2 replies to this topic

[AndrosAnt]

Hey guys, newbe ant keeper here. About a month ago,I purchaced the beginner set antcube from antucube.de and a test tube containing a lasius niger queen and 10 workers. When it arrived i released them in the formicarium. Now i know that i should of waited till the colony grew bigger in the tube before i released them. I supply them with honey, apples, water and sugar water. a few weeks in, the queen moved out of the test tube into the formicarium. About a week later, i noticed that 6 ants were constantly stuck to the water tower. I found this strange. The next day i found 6 dead ants! Is this normal? I keep the humidity and temperature at a comfortable level according to Google.. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. How can i save the colony? Thanks 

 

[ANTdrew]

Read this guide: https://www.formicul...view=getnewpost
Make sure the hydration is right in the nest. It may be too dry if ants are constantly seeking water. Also, you do not mention any protein you are feeding the colony. Try feeding them more pre-killed and chopped crickets, dubia roaches, or mealworms.

[rptraut]

Hello AndrosAnt
My small ants always had trouble drinking from a water tower. Some had trouble reaching the water and others drowned in it. I put a small piece of cotton in the base before I screwed the water container into it. My ants sucked the water from the cotton, no problem.

Since then I have changed to using small pieces of sponge that I found in the cosmetics department. I cut it with scissors into small pieces, triangular for sugar/water and rectangular for water. I put them in a small container, filling and refilling them with an eyedropper. Wet a new sponge before you use it or it won't absorb water. Water will run out of the bottom when the sponge is saturated. Replace it when unpalatable or mouldy. With this method I feed and water a lot of small colonies quickly and for larger colonies I use larger pieces of sponge. Check other posts I have written for more uses of sponge.
RPT