No ants!! Yay!! After staring at the glove with the now smaller mouse piece for about two minutes, Merlin begrudgingly ate the piece from the glove without having to put the "warm-up" piece on the perch first. Each time the glove appeared with a new piece, he ate it sooner, so that by the time the last piece came (it was the one with the tail) he ate it right away. I'm at the doorway of his crate with the sheet totally over my head and the open door to discourage escape, but I see him looking beyond my head. Hmmm... I'm hoping the training goes quickly so he can fly again sooner than later.