30 replies to this topic

[BillPisechko]

Initial Post 5/6/22

The time had come...after countless hours of lost sleep watching YouTube, reading blogs, surfing websites and just plain being too anal about stupid things, I've pulled the trigger.
My first nest and out world are ordered from Wakooshi (see pic); my Queen w/5-9 workers is ordered (see stock pic); too many supplies and dishes are ordered (see pics). I just need to pick up some byFormica nectar this weekend and I'll be ready.
The waiting game begins. I'm going to make a concerted effort to keep this journal up to date in the hopes that other new folks might benefit and that I may receive some advice, tips and tricks from time to time.
That's all for now... If you have questions or comments, fire away. If you have input, please bring it on. I am looking forward to learning a lot and happening a nice little adventure along the way.

Peace...Bill P.

[That_one_ant_guy]

Very nice! I hope your colony does well

[ZTYguy]

Very cool. Have fun with the colony!

[Dumpling]

If you're going to be overprepared get some feeders ready! I recommend mealworms as they are easy to breed and most Camponotus like them.

edit: also in my opinion fruit flies are better cuz they are super easy and all ant colonies I own love these.

Edited by Dumpling, May 6 2022 - 6:49 PM.

[T.C.]

Watch the hydration in these nests. I have lost a lot of colonies in hibernation due to humidity being too low or too high. Especially this species.

[BillPisechko]

The day has arrived!! My queen is here. I have her and 4 workers. I think the workers are trying to get out already, but what the hell do I know? Lol!

I'll post 1 pics and if anyone is REALLY bored you can click link before and see public Google Drive folder. I have video too.

Nest and outworld from Wakooshi should be here in a few days... Workers "appear" to be trying to get out so maybe I'll put test tube in outworld and see what happens? Thoughts?

Gonna grab some nectar, worms and rock sugar(as instructed) on Saturday and see if they'll eat a little? Thoughts?
Have her in dark and quiet place and won't peek again until Saturday... But it's gonna be hard.
More to come soon.

https://drive.google...3VEAPnL1-l5rUzZ


Peace & Happy Anting...Bill P.

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[Dumpling]

Congrats!

[T.C.]

They look healthy, be sure to start feeding them protein right away. 

[BillPisechko]

My Wakooshi nest and outworld have "landed" in Chicago! I should get it Monday or Tuesday!!!

Gonna try and feed the critters tomorrow. A little chopped up protein and some hummingbird nectar until I can order some byFormica.

Peace & Happy Anting... Bill P. 8-)

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[BillPisechko]

Update 5/14/22 - First Feeding

So the actual count is Queen + 6 workers. I thought there were only 4. Lol

Bought some super worms and some Organic Agave Nectar today. Haven't ordered byFormica nectar yet and this stuff will be a tad thinner consistency and more water content than pure honey.

Cut little tiny piece of worm off and put it in tube. Caused quite a stir I'll tell you. The interruption got a couple of the workers all stirred up. Was going to feed worm and nectar, but I didn't want to stress them.

I'll post pic link below to my Drive folder dedicated to the new family.

A couple of the workers went right to worm bit. In the 2-3 minutes out took me to clean up and grab phone, in pic you can see a couple of workers feeding and another already feeding the queen!!! I think that's all a good thing, but you can look at pic yourselves.

Put them back in the dark and will check tomorrow for feeding progress and will give a couple of drops of Agave Nectar to see if they like it. I am cautiously excited!

In pic you can see where they have been pulling at cotton on water end of the tube. Time for outworld and nest I think. Thoughts??

https://drive.google...5rUzZL4Y42KlWN7

That's it for now. This ant keeping so far reminds me of sex in highschool. Everyone is in to the dark, you don't know what's gonna happen and it's over in 2 or 3 minutes.

It should get better when I get them in nest and out world. That's it for now.

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[BillPisechko]

Update 5/15/22 - Good news, Bad news & HELP!

Good news, the beetle piece was hollowed out so they ate it all.

