4 replies to this topic

[Chime]

So I bought this colony of pheidole parva via the GAN project about 6 months ago, and the test tube arrived without a proper water reservoir. As well as the cotton looking quite dirty? (Should I concerned about it's colour? It's more orange in real life than inside the photos.) I've tried for months to get them to move tubes but they never do. I've tried shining them under a light and covering the desired tube, leaving them alone for 1-2 months with their tube connected to the newer tube, and also tried adding an outworld in-between but they just don't budge. I've also tried adding sugar in the other test-tube, no luck either. Hoping for some advice, for the time being I've just resorted to giving them a moist piece of cotton and hoping it works. Thanks!

Attached Images

• 
• 

[futurebird]

 Hi Chime. Since the cotton is clean, if they have access to water do they really need to move? It seems like they are trying to stay cloistered, shut in, and since there isn't anything that's going to harm them if they do this maybe they need to just be left alone even more (provided that they do have access to water either place the tube in a tiny outworld that has a fresh tube with water near by and and cover them both or attach a clean tube with one of those double connectors so they can take their sweet time moving and get water if they need it)

 

The tube doesn't look bone dry. Do they have brood? are they moving?

 

I don't have any particular knowledge of this species, but ants not wanting to move at this stage of colony development is normal. Only stress or danger might induce them to move, such as if the tube were bone dry, although it seems moist. 

 

Often when people ship ants, especially tiny ones that drown easily they will put moist cotton but not water since it's hard to keep tubes from leaking in transit. Then you feel like you need to move them to a tube with water, but pay attention to what the ants are telling you by their behavior. If they aren't seeking water you don't need to force them to move. I've had a bad day with antkeeping and thinking on how sometimes doing less is MORE. Best of luck!

 

I'd love to see some close ups of them when you photograph them again... do you have a magnifying glass or macro lens?

[Chime]

Thank you for the speedy reply! I'm glad to know this won't be a big issue, then! ^^
They do have brood and move around. (Especially the queen, but only around her cotton mostly)
The knowledge on the shipping is actually really smart, I wouldn't have considered drowning, but I suppose they are small enough to even drown in a single drop..
Thank you so much! I will take more images later with my magnifying glass ^^

 Hi Chime. Since the cotton is clean, if they have access to water do they really need to move? It seems like they are trying to stay cloistered, shut in, and since there isn't anything that's going to harm them if they do this maybe they need to just be left alone even more (provided that they do have access to water either place the tube in a tiny outworld that has a fresh tube with water near by and and cover them both or attach a clean tube with one of those double connectors so they can take their sweet time moving and get water if they need it)

 

The tube doesn't look bone dry. Do they have brood? are they moving?

 

I don't have any particular knowledge of this species, but ants not wanting to move at this stage of colony development is normal. Only stress or danger might induce them to move, such as if the tube were bone dry, although it seems moist. 

 

Often when people ship ants, especially tiny ones that drown easily they will put moist cotton but not water since it's hard to keep tubes from leaking in transit. Then you feel like you need to move them to a tube with water, but pay attention to what the ants are telling you by their behavior. If they aren't seeking water you don't need to force them to move. I've had a bad day with antkeeping and thinking on how sometimes doing less is MORE. Best of luck!

 

I'd love to see some close ups of them when you photograph them again... do you have a magnifying glass or macro lens?

 

[The_Gaming-gate]

I'm a bit late here, but you could try adding a second test tube there, the ants know when they lose optimal conditions, and they will move when they are ready. There is no point adding to the colony's stress from being transported.

[rptraut]

Hello Chime;

You can supply them with water and sugar/water right in the test tube.    Cut a piece of plastic so it fits in the test tube and acts as a feeding tray.    Make two cotton balls, or cut two small pieces of sponge, one is for sugar/water, one is for drinking water.   Place them on the feeding tray and slide them into the test tube.    Refresh or replace them every week and relax.  

 

 

 

The photo above shows a feeder in a test tube.   (Please excuse the equipment, I grabbed this from the dirty pile for the photo).    I use small pieces of sponge and I refill them with an eye dropper.    Sometimes it's just easier to make up a new feeder for them and then all you have to do is remove the old one and put in a new one.   If there are ants still in the feeder, just put it in the outworld until they abandon it for the fresh food, then remove it.    I also place protein, insects, etc on the feeder which helps keep anything from getting on the test tube and causing mold.  
RPT

 

 

Edited by rptraut, February 15 2024 - 10:38 PM.