Odontomachus care
Moderator: ooper01
Odontomachus care
hello guys! im very new to ant keeping and i got started on Sunday.
this happened whenat night i spoted a very big ant with only one side with wings running on the floor. i understood it was a queen. i proceeded to catch her and put her in a test tube set up. i tried feeding the queen some honey but after some sips she just started ignoring it. i got worried at that because she is a semi claustral queen. the next morning i observed she sheded the last of her wings. i watch some information in internet about this ants diet and went searching for bugs. i gave her a baby roach very small pre killed an 2 beetles that were very small. when she saw them she started panickig and running in circles not even getting close to the food. she alwars hangs on the cottons and usually when shes on the dry side she tries to find a way to escape. she eats scarcely and has not laid eggs, i caught her Saturday May 6. i really need some advise on this species because its the first queen i have caugt and i want a good colony out of that base. so i need to know what to feed her, how to feed her, how make her comfortable, how to have the setup, and some basic care because i dont know much about care of semi-claustral species. thank you and please answer me as soon as possible
this happened whenat night i spoted a very big ant with only one side with wings running on the floor. i understood it was a queen. i proceeded to catch her and put her in a test tube set up. i tried feeding the queen some honey but after some sips she just started ignoring it. i got worried at that because she is a semi claustral queen. the next morning i observed she sheded the last of her wings. i watch some information in internet about this ants diet and went searching for bugs. i gave her a baby roach very small pre killed an 2 beetles that were very small. when she saw them she started panickig and running in circles not even getting close to the food. she alwars hangs on the cottons and usually when shes on the dry side she tries to find a way to escape. she eats scarcely and has not laid eggs, i caught her Saturday May 6. i really need some advise on this species because its the first queen i have caugt and i want a good colony out of that base. so i need to know what to feed her, how to feed her, how make her comfortable, how to have the setup, and some basic care because i dont know much about care of semi-claustral species. thank you and please answer me as soon as possible
Re: Odontomachus care
oh here are some picture if im wrong that it is an odontomachus
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Re: Odontomachus care
First off with a semi-claustral species you don't need to feed them directly in the test tube. You need to attach your test tube to a small foraging area or put the test tube in the forging area itself so she can wonder and find the food on her own. I don't know much about this species but I do know that much about semi-claustral Queens.
Also if you just caught her a couple days ago she is probably still adjusting to her new environment. Get the foraging area set up for her however you want it then leave her be for some time. Put food in the forging area every few days and only check on her maybe once a week (or longer) and she will do her thing when she's ready. Ant keeping is a hobby that must come with patience. Learning to be patient sooner than later will be extremely helpful
Also if you just caught her a couple days ago she is probably still adjusting to her new environment. Get the foraging area set up for her however you want it then leave her be for some time. Put food in the forging area every few days and only check on her maybe once a week (or longer) and she will do her thing when she's ready. Ant keeping is a hobby that must come with patience. Learning to be patient sooner than later will be extremely helpful
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
Re: Odontomachus care
Thank you! I will try to set up a small foraging area for her and feed her each couple of days or so.xTNxANTMANx wrote: ↑Mon May 08, 2017 11:47 pmFirst off with a semi-claustral species you don't need to feed them directly in the test tube. You need to attach your test tube to a small foraging area or put the test tube in the forging area itself so she can wonder and find the food on her own. I don't know much about this species but I do know that much about semi-claustral Queens.
Also if you just caught her a couple days ago she is probably still adjusting to her new environment. Get the foraging area set up for her however you want it then leave her be for some time. Put food in the forging area every few days and only check on her maybe once a week (or longer) and she will do her thing when she's ready. Ant keeping is a hobby that must come with patience. Learning to be patient sooner than later will be extremely helpful
Re: Odontomachus care
Nice catch! Odontomachus can be quite picky, so offer her small, soft bodied arthropods.
Keeper of
Selliing:
Selliing:
Re: Odontomachus care
I got a small platic container as a foraging area. Its bog wnough for the queen to forage and eplore. I wondered if i should add dirt or sand? And if i should how do i sterilize dirt? And also can you tell me some non harmful substances that can keep the queen from escaping the container? The walls are not too low or too high about 2 to 2 and a half inchesof height.
Re: Odontomachus care
Sterilizing dirt is not necessary. I would put a barrier of some sort, although Odontomachus aren't famous for their climbing skills.
Keeper of
Selliing:
Selliing:
Re: Odontomachus care
yeah i read about theri poor climbing skils but still their jaws are pretty menacing. pluss i really need some sort of protection barrier because i believe my sister is alergic to ant bites. id like to know a homemade barrier for protection if someone can tell me how to make one.
the pics of the container
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