9 replies to this topic

[PaigeX]

I had been wondering what to use in test tubes to feed my ants honey, I used grease paper but it eventually bends and leaks... costing the life of a worker from time to time. Foil is too finicky and easy moves or get stuck. 

Also thought about buying 3D printed ant dishes to put in but its too costly when first starting out and having many tubes. I then remembered I had some small pop vials I could cut the lip off and use as a tiny dish. 

So here I am sharing this for others just as an Idea. Its inexpensive to buy them and I guess you can use the remains of the tubes for something else.

 

Some pictures of what you can use. I already used bottle lids and cut them to size but they were still too large for test tubes or small outworlds/founding ones and allowed the ant to get stuck in it easy. (when its just one queen.)

 

 

 

Replacing old dish with smaller one.

 

 

Small one in test tube.

 

 

I hope this information helps someone.

Edited by PaigeX, December 12 2021 - 10:15 AM.

[antsriondel]

not bad

[cap_backfire]

I LOVE that idea for the test tubes.   I've been using plastic bottle caps since my ants moved into a proper vivarium, but the test tube thing is dynamite!  

[antsriondel]

the only problem with them is that small ants drown in them

[ryanp347]

I've seen foil used on several occasions it seems like it is disposed of after each feeding

[PaigeX]

I've seen foil used on several occasions it seems like it is disposed of after each feeding

I do that with these too as there are so many of them and they are cheap to make. i don't put effort into cleaning the small ones or bottle caps when i have an endless supply of them xD  

the only problem with them is that small ants drown in them

its like even if you have a single drop they will still find some way to drown in it. xD At least the smaller it is the lesser they might drown. 

[ANTdrew]

Soak liquids in paper towel squares.

[antsriondel]

Soak liquids in paper towel squares.

or cotton

[Boog]

I've been using vinyl tubing cut into feeding trays for my incipient colonies. Here are tiny ones for my Pheidole colonies, I used 1/4" OD vinyl tubing that I made sure was long enough to separate the protein and sunburst nectar. I use a mini squeeze bottle with the nectar that allows me to place a single drop. I was laying a bed of bloodworm soup with the help of the metal poker that I later topped off with a chunk of mealworm.

 

 

I use the metal spoon to mix the small amount of bloodworm soup I was needing. These small trays from 1/4" tubing cut using a pair of normal scissors fits perfectly in test tube setups and I've made larger ones from 1/2" OD vinyl tubing for my larger ants to use in their outworld.

 

 

No activity here but you can see how easily these fit into small tubing and connectors. I'm trying to move some colonies from their dry test tubes and am feeding at the same time so placed it here in this tubing connection, normally I'd place the feeders in the test tube setup itself.

 

[PaigeX]

that's a really great idea! Thanks for sharing your method with us!