Help with Ants in Chameleon cage?

[Valsecchi]

I'm not really sure where to put this..... and honestly was the last thing I would think I would have a problem with.
But, recently ants have popped up in my chameleons cage and I sprayed the bottom with vinegar to try and keep them away, and its been as clean as it can be, but they keep coming back and they are going up the screens on his cage now and into his food bowls with the other insects and I've seen them on his branches.

I'm getting really worried that these ants are going to bite him and that I can't get rid of them.
Is anyone able to help me find a solution to get rid of these ants and to keep my chameleon safe?


-e- Also my chameleon doesn't like to be handled at all, so getting him out of his cage for awhile to spray it down or anything is gonna take a hot minute.
I haven't fed him crickets for a couple days and have only been giving him worms to try and get rid of the ants too.
I think he's freaking out too tbh with you

 

[Beman]

@jamest0o0

 

[Pickle-cham]

Is there any particular plant in your enclosure they are interested in?
Or do you have other pests like mealy bugs making honey dew (shiney substance on leaves) ants can be interested in this.
Can you locate the ants nest and deal with at source?

 

[jamest0o0]

What kind of ants? I agree with above it might be from honeydew that plant pests like aphids and the others often leave everywhere. Ants will actually protect them to harvest it. I've had this problem before, I just put a terra liquid trap where a lot of them were. Over time they will pile in and eventually die off. It is just borax which is animal safe.

 

[Valsecchi]

Is there any particular plant in your enclosure they are interested in?
Or do you have other pests like mealy bugs making honey dew (shiney substance on leaves) ants can be interested in this.
Can you locate the ants nest and deal with at source?

Well, the ants have been really bad this year overall in the state that I live in. People are having issues even when they call pest control in getting rid of them. They are these tiny black ants, that do bite, and they go after basically anything. Any source of water or food (whether it be a bird or a small insect, or anything they can really digest), they will go for it. In order to get rid of them, I'd have to take away what they are after.

Which would be any water, plants, insects, and my chameleon. I'd have to take away his entire cage pretty much and figure out where to put him. The only bugs he's been fed since this has started is hornworms, superworms, and crickets.

We aren't sure where the ant hill is. We have a red ant hill but they don't bother us at all so we don't bother them. As for the black ants, we honestly feel like its somewhere under the house or something.

 

[Valsecchi]

What kind of ants? I agree with above it might be from honeydew that plant pests like aphids and the others often leave everywhere. Ants will actually protect them to harvest it. I've had this problem before, I just put a terra liquid trap where a lot of them were. Over time they will pile in and eventually die off. It is just borax which is animal safe.

Do you know where I can purchase this terra liquid trap? Is it just at any pet store?
Also I would like to add, they aren't bee-ling for the plants. They are pretty much everywhere else in his cage.

 

[jamest0o0]

Home depot or lowes have them

 

[Pickle-cham]

Are they Carpenter Ants?
You may need professional help as could be damaging your property

 

[Pickle-cham]

They have a symbiotic relationship with aphids, they actually protect the aphids which creat the honey dew for them.
Nests usually in damp wood. Could be inside a wood cavity or basement. Any decaying trees near by? They hollow out the trunks of trees

 

[CasqueAbove]

I have had this problem with sugar gliders. My solution was double sided tape on the legs of the stand. They could not get to the food so the trail stopped. They were what I call water ants, very small and travel in a line.

 

[Valsecchi]

Are they Carpenter Ants?
You may need professional help as could be damaging your property

We did get professional help to get rid of them, but it was a waste of money honestly. The ants came back soon after. We contacted the company about it and unfortunately they send out guys '"per area," so we couldn't get a different pest control guy. The one who came out had an attitude and he didn't want to come back and do it again. He said that there's nothing he can do about it and they will just keep coming back. [:

I don't think they are carpenter ants since they are very small. I went out and purchased those terra ant traps and hopefully they will work!

 

[Valsecchi]

I have had this problem with sugar gliders. My solution was double sided tape on the legs of the stand. They could not get to the food so the trail stopped. They were what I call water ants, very small and travel in a line.

Doesn't sound like a bad idea, I might outline the bottom of his cage with that tape to see if this will help him

 

[Pickle-cham]

Did he let you know where the original nest was to give you idea where they are coming from? Was nest inside your property?

 

[Pickle-cham]

We did get professional help to get rid of them, but it was a waste of money honestly. The ants came back soon after. We contacted the company about it and unfortunately they send out guys '"per area," so we couldn't get a different pest control guy. The one who came out had an attitude and he didn't want to come back and do it again. He said that there's nothing he can do about it and they will just keep coming back. [:

I don't think they are carpenter ants since they are very small. I went out and purchased those terra ant traps and hopefully they will work!

Did he let you know where the original nest was to give you idea where they are coming from? Was nest inside your property?

 

[jacksonchamnew]

Just get the liquid terro ant baits and put one outside cage and a table leg that they are going up to cage. I had this problem. Cham not interested in ants. These are the tiny sugar ants.