80 replies to this topic

[Hunter]

I'm not sure where he was going with that

[Antapoloosa]

I'm not sure where he was going with that

Who?

[Hunter]

 

I'm not sure where he was going with that

Who?

 

sarafine he put it in the form like he was gana give a problem but just said every thing works

[Antapoloosa]

I'm not sure where he was going with that

Who?

sarafine he put it in the form like he was gana give a problem but just said every thing works

Oh okay well I still have to think about what I'll do if there's a mold outbreak while I'm on the road. And what to do about escapes.

[Hunter]

for escapies just use a solid top or cover

[Antapoloosa]

for escapies just use a solid top or cover

Sounds like a good plan, I could do a baby powder and alcohol barrier as a deterrent too but not sure how long it lasts.

[Hunter]

 

for escapies just use a solid top or cover

Sounds like a good plan, I could do a baby powder and alcohol barrier as a deterrent too but not sure how long it lasts.

 

days maybe weeks in my experience

[Antapoloosa]

Okay cool that's legit. Oh yeah so my experiment with the solenopsis workers seems to be a failure. All dead except the 2 majors. Dunno if the beetle I fed them I was poisoned or if the plastic bottle I found outside has something nasty in it..or if all the vibration killed them.

[Hunter]

Okay cool that's legit. Oh yeah so my experiment with the solenopsis workers seems to be a failure. All dead except the 2 majors. Dunno if the beetle I fed them I was poisoned or if the plastic bottle I found outside has something nasty in it..or if all the vibration killed them.

did the have moister and water, and what type of beetle

[Antapoloosa]

Um oops I was gonna soak a cotton ball in some water and put it in there I totally forgot wow...the beetle I got from under the rock where I found the nest, there was a small black beetle which they did eat. Which is surprising because I only caught 6 minors and 2 majors. Also I did burp the bottle every few hours so they've had fresh air.

[Antapoloosa]

I guess ants can't live a few hours without water? I only captured them last night.

[Hunter]

I guess ants can't live a few hours without water? I only captured them last night.

they dry up fast, i had a lasius queen that died after 3 hours with no water

[Antapoloosa]

I guess ants can't live a few hours without water? I only captured them last night.

they dry up fast, i had a lasius queen that died after 3 hours with no water

Wow okay, I should have known that as much as I've been reading about ants in the last few weeks. They seemed fine all day until just recently.

[Hunter]

 

 

I guess ants can't live a few hours without water? I only captured them last night.

they dry up fast, i had a lasius queen that died after 3 hours with no water

Wow okay, I should have known that as much as I've been reading about ants in the last few weeks. They seemed fine all day until just recently.

 

lol

[drtrmiller]

Ants are living animals. It would be cruel to confine any living thing if you are knowingly unable to provide the care it needs to grow and thrive. If you are only at home every two to four weeks, I'd advise you to consider keeping a plant that doesn't require much maintenance, such as a cactus.

Edited by drtrmiller, December 13 2017 - 11:14 PM.

[Hunter]

you could even try easy

Zootermopsis sp.

[Antapoloosa]

Ants are living animals. It would be cruel to confine any living thing if you are unable to provide the care it needs. If you are only at home every two to four weeks, I'd advise you to look into some low maintenance cacti species.

If that wasn't obvious I would have already bought a queen ant with workers and brood and had a colony by now. Someone suggested pogonomyrmex barbius, giving them a stockpile of seeds and a pile of test tubes full of water and honey water, and then give them beef jerky and dry fish food for protein. Could give them a few bugs when I'm home too.

Edited by Antapoloosa, December 13 2017 - 1:11 PM.

[Antapoloosa]

you could even try easy Zootermopsis sp.

I think he was telling me to buy a cactus lol

[drtrmiller]

No ant can be cared for without monitoring for problems at least every few days. For a hobbyist with no experience successfully keeping ants, such attempts will be guaranteed to end in failure very swiftly.

Do what you like, however. 99% of ants kept in captivity die within the first year anyways.

[Antapoloosa]

No ant can be cared for without monitoring for problems at least every few days. For a hobbyist with no experience successfully keeping ants, such attempts will be guaranteed to end in failure very swiftly.

Do what you like, however. 99% of ants kept in captivity die within the first year anyways.

I don't know about 99% but I'm sure that new ant keepers have a hard time getting started. Anyway I had thought about that too but it's not as if they would they be completely isolated with nobody to check on them from time to time. I do have a female companion who does stay home and takes care of our household. The issue with that is she would not be willing to do much with my ant colony unless she had to or there was something wrong, so I am trying to come up with ways to keep her involvement with my ant colony down to a bare minimum.