Immobile Queen Ant

[ellie5010ml]

I recently caught my first queen! She's a Camponotus pennsylvanicus ant and I'm very excited to have her but worried about her well being. Catching her was a learning curve, as I wasn't expecting to see a queen. I'm sure it was stressful for her to wait in a cup while I set up her test tube, and I'm concerned it was too much; I now have her in a small container with a test tube inside of it. The test tube is set up with water, but the other end is open so she can walk out into the container. I know that this extra space isn't necessary, but it was the easiest way for me to get her set up, as she refused to go into the test tube. Considering my lack of experience, I'm not entirely sure how she should act, but in the past few hours, she's gotten less and less mobile. At first, I thought this to be a good thing, but I'm now worried something is wrong. I've put her in a dark, warm closet and haven't checked on her for a little while in hopes this will help her. I'm planning on getting her a heater in the next few days to encourage egg laying as I heard Camponotus ants take awhile. Should I be concerned that she isn't moving around much? She doesn't even seem to be cleaning herself.
I also noticed that one of her legs is broken. This didn't appear to impede her motion when I caught her, but still something worth noting.

[NoviceAntKeeper]

It could take from 1 to 2 weeks for a queen to start laying eggs, since they need to get comfortable with the space. Some queens will immediately start laying eggs a couple days later, but others are stressed and will take a while. You should block up the end of the test tube, since a large opening will make her feel exposed and vulnerable. If you do get a heater, heat one side of the test tube so she can choose. If she goes near the heat, you can move her closer. And could you post some pics of her?

[NoviceAntKeeper]

Also, you can try using a small cotton ball that she would climb on to get her into the test tube, in case you find any more queens. I hunt for queens with already made test tube setups and some cotton balls, it’s a lot easier.

[ellie5010ml]

Thanks so much! I'll give it a try.

[ellie5010ml]

This should take you to an image of her:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/148wU0SQku7o4wRrYVWKCXteV_q9MYXkY/view?usp=sharing

[NoviceAntKeeper]

I believe she is resting and getting used to the space. Since Camponotus species are fully claustral, she has to preserve her energy. You should probably catch a few more queens, since they can die for no apparent reason. She also might not be moving because it may be painful to move with her leg like that.

[ellie5010ml]

I'll do my best to find others. They seem to be evading me.

[ellie5010ml]

I gave her a heating pad to hopefully make her comfy and encourage laying. Leaving her alone for the next week or two