15 replies to this topic

[Roachant]

Ok, I know they likely don't get bored per se, but I was wondering if they can start to dislike the same foods given to them over a long period of time. The reason I ask is because I feed my ants sow bugs (which they devour) almost exclusively because I have soooo many around my house and I don't want them to get tired of them. I may start giving them some crickets..
Don

[NightsWebs]

not if they are hungry hahahahaha

[Loops117]

T. Sessile is highly known for this. Most keepers have to change food types every couple days/weeks or they'll perish from not eating.

Edited by Loops117, May 18 2016 - 8:02 AM.

[ctantkeeper]

ants are constantly regulating their protein/carbohydrate food intake in order to prevent malnutrition, so yes ants can get "bored" of eating the same type of food with the same nutritional value. 

[dermy]

I've noticed you will get a better feeding response if you change up their diets, think about it, would you like eating the same thing all the time? It helps to change it up every now and again if you can.

[drtrmiller]

I've heard that feeding just one type of insect is not good for a colony.

 
Feeding a single type of food is only detrimental if the food is terribly imbalanced. In an ant colony, you have many stomachs—let's call them buckets.
 
Macro colony-level nutrition theory says that there may be a number of nutrients the whole colony needs in order to grow and function.  In the most simple terms, the workers require carbohydrates, and developing larvae require proteins—though in reality there are many micronutrients that affect colony health.
 
As a particular food goes into the colony's many stomachs, or buckets, certain nutrient buckets fill up.  As the colony goes about growing and foraging, other buckets become depleted.  If ants only have access to an imbalanced diet (as is sometimes the case in captivity), then certain buckets will fill up and overflow, while other buckets will dry up.  This explains certain situations where antkeepers report foraging ants that reject any number of foods, including some insects—the ants are simply seeking some nutrient that isn't being offered, in order to refill a bucket that has run completely dry.
 
byFormica Sunburst Ant Nectar is loaded with electrolytes that aim to correct this imbalance, enabling many ants in captivity to accept a wider range of foods.  Over the past year of testing, I've experienced no problems feeding a single protein source, so long as it is supplemented with byFormica Sunburst Ant Nectar.  The ants have never tired of either.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 18 2016 - 1:21 PM.

[Antqueen]

look up ants canada video on youtube about feeding them. He explains this well

[NightsWebs]

seriously, you need to understand your species of ant.  Acromyrmex Versicolor eat fungus not any kind of fungus the fungus that they grow so supplying a substrate for them to harvest consistently makes a world of difference.  Pogonomyrmex Rugosus or Californicus need a good mixture of proteins and sugars which I provide niger seeds, live crickets, occasionally dried meal worms, grasshoppers and crickets, and a supplement from Byformica called Sunburst.  The sunburst formulae has the sugars and proteins my larger desert species love love love. Anyway, I hope this helps you on your quest to finding the right species for you.  If you have children around you might consider Novomessor cockerreli they are a very large aggressive ant but don't spray acid or sting.  They are currently my favorite species and provide me with lots of enjoyment.

[drtrmiller]

You're right. Fungus growing ants are a prime example of a species that has evolved to manufacture an almost perfectly balanced food, and therefore rely only on it, and nothing else, to support their entire colony reproductive cycle. If other omnivorous species are fed similarly balanced diets, it is entirely plausible that a diet consisting of one sugar and one insect type are all that's required to support growth and reproduction.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 19 2016 - 8:50 AM.

[Barristan]

In my opinion yes. A few years ago I tried breeding house flies (because all ant colonies loved them) after some weeks I had thousands and fed a lot to my ant colonies. To my large colonies I fed 10-30+ a day. But after some time they lost interest. At first I thought they just don't need proteins but than I tried a cricket and the ants ignored the flies and just fed on the cricket.

[drtrmiller]

In my opinion yes. A few years ago I tried breeding house flies (because all ant colonies loved them) after some weeks I had thousands and fed a lot to my ant colonies. To my large colonies I fed 10-30+ a day. But after some time they lost interest. At first I thought they just don't need proteins but than I tried a cricket and the ants ignored the flies and just fed on the cricket.

Then it sounds like the flies were not a balanced food

[Barristan]

 

In my opinion yes. A few years ago I tried breeding house flies (because all ant colonies loved them) after some weeks I had thousands and fed a lot to my ant colonies. To my large colonies I fed 10-30+ a day. But after some time they lost interest. At first I thought they just don't need proteins but than I tried a cricket and the ants ignored the flies and just fed on the cricket.

Then it sounds like the flies were not a balanced food

 

 

Probably the question is will this also happen with perfectly balanced food? We humans also get bored of food we eat all the time (maybe also a natural protection to eat more diverse). But I think I would also lose appetite if I ate the same perfectly balanced meal every day. 

[dspdrew]

This is really just turning into the old "do ants feel emotions" argument.

[Roachant]

So, it seems like the consensus is that yes, they do require some variety in their diet as most living creatures do.
Or better to say, they need a complete diet with all essential nutrients.

So far though, they still go berserk over the Isopods. I am also giving them sunburst nectar which they also eat like crazy so I wonder if those two items constitute a balanced diet for their needs? I do notice a lot of brood lately. And the new workers are quite large so, something is going well.

Still, I had a thought, if all they need is a complete diet suited for their needs, then the best food for ants would be other ants no?
They would contain everything they require, in theory...

[Roachant]

This is really just turning into the old "do ants feel emotions" argument.

Oohh.. i like that subject but I suspect it's been debated to death.

[drtrmiller]

Still, I had a thought, if all they need is a complete diet suited for their needs, then the best food for ants would be other ants no?
They would contain everything they require, in theory...

 

If I was designing the perfect ant food (protein component), it would consist of ant larvae and pupae, or perhaps termites.  While the workers could live off this, as well, doing so would be the equivalent of putting premium gasoline in a golf cart.  Workers only require Sunburst Ant Nectar, i.e. regular unleaded.

Edited by drtrmiller, May 24 2016 - 3:55 PM.