# Anyone feeding ants to your darts?



## thercman (Feb 18, 2010)

As everyone knows ants are one of a dart frogs staple foods in the wild, so why not feed them ants in captivity? Ant farms are very inexpensive, require almost no maintenance and various starter colonies are readily available on-line. So long as there is a queen in the colony they could continue to produce for a while giving the frogs an additional and varied diet. 

The plan: to build one using acrylic that will allow for personal options such as size and the ability to incorporate a small travel tube to make feeding the darts simpler. 

Any thoughts?


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## jeffr (May 15, 2009)

I was looking into the Ant Farms. The only problem is you don't get a queen. Some places were kind of pricey. Like $7 for 25 ants


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## Dean (Mar 1, 2008)

I feed them the little black ones during the warmer months the frogs love them.


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## Boondoggle (Dec 9, 2007)

I've seen it discussed, but never successfully accomplished. Just keep in mind that masses of ants can stress/kill a frog. I suspect that people who have tried it just eventually abandon it because fruit flys are just too easy.


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## thercman (Feb 18, 2010)

So people are feeding with success.... That is good. I am going to start a colony and see what happens...


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## markbudde (Jan 4, 2008)

if you can find a source of queen ants please let me know.
Thanks,
Mark


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## thercman (Feb 18, 2010)

I sure will Mark...

Greg


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## Arrynia (Dec 27, 2009)

In the summer months, you can place a couple crackers in a dry location near an ant colony outside. They will usually cover the crackers which makes harvesting quite easy. Just avoid feeding too many at a time as this can be hazardous to the frogs.


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## capitale (Nov 7, 2008)

It's illegal to ship queens across state borders and very highly regulated. The only practical way to get a queen is via field collection. 

Our European friends don't have the same problem; there are lots of people across the pond that keep really cool species. ie leaf cutters and other tropicals.


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## RarePlantBroker (Aug 3, 2008)

Durng the "dry season" here in FL, we always end up with the small "sugar ants" in the house. I make a small "trap" with mango in a cup, and feed the ants to my PDF's. They seem to like the variation in the diet. Keep in mind that I don't use any pesticides in the house, and very few in the garden--and don't feed any field collected insects to any of my reptiles/amphibians within 1 month of spraying outdoors.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

Not all ants are palatable to the frogs and may be refused... most of the species sold on line are harvester ant workers which are too large for the dendrobatids. 

One of the items to keep in mind that it is very different for the frogs in the wild to feed on unstressed ants as opposed to having a large number of very upset ants dumped into a enclosed container with the frogs... 

Ed


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## yumpster (May 22, 2009)

My thoughts exactly, Ed. Even though I've heard several people have had success with certain ant species, I would never be completely comfortable putting them in the same environment with my frogs. I am certainly no expert (to be more blunt, I know nothing about ants), but seeing how quickly ants can overwhelm pretty much anything at any given moment...worries me.


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## thercman (Feb 18, 2010)

My idea was just to open a tube allowing some to just walk into the frog enclosure at their leisure. So they would enter a couple at a time. Not fast enough to overwhelm the frogs or anything. (considered that already) Of course I would supervise the event... hmmm


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## moore40 (Jan 29, 2008)

Any updates on this project


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## kennp (Apr 16, 2010)

I have thought about it, and have fed ants here and there to my PDFs. I had my eye on a couple of colonies that were under some flat rocks in the garden....until by chance I lifted the rock and watched the colony overpower and kill a baby snake. They procceded to cover him in slime and eat him over the next week!!!! These little ants are OK a couple at a time but sure know how to PARTY in a large group.

Ken


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## Cathulhu 666 (10 mo ago)

jeffr said:


> I was looking into the Ant Farms. The only problem is you don't get a queen. Some places were kind of pricey. Like $7 for 25 ants


Damn should have gotten into them back then i see em going for 25-100 bucks just for one Queen


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## 2Lorenzoss (11 mo ago)

I've wondered about this also, feed some of these tiny sugar ants, there's millions of them right outside my door. But wow, I just don't want to take a chance of even one not eaten. Not something I want making a home in my tanks. Ants are tough.


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## bulbophyllum (Feb 6, 2012)

2Lorenzoss said:


> I've wondered about this also, feed some of these tiny sugar ants, there's millions of them right outside my door. But wow, I just don't want to take a chance of even one not eaten. Not something I want making a home in my tanks. Ants are tough.


This is an old thread. Maybe start a new one. I have a bit of experience with dart frogs and ants.


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