50 replies to this topic

[Lillyrose]

Hello!

So I recently rehomed one of the acorn colonies into their new home. I tried an antshack formicarium but I hated it. For one thing they all went to the underside where I couldn't see them. I thought I had killed 90% of the colony because they were nesting in the base.

I got a small outworld and a wonderful rock. I stuffed cotton in the rock so it wouldn't be too big, but the ants have very little interest in it.

http://imgur.com/a/pzG0PgT

I am worried the cotton will eventually get moldy and I'll have to take it apart. Hope not.. but I've moved them 3 times and dropped them so I'm not willing to stress them out anymore.

I have 2 other colonies of these guys in the fridge for hibernation and I plan to merge them next month when they come out .. but this first colony I'm letting alone. They deserve it for dealing with me.

Despite my attempts for them to love their rock what they really love is the water tube. What's not to love? It's humid and tight and they can squeeze together. They love it in there.
http://imgur.com/a/XesXYH8

I got excited yesterday when I realized some of the eggs have turned to larvae
http://imgur.com/a/qafpEt9

Actually my dummie self thought they were eggs or pebbles they had dragged in. But once I found out what they were I've been doing a happy dance ever since.

Today the larvae was gone. I was confused but checked the water tube and yep... that's where they brought them.

The larvae was all white yesterday but today I see dark little dots inside them. Is that the future ant?
http://imgur.com/a/VdjQYgu

I am so beyond excited and loving watching them. Sadly they seem to prefer moving around at night but that's okay. I'll get over it.

These guys break into my kitchen every year and eat anything... so I used these little drinking things (supposed to be safer, they don't get stuck.. but I'm afraid they can't drink from it) and did one with water and maple syrup and another with water and honey. They really haven't seemed too interested but the level went down a little so I guess they're drinking.

I offered a little bit of honeycomb cereal, a tiny bit of banana nut muffin, a crushed walnut, some bird seed.

They haven't seemed to want anything though.

I found and killed a small seed moth. I knew the larvae need protein so I tried that. They seemed totally disinterested but when I left them with the light off the moth disappeared.

Sneaky little buggers.

[KitsAntVa]

haha that's tapinoma for you, good job getting these to larvae. try feeding these honey but not to much in case they commit jump in honey.

[Lillyrose]

I just finished teaching a class and the moth I fed them this morning is gone! Geeze!

I thought I found a queen ants but realized they dragged the moth wing into the tube.

I don't know why but I didn't think they'd eat the wings.

[Lillyrose]

My ants are mean .. I swear they are.

I gave then a cricket and they showed zero interest.

I came back 5 minutes later and they buried the cricket? Does that mean they don't like them?

Meanwhile I made a little habitat for the crickets and gave them an apple slice. I need to be careful not to fall in love .. they're food .. not pets

[Swirlysnowflake]

My ants are mean .. I swear they are.

I gave then a cricket and they showed zero interest.

I came back 5 minutes later and they buried the cricket? Does that mean they don't like them?

Meanwhile I made a little habitat for the crickets and gave them an apple slice. I need to be careful not to fall in love .. they're food .. not pets

I’ve gotten crickets to feed my reptiles before and I always end up keeping a few as pets. They look so intelligent and charming. I always feel terrible ripping them up to feed to my ants  

[KitsAntVa]

I hate crickets, with a passion.

[Lillyrose]

I hate crickets, with a passion.

How come?

I think my ants don't like them either

[KitsAntVa]

 

I hate crickets, with a passion.

How come?

I think my ants don't like them either

 

Smaller ants have a tendency to not like crickets anyway, I don't like crickets because I have had many bad experiences with them. One night because it was getting cold, I went to sleep and heard a chirp noise beside me, I killed that cricket and its friend near him. Also everytime I used to catch crickets they would bite me and they really hurt!

[Lillyrose]

I hate crickets, with a passion.

How come?

I think my ants don't like them either

Smaller ants have a tendency to not like crickets anyway, I don't like crickets because I have had many bad experiences with them. One night because it was getting cold, I went to sleep and heard a chirp noise beside me, I killed that cricket and its friend near him. Also everytime I used to catch crickets they would bite me and they really hurt!

