The AntsCanada Ant Forum's

Hello everyone,
I have four newish tetramorium colonies living in nest tubes, with workers ranging from about 5-20 members. I feed them by just taking out the cotton on the end of their test tubes and giving them a bee larvae, but recently I have had some problems.
The last time I fed them I had a couple of workers clinging to one of the pieces of cotton and they fell out when I opened the test tube . Usually they seem scared enough and they don't run past the food I put in there though. I have one test tube portal I could use, but it would be weird feeding four colonies somehow with one test tube portal.
I have also considered sticking a straw through the cotton and shoving he larvae into the tube, but I would still have problems removing food. I guess I could just kind of nudge the cotton away until I can get the food in and out... Let me know if any of these ideas sound good. Please tell me if you have anything that works well for you though!
Thanks!

Put each test tube in a larger outworld, make it dark in the test tube by covering it up with something, then drop the food in the outworld. Make sure to add an ant barrier as well!

YSTheAnt wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 10, 2017 7:58 pm

Put each test tube in a larger outworld, make it dark in the test tube by covering it up with something, then drop the food in the outworld. Make sure to add an ant barrier as well!

Ok cool! What would work well for covering the test tube? I have tried putting duct tape around it but they end up getting stuck and dying on the tape... what do you do? Also what do you use for the outworld?

You can use almost any container, like plastic food boxes. For the test tubes, I would make a canopy from cardboard or paper, and use it like a tent. Or, you could cover it with some substrate. Good Luck!

YSTheAnt wrote: ↑

Sun Sep 10, 2017 8:49 pm

You can use almost any container, like plastic food boxes. For the test tubes, I would make a canopy from cardboard or paper, and use it like a tent. Or, you could cover it with some substrate. Good Luck!

Ok I'll give it a try!

It is better to do it this way instead of just leaving the tube wide open: block the exit with cotton, then take a one inch section of drinking straw and ram it between the exit cotton and the side of the tube. this creates a tunnel for them to go in and out of, more like tin the wild.

idahoantgirl wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:08 pm

It is better to do it this way instead of just leaving the tube wide open: block the exit with cotton, then take a one inch section of drinking straw and ram it between the exit cotton and the side of the tube. this creates a tunnel for them to go in and out of, more like tin the wild.

Ok, that sounds good.
PS: I just got contacted about selling one of my colonies on the GAN!

Idahoantguy wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:31 pm

idahoantgirl wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:08 pm

It is better to do it this way instead of just leaving the tube wide open: block the exit with cotton, then take a one inch section of drinking straw and ram it between the exit cotton and the side of the tube. this creates a tunnel for them to go in and out of, more like tin the wild.

Ok, that sounds good.
PS: I just got contacted about selling one of my colonies on the GAN!

Oh cool! I didn't know there were that many ant keepers in idaho

idahoantgirl wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 8:50 pm

Idahoantguy wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 3:31 pm

idahoantgirl wrote: ↑

Mon Sep 11, 2017 1:08 pm

It is better to do it this way instead of just leaving the tube wide open: block the exit with cotton, then take a one inch section of drinking straw and ram it between the exit cotton and the side of the tube. this creates a tunnel for them to go in and out of, more like tin the wild.

Ok, that sounds good.
PS: I just got contacted about selling one of my colonies on the GAN!

Oh cool! I didn't know there were that many ant keepers in idaho

Yea me too!