23 replies to this topic

[MReef]

This article mentions Campontus collect bird poop, which contain uric acid.

https://www.ncbi.nlm...within the host.

 

You can feed dubia roaches for a good source of uric acid. Fruit flies also generate some, I'd recommend Hydei species. What proteins are you feeding them? There's lots of brood, so that's a good sign. I'd just stick to Humming Bird nectar and safer sources of protein(not wild caught).

 

What form of hummingbird nectar are you feeding? (premixed,concentrated(mixed with water),powder(mixed with water)?)

Thank you, I have read that article and I am planning on offering bird poop once workers hatch from cocoons, 2 of the cocoons are close to hatching. I have stopped feeding proteins as its only the queen now, I have been giving her honey. I only offered the colony hummingbird nectar once cause I thought the honey I had was making them sick, so I substituted honey with this hummingbird nectar that evening and in the morning I had lost most of the worker ants. There was no interest in the nectar when a worker came across it. I had originally thought it was a food making them sick but I believe it was the flea meds on my dog somehow. The honey the queen is eating now is the same as previously and she is still fine. I probably won't include the hummingbird nectar as part of their diet unless you think it would be beneficial. To add on the uric acid part, I actually have a breeding tub of dubia roaches so I could try that instead of the bird poop, like feed some babies a protein high diet to boost their uric acid content. 

Link to the nectar I used

There actually is some preservatives in its ingredients, not sure if they are safe or not. (The nectar definitely isn't the cause of the original issue though, the problem was on-going before nectar introduction)

 

Edited by MReef, September 23 2024 - 9:18 PM.

[Mushu]

I use perky pets nectar and they have Sodium Benzoate and Tartaric acid. Many antkeepers using hummingbird nectar and is not toxic in that it will cause spontaneous deaths. I see you are using pre mixed. Reason for asking is they do have a different shelf life for premixed,concentrated,and powder depending on how you store them.

 

Dubia roaches with greater than 5% protein will naturally build up stores of uric acid so you don't need to increase the protein intake for your roaches. 

 

Your cotton seems a bit dry, could be just the picture. Concern is are they able to get water. Good luck and keep us posted, hope she pulls through.

Edited by Mushu, September 28 2024 - 6:56 AM.

[MReef]

I use perky pets nectar and they have Sodium Benzoate and Tartaric acid. Many antkeepers using hummingbird nectar and is not toxic in that it will cause spontaneous deaths. I see you are using pre mixed. Reason for asking is they do have a different shelf life for premixed,concentrated,and powder depending on how you store them.

 

Dubia roaches with greater than 5% protein will naturally build up stores of uric acid so you don't need to increase the protein intake for your roaches. 

 

Your cotton seems a bit dry, could be just the picture. Concern is are they able to get water. Good luck and keep us posted, hope she pulls through.

She passed away. The cocoons had been dark colored but she wouldn't unwrap them and on September 30th she started displaying the same odd behavior, yesterday she died
Thanks for the info and thank you to everyone else who chimed in, I will put what I learned to use when I try keeping ants again 

[M_Ants]

 

I use perky pets nectar and they have Sodium Benzoate and Tartaric acid. Many antkeepers using hummingbird nectar and is not toxic in that it will cause spontaneous deaths. I see you are using pre mixed. Reason for asking is they do have a different shelf life for premixed,concentrated,and powder depending on how you store them.

 

Dubia roaches with greater than 5% protein will naturally build up stores of uric acid so you don't need to increase the protein intake for your roaches. 

 

Your cotton seems a bit dry, could be just the picture. Concern is are they able to get water. Good luck and keep us posted, hope she pulls through.

She passed away. The cocoons had been dark colored but she wouldn't unwrap them and on September 30th she started displaying the same odd behavior, yesterday she died
Thanks for the info and thank you to everyone else who chimed in, I will put what I learned to use when I try keeping ants again 

 

You may have had some minor husbandry issues that other members are commenting on but I am fairly confident this was a case of flea medicine poisoning. Just make sure you consider any way you have or could contaminate your ants or antkeeping stuff. Washing hands thoroughly is a start. I wash my hands and make sure to use a clean paper towel to dry them. Then during my antkeeping chores, I don't touch anything else that could recontaminate my hands. The flea medicine has a long half life indoors. Your dog is no longer the only source. Anything in your house is now a potential source for contamination. For example, if you drop a cotton ball on the floor, don't use it anyways. My parents have accused me of sounding like Chuck McGill from Better Call Saul. However, I have only had one case of poisoning since being this cautious and that was because I reused a outworld with plaster that was contaminated despite me cleaning it the best I could.