Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
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- SamuelMamuel
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm
Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
I have a small starting tetra colony with around a dozen workers. I slipped a drinking straw chunk into the cotton as an exit hole and connected the test tube to a homemade test tube portal. I put a drop of honey outside the test tube, but they won't leave. I am worried that they will run out of the queen's resources and that she will die, but I can't get them to forage. What should I do?
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
- idahoantgirl
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
- Location: Idaho, USA
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
Ants are programmed to survive. When they are hungry, they will forage. They may have been foraging already, but not while your looking. maybe stick a fruit fly in the outworld near hte straw as well. then it is easy to tell if they are foraging because it wont be there in the morning. whereas honey, you cant really tell when they have taken a sip.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:24 pmI have a small starting tetra colony with around a dozen workers. I slipped a drinking straw chunk into the cotton as an exit hole and connected the test tube to a homemade test tube portal. I put a drop of honey outside the test tube, but they won't leave. I am worried that they will run out of the queen's resources and that she will die, but I can't get them to forage. What should I do?
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
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
-
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2017 11:10 am
- Location: Canada
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
I have a similar dilemma as my new camponotus colony (around 8 workers) has just recently been connested to an outworld but I've only seen 1 worker venture through the tube, only to have fall back around halfway.
"Ant Love Forever" - Mikey Bustos
-
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Mon Jul 31, 2017 7:55 am
- Location: Arizona
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
I had this happen recently with a new small colony of mine. They only stayed in the tub. About 15 workers. I connect it to a test tube portal but never saw them come out. I left a cricket in there and eventually they came out. Like someone said earlier, they'll come out when they need to. Just gotta be patient. A week has passed now and my ants are coming out into the portal more and more to sip on honey or to eat a cricket. As they grow, i believe they will come out more and more.
- SamuelMamuel
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
What if they haven't discovered the exit?idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:30 amAnts are programmed to survive. When they are hungry, they will forage. They may have been foraging already, but not while your looking. maybe stick a fruit fly in the outworld near hte straw as well. then it is easy to tell if they are foraging because it wont be there in the morning. whereas honey, you cant really tell when they have taken a sip.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:24 pmI have a small starting tetra colony with around a dozen workers. I slipped a drinking straw chunk into the cotton as an exit hole and connected the test tube to a homemade test tube portal. I put a drop of honey outside the test tube, but they won't leave. I am worried that they will run out of the queen's resources and that she will die, but I can't get them to forage. What should I do?
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
- idahoantgirl
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
- Location: Idaho, USA
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
They will.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:50 pmWhat if they haven't discovered the exit?idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:30 amAnts are programmed to survive. When they are hungry, they will forage. They may have been foraging already, but not while your looking. maybe stick a fruit fly in the outworld near hte straw as well. then it is easy to tell if they are foraging because it wont be there in the morning. whereas honey, you cant really tell when they have taken a sip.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Sun Aug 06, 2017 11:24 pmI have a small starting tetra colony with around a dozen workers. I slipped a drinking straw chunk into the cotton as an exit hole and connected the test tube to a homemade test tube portal. I put a drop of honey outside the test tube, but they won't leave. I am worried that they will run out of the queen's resources and that she will die, but I can't get them to forage. What should I do?
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
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
- SamuelMamuel
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
Ok, I'm just worried because the queen is super lethargic right now. She can't support 12 workers for longidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 9:27 pmThey will.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 2:50 pmWhat if they haven't discovered the exit?idahoantgirl wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:30 am
Ants are programmed to survive. When they are hungry, they will forage. They may have been foraging already, but not while your looking. maybe stick a fruit fly in the outworld near hte straw as well. then it is easy to tell if they are foraging because it wont be there in the morning. whereas honey, you cant really tell when they have taken a sip.
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
- idahoantgirl
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
- Location: Idaho, USA
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
all right, well if your that worried then go ahead and place a tiny drop of honey in the tube. I've done it before, it's just not ideal.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:16 pmOk, I'm just worried because the queen is super lethargic right now. She can't support 12 workers for long
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
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
- SamuelMamuel
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 10:24 pm
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
How long after the nanatics appear do you think they would go foraging? It had been around 1.5-2 weeks nowidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2017 9:14 amall right, well if your that worried then go ahead and place a tiny drop of honey in the tube. I've done it before, it's just not ideal.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:16 pmOk, I'm just worried because the queen is super lethargic right now. She can't support 12 workers for long
Colonies:
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
--Tetramorium Caespitum
--Camponotus pennsylvanicus
--Formica Sp.
- idahoantgirl
- Posts: 1521
- Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 11:52 am
- Location: Idaho, USA
Re: Tetra Won't Leave Test Tube
There is no set rule. They will forage when they need to.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2017 1:38 pmHow long after the nanatics appear do you think they would go foraging? It had been around 1.5-2 weeks nowidahoantgirl wrote: ↑Tue Aug 08, 2017 9:14 amall right, well if your that worried then go ahead and place a tiny drop of honey in the tube. I've done it before, it's just not ideal.SamuelMamuel wrote: ↑Mon Aug 07, 2017 10:16 pm
Ok, I'm just worried because the queen is super lethargic right now. She can't support 12 workers for long
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
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
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