First time keeper

Temporary placeholder

Moderators: ooper01, Trusted User

Locked
Animalisterra
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:02 pm

First time keeper

Post: # 49992Post Animalisterra
Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:46 pm

I collected a tetramonium queen this summer who now has workers. The workers are starting to pull out the cotton and am wondering if I should put the test tube in a container and take off the cotton to let them forage. I am Also planning on doing a setup like most of the ones that Mikey does that consists of a tank with dirt and plants. My questions: I’m wondering how you would water the plants without flooding the colony. I also have an extra 10 gallon. Would this be good for pavement ants? How would I go about making a temporary foraging container until I can set up the tank?

Hunter36o
Posts: 376
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2018 9:57 am
Location: Dublin, Ireland

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 49999Post Hunter36o
Tue Sep 11, 2018 2:49 am

Just use a tubba ware container, like an old lunch box and just put a barrier around the edges like baby power or something.
Research is important before during and even after you have established a colony. There is always time to learn and to listen to others experiences. Live by this and your ants will thrive. Fail to do so and your experience may be brief.

JoeHostile1
Posts: 409
Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Canada
Contact:

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 50017Post JoeHostile1
Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:37 am

Animalisterra wrote:
Mon Sep 10, 2018 11:46 pm
I collected a tetramonium queen this summer who now has workers. The workers are starting to pull out the cotton and am wondering if I should put the test tube in a container and take off the cotton to let them forage.
If you don’t let them forage they will starve to death.
Keeping:
Tetramorium immigrans * Lasius Neoniger * Lasius Claviger * Messor Aciculatus * Myrmica Rubra * Camponotus Novaeboracensis * Camponotus Turkastanus * Pheidole Pallidula

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSfFtn6RegZ3F1NdS1g08NA

AntnoobSG
Posts: 99
Joined: Sun Aug 12, 2018 8:33 am
Location: singapore

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 50019Post AntnoobSG
Tue Sep 11, 2018 9:41 am

You can put their food in the test tube if it is Big and Long enough though this is not recommended
Keeper of :
Camponotus albosparsus x2 :o
Camponotus Irritans ;)
Hoping for pheidole colony :D

Animalisterra
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:02 pm

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 50074Post Animalisterra
Tue Sep 11, 2018 8:12 pm

I put the test tube in a container and wrapped a black cloth around it to keep it dark. The ants started investigating around the tube and took in some fruit flies to the queen. I cane back and saw them carrying brood out of the nest and into a fold in the cloth. I later saw the queen follow. Will this become a problem? I know ants need some parts of their nest humid and the cloth is the opposite!

User avatar
idahoantgirl
Posts: 1521
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
Location: Idaho, USA

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 50084Post idahoantgirl
Tue Sep 11, 2018 11:13 pm

They are going to need humidity eventually, but they must prefer the dryer climate for now. Keep supplying food in the outworld, don't touch the tube (you risk damaging them) and don't try to move them by force. Just wait till they decide they want humidity again. Does your tube use the drinking straw method? If not, I would reccomend setting up a new tube (so as to not disturb your colony) And wedge a one inch section of drinking straw between the side of the tube and the exit cotton. Thiss will create a cozy tunnel for them so they feel more comfortable in that space, Wrap the new tube so its dark (use red or black paper this time so there aren't folds they can hide in) and place the tube right next to the old one. Then they have the choice of which one they would rather move into.
Proverbs 6:6-8

Go to the ant, you sluggard;
consider its ways and be wise!
It has no commander,
no overseer or ruler,
yet it stores its provisions in summer
and gathers its food at harvest.

Keeping Tetramorium immigrans, Tapinoma Sessile

Animalisterra
Posts: 16
Joined: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:02 pm

Re: First time keeper

Post: # 50090Post Animalisterra
Tue Sep 11, 2018 11:30 pm

Thanks for the reply. I’m pretty sure I know what you mean. I will probably be setting up their nest this weekend. I asked a question I’m my original most about watering the plants in the tank without flooding the colony. How would I go about doing this? (I’m going for the naturalistic setup)

Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 3 guests