13 replies to this topic

[futurebird]

I'm scared of roaches. I like watching videos of interesting tropical ones, photos are fine, looking at them under glass is fine. But get a box of live ones in the mail ... just over the line for me. 

But my brilliant plan is to order them and then freeze the whole box. Frozen roaches would not be a problem. 

From what I've read ants don't like canned or freeze dried insects much. So buying live and freezing is the way to go. 

I want to do this because I'm concerned that:

-sunrise sugar water
-chopped live and chopped frozen crickets
-lightly frozen fruit flies
-cat food
-pear chunks
-flies

isn't enough variety so adding another insect seems smart. If only it were possible to buy a box of house spiders... all my ants love spiders. But, they only get the ones that are in inconvenient places in the house so it's rare. 

Anyway please tell me I can get this food ready for them without freaking out. They aren't even the same as the pest roaches that I'm really scared of. They can't climb or fly, they are just round little ant-burgers. 

Also, I just need more food for these girls they are eating me out of house and home. 

I sometimes feel jealous of people with lizards and snakes and such since their pet are popular enough that things like vitamins are available for them. I'm always worried my ants don't have a complete diet. Probably worry about it too much.

Any way someone please tell me to just get the damn roaches and don't freak out. 

[ANTdrew]

Go to dubiaroaches.com. Order small roaches (I usually order 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch). Small dubias are actually really cute and quite slow. Don’t even open the box; just pop it right in your freezer. A few hours later your frozen ant protein pops will be ready. Just thaw a few at a time as needed. All ants ADORE dubia roaches.

[futurebird]

OK! I'm gonna do it. I'll post about how it goes. 

But if you see a new story like "nice woman eaten alive by roaches in NYC, survived only by her dear ants and husband" blame ANTdrew.
 

I hope the girls like this. 

[AntaholicAnonymous]

I never fed my ants roaches at all.
My ants mostly eat chicken and salmon.
You could try to offer your ants egg yolk and meat especially bigger colonies love it.
Once I get my colonies on the chicken and salmon diet they seem to explode in numbers.
I only feed them insects for variety in their diet and my ants are very healthy.

[aznphenom]

I never fed my ants roaches at all.
My ants mostly eat chicken and salmon.
You could try to offer your ants egg yolk and meat especially bigger colonies love it.
Once I get my colonies on the chicken and salmon diet they seem to explode in numbers.
I only feed them insects for variety in their diet and my ants are very healthy.

I just tried ham the other day. I can never tell if the ants actually "eat" non insect guts. I see them all over it but I think its more of them chewing itup into pieces because I would find a pile of it in the nest but I'm not if they're going to eat it or not. 

Is your chicken and salmon raw?

 

egg have never worked for me in any form.

[aznphenom]

Go to dubiaroaches.com. Order small roaches (I usually order 1/2 inch or 3/4 inch). Small dubias are actually really cute and quite slow. Don’t even open the box; just pop it right in your freezer. A few hours later your frozen ant protein pops will be ready. Just thaw a few at a time as needed. All ants ADORE dubia roaches.

I like fresh killed or whole food. Can the ants take on a small roach?

[ANTdrew]

A big, aggressive colony probably could.

[aznphenom]

A big, aggressive colony probably could.

I am also afraid of other insects but you have convinced me to make the plunge. Plus I needed more superworms anyway and their prices on everything is great. Wish they have a variety of fruit flies. If they did, this would be the best site. I seriously only have 2 small colonies but the Crematogaster won't stop eating. I am still very unsure what odontmachus jaws can/cannot eat. The Camponotus chroma are very inactive. They send 2-3 workers out once a day. Also, trying out hornworms. 

Edited by aznphenom, July 7 2022 - 10:17 AM.

[AntaholicAnonymous]

If they are chewing it into pieces and take it in the nest I think your ants are eating it. You can check the dirt pile to see what they are throwing out again.
Always cooked and I tear it into pieces they can carry back so it doesn't dry when it's out too long and make sure the piece you offer is not heavily seasoned.
Egg yolk depends on the species. Lasius niger love it, messor barbarus like it and manica rubida see it as trash.
My colonies tend to refuse meat when they are small and much prefer meat when they reach a couple hundred workers for some reason.

[aznphenom]

 

My colonies tend to refuse meat when they are small and much prefer meat when they reach a couple hundred workers for some reason.

 

 

That seems to be the norm for most eats. They know they can't afford to be picky when you have they many mouths to feed. 

[futurebird]

awww they came today and I couldn't resist taking a peek and they are so cute. 

They don't set off my "freak out it's a roach" brain cells. IDK why. I think they are just kinda slow and round.

All the ants love them. Even the picky ants. 

 

Frankly they are less "roach like" than crickets. 

[ANTdrew]

I told you! They get a bit creepy when they’re fully grown and two inches long, though!

[NotAxo]

Wow you really had to say that ANTdrew

[ANTdrew]

Oh, I have worse stories from when I tried to raise my own. Suffice it to say, I will be leaving that to the professionals from now on.