Ants not accepting protein sources
Moderator: ooper01
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- Posts: 26
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:52 pm
- Location: East Lansing, Chicago
Ants not accepting protein sources
I don't have access to crickets or meal worms untill next week so I been offering the colony I captured a few week's back spider legs and other ants but they don't take to it. I also tried emergency protein fix I found online with sugar water and protein powder. I need them to survive the week and I know the Queen needs protien to lay eggs. Any other bugs or protein sources I can feed them? My dorm is pesticide free, I asked. I also boil whatever I find. I just need to survive the week until I can get proper crickets and worms.
Beginner keeper of Prenolepis Imparis and Formica pallidefulva. Would appreciate all the help I can
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: Ants not accepting protein sources
Don't boil the insects (at least until they have plenty of larvae), as this destroys the hemolymph that the adult ants can drink. Freezing should work just as well to kill off any mites or parasites. Protein powder will not work, since only a few ants can digest vegetable protein and none of them can do much with milk protein. The smaller (within reason) and softer the insects are, the better.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
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- Posts: 26
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2017 2:52 pm
- Location: East Lansing, Chicago
Re: Ants not accepting protein sources
Thanks thats good info! Ill make sure to freeze them then and avoid protein powder. Thanks. I actually was able to steal some of my friends petstore cricket supply for his rats. Just fed my ants some cricket leg. One colony is enjoying it and tearing into it. The other are alarmed and trying to tear at the cotton to escape. There the same Formica species. Is this normal?
Beginner keeper of Prenolepis Imparis and Formica pallidefulva. Would appreciate all the help I can
- Batspiderfish
- Posts: 3315
- Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2016 3:47 pm
- Location: Maine
Re: Ants not accepting protein sources
You shouldn't be feeding colonies inside of their tube, if that is the case. After the first few workers, they need a foraging arena/outworld.
If you enjoy my expertise and identifications, please do not put wild populations at risk of disease by releasing pet colonies. We are responsible to give our pets the best care we can manage for the rest of their lives.
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- Posts: 416
- Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2016 9:03 am
- Location: Western Tennessee
Re: Ants not accepting protein sources
Yea don't feed directly n the test tube. I found out the hard way with one of my Camponotus subbarbatus and when they were done they moved the cricket leg back up against the cotton...which n return started to mold, turn black, and had to move them. I learned the hard way. I have a post in the Formicarium section how I made super cheap but effective test tube portals. So glad I did too cuz they were a life saver
Keeping:
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni
Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2
Camponotus subbarbatus
Formica pallidefulva x2
Formica subsericea x4
Lasius sp
Tetramorium immigrans x2
Dorymyrmex bureni
Founding:
Formica pallidefulva
Unknown sp x2
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