Bad news, I found two dead workers! :cry: No idea why. Is this normal? Could they eat too much?

Good news, I put a drop off nectar in there and they went right to it. I check later tonight to see if it's gone.

Check out my test tube for me. Cotton that is supposed to give water is brownish and pulled on. Should I pull it out and replace with clean cotton? I have no purified water. Could they be thirsty? Did I stress them? See pics of you like:

https://drive.google...5rUzZL4Y42KlWN7

Thoughts???

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[Dumpling]

That analogy... just why.

ANYWAY, I don't think they need a nest for now, the test tube is fine, but If you like you can give them an outworld connected to the test tube (or tubs and tubes.)

 

Edit: The this is referring to yesterday's update. 

Also, for today's update I have some suggestions. I think slight discoloration in the cotton is fine, but if it gets darker/more workers die, move them to a new test tube. Was that beetle you talked about caught in the wild? Do people in the area you caught the beetle use pesticides? Could there be parasites on the beetle? If the beetle was wild caught and it ate something with pesticides and/or has parasites then that could be the cause of those deaths. The way to combat parasites is to dip the beetle in boiling water for 3 seconds before serving to your ants. And if people in your area do use pesticides, then don't catch wild bugs to feed to you're ants. I hope no more ants die

Edited by Dumpling, May 15 2022 - 2:34 PM.

[BillPisechko]

@Dumpling

The superworm piece I gave them was from some I bought at a pet store. They are alive and kicking so seemed okay. I'll see about new test this week maybe.
I hope I don't lose any more as well.

[BillPisechko]

Update 5/16/22 - No more bodies & Agave GOOD!

Cracked open the container I have my test tube in and NO NEW DEAD BODIES! I was very happy to see that state of affairs.

Pulled cotton and gave them a drop of Agave Nectar and it seems to be a big hit. Drop from a couple of days ago was gone! When I put it down, Queen and two workers ran right up and started drinking.

Can anyone think of a down side to feeding this as carb?

Once out world gets here I'll wrap test tube in paper to darken and put in out world. This will make feeding of protein and carbs much easier and no disturbing the tube.

Lastly, I think I have some brood under cotton pulled out from water end. I'll try and look later, but I'm so very cautious about adding stress that I hate to the the touch tube at all. Silly isn't it??!! That's it for now.

Peace & Happy Anting...Bill P.

[BillPisechko]

Update 5/16/22 - Food is good!

How smart are these little buggers? It seems that they have tied me uncovering them and tube movement to feeding time. It's that or their more aggressive/comfortable in their environment.

I move the cotton and they come running!! Do they know?

The Agave Nectar is a big hit. Tonight fed a piece of super worm and a drop of nectar, then covered them back up. I'll check tomorrow for hollowed out worm shell. FUN FUN FUN!!

I still need to check for brood...

Peace & Happy Anting!

[BillPisechko]

Update - 5/19/22 I lost another worker today!!!

I'm not sure what's going on. My breeder tells me that the nanantics only have a limited lifespan anyway. Not sure what is up. That's three deaths in 4 or so days.

Maybe they are cold? I dunno. I just want my outworld to get here so I can put tube in outworld and stop disturbing them. Any thoughts??

[Dumpling]

Pics? That might help us figure out what's going on.

[BillPisechko]

Pics? That might help us figure out what's going on.

Pretty basic setup. Tube is not overly dirty... As far as I can tell with my limited experience.

I assume they are getting water okay. Seem to eat when presented worm or nectar. I dunno

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[Dumpling]

Hmm... Have they been laying eggs? At this point you just have to experiment to see what might be killing them. The cotton is looking pretty dirty so maybe try moving them soon?

[BillPisechko]

Hmm... Have they been laying eggs? At this point you just have to experiment to see what might be killing them. The cotton is looking pretty dirty so maybe try moving them soon?

No eggs that I can see. I'll look closer and also try to find another tube. Thanks for the help.

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