Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Posts and questions relating to ant diet & nutrition. Let us know what you’re feeding your ants.

Moderator: ooper01

Austheboss
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 3:17 pm
Location: Boston Area

Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9789Post Austheboss
Sat Aug 13, 2016 10:58 am

This is not too urgent as I just gave my queen her first honey meal (around 5 days ago this tetramorium got her first worker, now 2, about to be 3 :D ), and they loved it. Now, I think I should give them some protein, so, what? I have a cricket supplier close by-should I buy the pinheads and then crush them? Also, when should I feed them? Thanks!
.---- ..--- ..--- .....-----

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9790Post AntsRule
Sat Aug 13, 2016 11:08 am

So buy a few crickets and freeze them. That way they keep a while and freezing gets rid of most parasites. I have a bearded dragon so he eats live crickets anyway. I feed my small colony's cricket legs and squashed termites. You have to make sure the insect is completely dead or else you can scare the colony. Squash it and rip it in two to be safe since nerves can still fire after death. Some sp. are formic acid sprayers and if they spray a dead insect that moves because of nerve they can die because to formic acid gets trapped in the test tube. They might not want protein yet so just see how it goes :)
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

Austheboss
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 3:17 pm
Location: Boston Area

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9791Post Austheboss
Sat Aug 13, 2016 11:23 am

AntsRule wrote:So buy a few crickets and freeze them. That way they keep a while and freezing gets rid of most parasites. I have a bearded dragon so he eats live crickets anyway. I feed my small colony's cricket legs and squashed termites. You have to make sure the insect is completely dead or else you can scare the colony. Squash it and rip it in two to be safe since nerves can still fire after death. Some sp. are formic acid sprayers and if they spray a dead insect that moves because of nerve they can die because to formic acid gets trapped in the test tube. They might not want protein yet so just see how it goes :)
Thanks for the fast response! You are a keeper of Tetramorium sp. E so you know how small the workers can be, especially the first batch. :lol: Also, when should I give them the meal if they want it? Thanks.

BTW I can see their tiny gasters filled up* with honey! Looks like they enjoyed their first meal. :)

*As soon as I saw Prenolepis Imparis, I immediately wanted to keep them because their gasters become HUGE and you can color them with dyed sugar water.
.---- ..--- ..--- .....-----

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9799Post AntsRule
Sat Aug 13, 2016 1:46 pm

Cool! You are welcome! I feed mine as soon as they run out of the last meal, my B. depilis gasters are striped so they are semi-clear too! :D
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

Geffbro
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9801Post Geffbro
Sat Aug 13, 2016 2:31 pm

I would like to know how long you can feed the queen + nanitics in a test tube with just honey, because thats what ive been doing for 1 week+! Upon reading this thread i went and put some turkey (really tiny chunk cut into as small pieces as i could with a knife) in of my 2 test tubes and the scout who found it went nuts running around tagging everyone and caused quite a hubbub, they were moving brood closer to the water cotton (even though they are right next to it) in a frenzy.

After a minute or so of running around they all calmed down and had 3-4 engaging each tiny piece of turkey, i assume eating it. Did they go crazy because 'yay non-honey food, everyone engage!' or was it 'oh good lord unidentified objects have appeared in the nest everyone watch out its an invasion!!!!!!'?

If this sounds like healthy behavior i will give some meat to the other test tube also, though it has less workers, otherwise it would be nice to get a safe timeframe that i can keep feeding them just honey because they dont freak out at that, just get excited and feed.

Geffbro
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9802Post Geffbro
Sat Aug 13, 2016 2:37 pm

for reference i have no experience, this is my first time raising ants, caught 2 presumably tetramorium queens based on location/pictures, they have been in test tubes for almost 7 weeks and have 14 and maybe 4-5 nanitics.

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9803Post AntsRule
Sat Aug 13, 2016 2:50 pm

I have never seen that behavior although this is my first year also. Them moving the brood makes me think that they thought it was an intruder.I tend to stay away from meat because most ants will not get that in the wild. When I feed my camponotus queen a live termite the queen ran up chomped it in half and then the workers ate it. I think she did this since termites are so tiny and pose no threat. I would stay away from meat when they have so few numbers and are still in a test tube. Try a cricket leg and let me know how it goes. :D
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

Geffbro
Posts: 24
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2016 9:20 pm
Location: Vancouver

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9814Post Geffbro
Sat Aug 13, 2016 5:59 pm

lets say nowhere near me sells live insects, or i fail at locating such businesses, what would be a good protein alternative for small test tube numbers to consume? maybe like a seed or something i hear people mentioned in other threads.

Austheboss
Posts: 101
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2016 3:17 pm
Location: Boston Area

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9820Post Austheboss
Sat Aug 13, 2016 6:45 pm

Geffbro wrote:lets say nowhere near me sells live insects, or i fail at locating such businesses, what would be a good protein alternative for small test tube numbers to consume? maybe like a seed or something i hear people mentioned in other threads.
Ok, I'm new too, but I'm glad to help to help out.
I did some research for you, and guess what!
Check this link out and I hope you live nearby this store.

http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/food/li ... %3Dfaceted

If this is not nearby, most petsmarts sell crickets so look for one nearby you.
Good luck!
.---- ..--- ..--- .....-----

AntsRule
Posts: 813
Joined: Thu Apr 28, 2016 2:02 pm
Location: Chester County Pennslyvania

Re: Queen's 2nd meal (protein right?)

Post: # 9821Post AntsRule
Sat Aug 13, 2016 7:04 pm

Termites I catch from the wild. make a trap by rubber banding a few sheets of card board together than wetting it, than stick it under a log for a few weeks and BAM! :D
With all the things ants can do, you wonder, who rules the planet :?

Keeper of:
Camponotus Pennsylvanicus
Pheidole sp.

Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 8 guests