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Hey, so what do you guys think is the best source of protein for ants?

Started By Thunder_Birds , Mar 5 2020 12:43 PM

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#1 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 12:43 PM

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Hello! Well, I feed my ants crickets, wax worms, and flies. But, what kinds of protein do you guys feed to your ants? And what do you think is the best source of protein?


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#2 Offline Whitelotus - Posted March 5 2020 - 1:16 PM

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I tend to use feeder crickets and the occasional cockroach.


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#3 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 1:49 PM

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Sweet! 


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#4 Offline RushmoreAnts - Posted March 5 2020 - 3:13 PM

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This would make a great pun if we were discussing carbs.......
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"God made..... all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds (including ants). And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25 NIV version

 

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Formica cf. aserva, cf. subintegra

Pogonomyrmex occidentalis

Pheidole bicarinata

Myrmica sp.

Lasius neoniger, brevicornis

#5 Offline Ants_Dakota - Posted March 5 2020 - 4:42 PM

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I also use small crickets for my small colonies.


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Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. -Proverbs 6: 6-8

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#6 Offline ForestDragon - Posted March 5 2020 - 5:42 PM

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i mostly use mealworms but i want to switch over to crickets


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#7 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 6:13 PM

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Awesome!


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#8 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 6:16 PM

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This would make a great pun if we were discussing carbs.......

What’s a pun AntsDakota? :D Sorry, I don’t know what that is...


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#9 Offline ponerinecat - Posted March 5 2020 - 6:23 PM

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Springtails. All small ants accept them. 


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#10 Offline MegaMyrmex - Posted March 5 2020 - 6:25 PM

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Roaches, mealworms, and fruit flies for smaller species. Roaches in my opinion are the best feeder for almost any insectivore out there, particularly red runners. They have a ton of size variety, reproduce quickly and live longer than crickets, and are a lot easier to care for. Also lots of species make good pets.


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Proverbs 6:6-8 New International Version (NIV)

6 Go to the ant, you sluggard;
    consider its ways and be wise!
7 It has no commander,
    no overseer or ruler,
8 yet it stores its provisions in summer
    and gathers its food at harvest.

 

#11 Offline DDD101DDD - Posted March 5 2020 - 6:50 PM

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I like fruit flies.


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He travels, he seeks the p a r m e s a n.

#12 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 7:40 PM

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Springtails. All small ants accept them. 

Interesting, good to know


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#13 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 5 2020 - 7:42 PM

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Roaches, mealworms, and fruit flies for smaller species. Roaches in my opinion are the best feeder for almost any insectivore out there, particularly red runners. They have a ton of size variety, reproduce quickly and live longer than crickets, and are a lot easier to care for. Also lots of species make good pets.

Awesome! Thanks, for the info.


#Ants4Life

#14 Offline justanotheramy - Posted March 5 2020 - 7:50 PM

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What do your ants think is the best source of protein for ants?


#15 Offline ponerinecat - Posted March 5 2020 - 8:00 PM

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What do your ants think is the best source of protein for ants?

me.


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#16 Offline LaTun - Posted March 6 2020 - 1:56 AM

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For proteins, my colonies get flies, roaches, crickets, mealworms, locusts and the occasional protein jelly.

However there is no 1 size fits all, some colonies just don´t like certain insects while others go nuts for them.
Best example my Camponotus herculeanus will only take mealworms. Whilst all my other colonies despise them.
The only things all my colonies absolutely love are flies.


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#17 Offline justanotheramy - Posted March 6 2020 - 3:41 AM

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My ants will accept free range mealworms, but I have to gut them.


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#18 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 6 2020 - 7:28 AM

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For proteins, my colonies get flies, roaches, crickets, mealworms, locusts and the occasional protein jelly.

However there is no 1 size fits all, some colonies just don´t like certain insects while others go nuts for them.
Best example my Camponotus herculeanus will only take mealworms. Whilst all my other colonies despise them.
The only things all my colonies absolutely love are flies.

Yeah, flies are great. What’s nice about flies, is that they don’t have a rough shell, or skin, that crickets have. This makes it easier for the ants to eat protein. And, the ants can eat all of the fly, except for its wings. Crickets are great protein, but the ants can’t eat all of it. But yes, not all colonies like the same protein, just how people don’t like all foods :)


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#19 Offline Thunder_Birds - Posted March 6 2020 - 7:30 AM

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What do your ants think is the best source of protein for ants?

My ants love flies :D They will pretty much eat anything though.


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#20 Offline B_rad0806 - Posted March 6 2020 - 9:32 AM

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Flightless fruit flies and meal worms. My fragilis is booming off of those two.


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