5 replies to this topic

[Abadayos]

Good evening all,

I'm having a little problem with one of my colonies when it comes to feeding them. It's mainly my Pheidole colonies but my sugar ants are getting this way too, they swarm the test tube opening when I remove the cotton ball to put the food in or take out the old food that was on the foil/'cup' I use. This didn't used to be a problem as the 'rush' used to be only 2 or 3 pheidole but now that the colony is starting to grow in size (currently around 25-30 at a guess) the numbers at the opening is 10-15 at a time and it's getting hectic to A: remove old food and B: give them more food. With their numbers so low I'm not wanting to put them in a tube and tub setup just yet so looking for advise on how to approach this issue.

I've looked around online and I can't find anything that is of assistance with this phase of ant keeping, all I can find is how to feed, feed on foil/cups to avoid messing up the tube/promoting mold growth then most just say 'when sufficient size, get into a formacarium/tub and tube set up'. These little buggers are not ready for that just yet and I really don't want to have to do the 'chill them down to slow them to feed them' method as I'm afraid it would impact the brood.

Any assistance, videos or advice would be greatly appreciated as I'm sure I'm missing something VERY obvious but just not seeing it. Thanks

[Serafine]

If you can't feed your test tube colony without workers escaping anymore they need an outworld. You can use a straw as entrance area so the inside of the test tube stays moist. Place any food in the outworld.

 

Edited by Serafine, February 27 2019 - 4:36 AM.

[PwnerPie]

Ants Canada test tube portal. That is the answer. When they get a decent amount of workers, just have portal there. It acts as a mini out world and you feed them there

[Antsinmycloset]

...
then most just say 'when sufficient size, get into a formacarium/tub and tube set up'. These little buggers are not ready for that just yet
...

May I ask why you think this? They certainly sound willing to explore, and you don't have to instantly upgrade to a new formicarium/outworld. A couple of my smaller colonies consist of the original test tube connected to a ~3" deli cup outworld by a piece of tubing.

Keep it simple and give it a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

[LearningAntz]

Honestly the test tube portal is overpriced. It’s constantly “On sale” to give us the impression we’re getting a good deal when it’s just overpriced regardless. $35 CAD including shipping for just the portal alone.

[CoolColJ]

Just blu tack their test tube inside a fluon lined container to feed, open it up clean and refeed. Mop up the stragglers with the cotton and put them back in

And then put their test tube back to where you nromally keep them

 

This works for a while

 

after you get sick of putting the ants back in it's time to go full time "tube and tubes"

 

or stick the test tube into a proper outworld you can buy with grommets, or self made container with a hole bored in with vinyl tubing etc

Edited by CoolColJ, March 2 2019 - 1:27 AM.