I got bit by a cricket as a kid and my mom said it was bull... lol she never believed me.

I used tongs to catch them now.

Dang .. I don't think my ants like them.

I ordered mealworms but if my ants only like soft meat I don't know what to do.

[ANTdrew]

Are you chopping open the feeders? Ants only lap up the juices inside the insect. They will leave behind all the harder parts. They will also ignore any food if it dries out, which happens surprisingly quickly sometimes. Tapinoma can be really picky about protein in captivity, but they eat any damn thing on the floor when they invade your kitchen.

[Scherme]

I have been hand catching crickets for almost 30 years and never been bit, strange.

 

I always cut my mealworms in half, even with my large tetra colony. Have you given that a try? I have heard people say neos don't like mealworms but mine have no problem with them as long as they are halved.

 

Edit: ah yes ANTdrew beat me to it about chopping open feeders. I even snip grasshoppers open. 

 

2nd edit: It was Camponotus people said don't like mealworms. We will see when I wake them up!

Edited by Scherme, February 11 2021 - 6:08 AM.

[Lillyrose]

Are you chopping open the feeders? Ants only lap up the juices inside the insect. They will leave behind all the harder parts. They will also ignore any food if it dries out, which happens surprisingly quickly sometimes. Tapinoma can be really picky about protein in captivity, but they eat any damn thing on the floor when they invade your kitchen.

No, I just squished the head.

I'll try that.

It occurs to me that they may have eaten the first two moths so fast because they're just waking up, have fresh larvae. I may be giving them too much.

And YESSSSS in my kitchen they eat my muffins and cereal but here in the tank they're like .. nah...

I have been hand catching crickets for almost 30 years and never been bit, strange.

I always cut my mealworms in half, even with my large tetra colony. Have you given that a try? I have heard people say neos don't like mealworms but mine have no problem with them as long as they are halved.

Edit: ah yes ANTdrew beat me to it about chopping open feeders. I even snip grasshoppers open.

2nd edit: It was Camponotus people said don't like mealworms. We will see when I wake them up!

I'm still waiting on the mealworms to arrive so I haven't tried yet.
But I will try it ..


I'm very much regretting my substrate choice now as it makes it hard to spot the dead feeder insects carcasses. I put them in a little feeder dish but these guys think it's funny to mess with me.. so they drag them off.

Edited by Lillyrose, February 11 2021 - 6:16 AM.

[ANTdrew]

You can't really feed ants too much. I feed all my colonies like a Russian grandma. Just keep on top of cleaning their garbage piles. I highly recommend buying or making an aspirator to help with cleaning.

[Lillyrose]

You can't really feed ants too much. I feed all my colonies like a Russian grandma. Just keep on top of cleaning their garbage piles. I highly recommend buying or making an aspirator to help with cleaning.

Ok .. I'm just gonna have to Google what an aspirator is lol

[ANTdrew]

https://www.formicul...make +aspirator

[Lillyrose]

I realized today that ants are burying stuff. I realized it when I saw the mold. My little pebble substrate is horrible... I can't stop any of their trash.

I scooped it out the best I can and replaced it with the red sand that came with it. The ants are freaking out badly. I think I might have buried their eggs or something.

It seems like everything I do to try and make it better only makes it worse. I feel bad.

[ANTdrew]

Don’t worry too much. The mold phobia is way overblown in my opinion. Your ants won’t just keel over and die.
Have you read this: https://www.formicul...rs/#entry177954

[Lillyrose]

Don’t worry too much. The mold phobia is way overblown in my opinion. Your ants won’t just keel over and die.
Have you read this: https://www.formicul...rs/#entry177954

Thank you .. I read it way before the ants woke up... I think it would be a good idea to read it again

You're the best.. thank you

[Lillyrose]

I think they hate the sand...

I think I need to leave them totally alone for a bit... they probably don't hate the sand .. they probably hate that I won't leave them alone

[ANTS_KL]

hmmmm, Tapinoma sessile are VERY picky. For me even the ones i find in the wild be like frick off when i try to give em something sweet. actually if you can find isopods just squash em and feed em to ur ants. I do that and its workin really good. even the picky ants i have (all of them) are eatin them.