7 replies to this topic

[Patorikku]

I have a C. Discolor that I’ve had for about 3 days now. She has been tubed but once to twice a day I am having to fix the cotton balls as she keeps pulling on them. I am wondering if the space provided is too big or if this is just common behavior. My C. Pennsylvanicus has about the exact same room and within a day she was already laying eggs and after a week she already has 7. But this queen is just tugging away. Any advice?


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[TheMicroPlanet]

My guess is that she's just trying to dig out her founding chamber and doesn't realize you already made her one. My P. imparis does this too.

[ponerinecat]

her tube does look a bit big.

[AntsDakota]

Yeah, I would recommend using a standard sized test tube for these. She probably doesn't feel completely comfortable in such an open space. 

[Patorikku]

Yeah, I would recommend using a standard sized test tube for these. She probably doesn't feel completely comfortable in such an open space.

I have since provided her with a smaller, properly sized test tube and she’s actually gotten worse at pulling the cotton. I know Camponotus are known as cotton tuggers, but I’ve had her for almost a week now and she just keeps attacking the cotton. She even got tangled in it and I had to untangle her and reset the cotton ball.


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[ariaant]

Best advice  I can give you is to stop looking at the queen and leave her alone in a dark, quiet and hopefully warm place for at least a month. She is not going to escape. I have screwed up plenty of founding queens by bothering them too much.  My founding success rate is much higher now that I have learned to leave them alone.  

[OhNoNotAgain]

Also make sure the water is wicking all the way to the cotton surface.

Though I gotta say, sometimes ants just seem to go cotton crazy and they waste tons of energy on it.

[Ants_Dakota]

My camponotus always seemed to pull on the cotton.