Ants. Just need to vent.

[opheliaeatsbugs]

OMG. I got totally freaked out today. I have an ongoing battle with ants (most people I know in my area do, too). Mostly I try to use preventative measures to deal with them (no food/crumbs left out, avoid sugary drinks/candy being left out, etc.). When they do find something (I blame the children), I wipe them up, find their entrance and block it with something... toothpaste, cinnamon, etc. It almost always deters them and we go back to ignoring each other. We don't use any pesticides or chemicals in- or outside.

However, I blocked an entrance a couple days ago and thought nothing more of it. This morning, there was an army heading in and out of Ophelia's cage. They blew right through my prevention and had found something good in her cage. So the whole thing got an extra good cleaning. But what freaked me out was I thought that they had started making their new home in her laying bin. UGH. I am so done with the ants!!

 

[JacksJill]

Unfortunately ants like protein snacks as much as they like sugary ones.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

Unfortunately ants like protein snacks as much as they like sugary ones.

Very true. Wish they would go away!!

 

[Andee]

Depending on the species of ant you have they will be more attracted to protein or sweet stuff. I deal with ants a lot and we kill off a lot colonies near us, then a new colony will move in and it starts all over.

Great ways to kill they off without using pesticides. Cornmeal. It gets brought back to the colony and queen and then when they drink it expands and blows them up in a way. Horrible but it works. Put it at an entrance they are coming in through. Bleach also destroys ant scent trails. Peppermint and other members of the mint family are usually a great detterant.

My favorite bait/poison that is made and inj actually use even though I don't use anything else, is Combat, it's a gel that can be placed anywhere including verticle surfaces. We have found it impossible to find a bit that all the colonies will go after, well until we found this stuff. They collect it. Take it back and kill off the colony. I have tons of animals, dogs and cats included, they never find the bait sections or never bother it if they do. I have placed it right next to my chameleon cages before and the ants will go after it instead. I have done it to kill ants after they started making a neat in one of Ryker's plants.

Edit: some extra all natural, diatemacious earth does a good job as well. But once there is an opening the line they will use and abuse it. There is also a way to make a liquid poison with home materials, it's supposedly made out of borax if I remember correctly, but usually it killed our ants before they got back to the colony. Don't try Vaseline, it's useless, ants will make a bridge across it using each other so that eventually the rest of the scouts and gatherers can get over and check everything out.

 

[opheliaeatsbugs]

diatemacious earth is the other thing I use (my mom uses it to deter scorpions in Phoenix)... I'll try the Combat gel, thanks for the suggestion!

 

[Andee]

Make sure you specifically get one for ants (I honestly have tried the roach one, and it did nothing). But the ant one is gold.

 

[LucyLoo]

Diatomaceous earth is what we use too; mostly to keep sand fleas off of the dog and cat during warmer months. I've been too nervous to use it around Lucy's cage; I'm afraid I'll end up killing her feeders. Have you had any problems using it with the feeders?

 

[Fireborn]

What happens if chameleons eat ants? I also have an ant problem in my house.

 

[Andee]

Diatemacious earth has to touch the insect to kill them so as long as you don't put it inside her cat you'll be fine. I put a thick line around the cages if I have to use. It will just kill escaped feeders and I honestly don't feed those off. Too many possible issues with doing that.

Most chameleons won't eat ants. Ants have a horrible defense mechanism and if you squish most black ants it smells acidic which shows that they have not only a horrible taste but also acid defense system. I would never feed red ants or anything more dangerous and most larger chameleons don't notice ants at all. I mean it won't be dangerous as long as they don't eat a ton that have eaten poison but honestly they won't after eating one in my opinion.

 

[Fireborn]

That's really good to know

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Terro.

Liquid ant traps. Every type of ant I've ever seen swarms the trap and takes it back to the queen. I have issues where they get in the walls and this stuff is great. I leave out two traps in the reptile room and randomly throughout the year I suddenly see a swarm of new ants. They hit it and they go away. Cycle repeats when a new colony tries to move in.

 

[Furciferocious]

Terro.

Liquid ant traps. Every type of ant I've ever seen swarms the trap and takes it back to the queen. I have issues where they get in the walls and this stuff is great. I leave out two traps in the reptile room and randomly throughout the year I suddenly see a swarm of new ants. They hit it and they go away. Cycle repeats when a new colony tries to move in.

+1 on the Terro.

 

[Andee]

See I have tried the Terri and it's done nothing for me. .____.

 

[LucyLoo]

Diatemacious earth has to touch the insect to kill them so as long as you don't put it inside her cat you'll be fine. I put a thick line around the cages if I have to use. It will just kill escaped feeders and I honestly don't feed those off. Too many possible issues with doing that.

Awesome, thank you for the info! I just learned about it from a neighbor and started using it last summer. Also, great idea for putting it around the cage for escaped feeders; I will definitely copy you on that one. I don't feed her anything dead or dying either, but I keep her habitat in my bedroom and would sleep better knowing if they escape they won't be on me at night.