your perspiration.