My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

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ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65096Post ArizonanAnts
Fri Oct 25, 2019 2:31 pm

CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:42 am
Ok I will try that. Wet cat food chunks and pâté was not touched. :( also anyone try peanut butter or other nut butters?
Have you tried buying live crickets, killing them and then ripping off the legs and giving them to the ants?
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CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65100Post CANant
Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:53 pm

I haven’t bought any yet but I have fed crickets from our farm (no pesticides for sure). Not interested in them either.
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65105Post ArizonanAnts
Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:10 pm

CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 6:53 pm
I haven’t bought any yet but I have fed crickets from our farm (no pesticides for sure). Not interested in them either.
Interesting
:? :?
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65108Post CANant
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:32 pm

I have tried dipping bugs into boiled water to sterilize or kill parasites if any and freezing and fed freshly killed to see if they had a preference and it doesn’t seem to make a difference. I try cutting up into small easy to carry portions or lengthwise to expose all the guts to make it easier and still barely or not at all interested. It’s so strange. Btw for anyone interested: I bought butter worms and they stink really bad when cut open or dipped in boiled water. 🤢 They didn’t touch them at all.
Spiders and flies seem to be the most liked but even then I don’t see them eating or digging into them. They just carry them to the nest tube where they eventually dry up and I’m forced to fish them out.
I haven’t tried chicken or beef yet. Does it matter if it is cooked or raw?
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

ArizonanAnts
Posts: 309
Joined: Fri Aug 30, 2019 8:16 pm
Location: Arizona

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65110Post ArizonanAnts
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:59 pm

CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:32 pm

I haven’t tried chicken or beef yet. Does it matter if it is cooked or raw?
You should probably do cooked. I know that if they were in the wild they would eat raw stuff but you should probably do cooked. Then maybe try uncooked. Or maybe even both. Get a piece of tin foil then put 2 little pieces, on cooked and one not, and observe with they prefer, if any.
Keeper of

Nothing right now :cry:

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65113Post CANant
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:18 pm

ArizonanAnts wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:59 pm
CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 10:32 pm

I haven’t tried chicken or beef yet. Does it matter if it is cooked or raw?
You should probably do cooked. I know that if they were in the wild they would eat raw stuff but you should probably do cooked. Then maybe try uncooked. Or maybe even both. Get a piece of tin foil then put 2 little pieces, on cooked and one not, and observe with they prefer, if any.
Good idea.. I try to use foil as a plate as much as possible to make cleaning easier. I did try feeding without it as well to see f that was the issue. I mean they must be eating some or enough I guess or the workers wouldn’t be developing bigger in size and so far I have 13 workers and soon a 14th all different sizes. I’m probably over stressing about it
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

LasiusSapien
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65122Post LasiusSapien
Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:25 am

CANant wrote:
Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:18 pm

Good idea.. I try to use foil as a plate as much as possible to make cleaning easier. I did try feeding without it as well to see f that was the issue. I mean they must be eating some or enough I guess or the workers wouldn’t be developing bigger in size and so far I have 13 workers and soon a 14th all different sizes. I’m probably over stressing about it

i bet you don't have any problem with feeding sugar? i often wonder if my queen eats the insect parts i give her or is just attacking them :D
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65127Post CANant
Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:42 am

Haha nope no problems with sugars. :lol:
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

LasiusSapien
Posts: 274
Joined: Tue Jul 16, 2019 2:37 pm
Location: Bristol

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65132Post LasiusSapien
Sat Oct 26, 2019 12:06 pm

CANant wrote:
Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:42 am
Haha nope no problems with sugars. :lol:
yeah sounds like campos hehe, tho it could just be the time of year don't they stop taking in protein this time of year and just stock up on the sugars for hibernation?

also everyone's all calmed down it seems none of the other girls are interested in food as well, well except for the manica there's seven of them dismantling a hopper as i type hehe
1x Lasius Niger - early forging stage - 60-100 workers
1x Messor Barbarus - founding stage - <20 workers
1x Camponotus Turkestanus - claustral stage - 1 nanitic + brood
1x Odontoponera Transversa - semi-claustral stage - no eggs

CANant
Posts: 379
Joined: Tue Jan 29, 2019 1:04 am
Location: Paris, Ontario

Re: My journey keeping a Camponotus Pennsylvanicus Colony

Post: # 65137Post CANant
Sat Oct 26, 2019 5:35 pm

LasiusSapien wrote:
Sat Oct 26, 2019 12:06 pm
CANant wrote:
Sat Oct 26, 2019 11:42 am
Haha nope no problems with sugars. :lol:
yeah sounds like campos hehe, tho it could just be the time of year don't they stop taking in protein this time of year and just stock up on the sugars for hibernation?

also everyone's all calmed down it seems none of the other girls are interested in food as well, well except for the manica there's seven of them dismantling a hopper as i type hehe
No it’s been like this all summer with the protein. I just don’t understand why...maybe next year they will be different. Again I’m sure I’m over stressing about it for nothing. They have definitely been getting ready for winter though. All their gasters are full. :) Happy ants!
Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus

Temnothorax ambiguus/curvispinosus (Acorn ant)

Lasius Interjectus (Larger citronella ant) with host workers: L. Americanus

🐜❤️

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