# diatomaceous earth



## Yvonne G (Aug 21, 2013)

Quick question:

I was told that Tractor Supply sells diatomaceous earth, so I GOOGLED it, and yes, they do, however their product contains calcium bentonite. Is calcium bentonite something I want to be putting inside my animals to get rid of worms?


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## HLogic (Aug 21, 2013)

It may be OK. Calcium bentonite is considered GRAS (Genereally Regarded As Safe) by the FDA in food grade quality (http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/fcn/fcnDetailNavigation.cfm?rpt=scogsListing&id=35). Unfortunately, the possibility of heavy metals concentrations in excess of safe levels may exist in commercial products. As an added note, I would not expect diatomaceous earth to have any effect on internal parasites in quantities that could be safely administered in feed.


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## N2TORTS (Aug 21, 2013)

Y'vonne...... it works great for ants too! 

Also..... you maybe able to find it at any swimming pool supply store as well..since this is the active ingredient in pool filters.


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## AnnV (Aug 21, 2013)

I use the product you speak of on my horses and chickens. No problems. No idea if it helps, hurts, or is benign for torts.
I kind of wondered myself if it could be used as a natural wormer.
I have bought food grade DE mixed with flax seeds as a wormer for my chickens. Would there be any reason to avoid feeding flax seeds to torts. It wasn't a lot of flax. Just a little sprinkled in. I now make my own mix for the chickens, combining a few flax seeds with the DE and bentonite product.

Ann from CT


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## tubularseco (Aug 21, 2013)

Regarding ants, how should it be used to be effective? What happens if it rains a lot?


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## N2TORTS (Aug 21, 2013)

tubularseco said:


> Regarding ants, how should it be used to be effective? What happens if it rains a lot?



DE acts like ground glass, cutting into the waxy coat of insects and causing them to dry out and die. It is not toxic if eaten, but is irritating if inhaled...works on all " waxy bodied" type insects/bugs

When it rains .... it washes it away ...
Usually applied to dry locations only ....Odorless, Non-staining. It remains effective in the control of insects as long as it is present and kept dry!


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## JennBell0725 (Aug 21, 2013)

I used DE on my yard months ago and just found the first ant bed today. Love it. Works on fleas too

â˜†Jennâ˜† and The Sulcata Hatchies, Cera, Ducky, and Spike!


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## Carol S (Aug 21, 2013)

N2TORTS said:


> Y'vonne...... it works great for ants too!
> 
> Also..... you maybe able to find it at any swimming pool supply store as well..since this is the active ingredient in pool filters.



The kind for pool filters is not food grade and should not be used.


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## mike taylor (Aug 21, 2013)

*Re: RE: diatomaceous earth*



Carol S said:


> N2TORTS said:
> 
> 
> > Y'vonne...... it works great for ants too!
> ...



It has fiberglass in it only use food grade not pool grade .

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## N2TORTS (Aug 21, 2013)

mike taylor said:


> Carol S said:
> 
> 
> > N2TORTS said:
> ...



HUH ????????
Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called diatoms/ Where did fiberglass come from ? There is a difference between the commercial grade for pools ..and consumption type. But it has nothing to do with fiberglass.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 21, 2013)

USE FOOD GRADE ONLY !!!! 

Swimming pool filter DE is for use in pool filters has been heated and partially melted. The difference is the way that each type of DE is treated. Pool grade DE is calcined, meaning that is treated with very high heat. This turns the silicon dioxide that is present in the DE into crystalline silica. Pool grade diatomaceous earth has more than 1 percent 1% (in fact, it can it can range from 60-70 percent) crystalline silica. 

Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, on the other hand, has less than 1% crystalline silica and is not calcined. Food grade DE is clean, untreated.

Here is more info: http://www.dirtdoctor.com/Earth-Diatomaceous-DE_vq2262.htm


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## N2TORTS (Aug 21, 2013)

BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> USE FOOD GRADE ONLY !!!!
> 
> Swimming pool filter DE is for use in pool filters has been heated and partially melted. The difference is the way that each type of DE is treated. Pool grade DE is calcined, meaning that is treated with very high heat. This turns the silicon dioxide that is present in the DE into crystalline silica. Pool grade diatomaceous earth has more than 1 percent 1% (in fact, it can it can range from 60-70 percent) crystalline silica.
> 
> ...



BINGO!....:shy:


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 21, 2013)

Yvonne G said:


> Quick question:
> 
> I was told that Tractor Supply sells diatomaceous earth, so I GOOGLED it, and yes, they do, however their product contains calcium bentonite. Is calcium bentonite something I want to be putting inside my animals to get rid of worms?



Calcium bentonite is an added plus. It will pull and bind toxins out of the body. It will also absorb mycotoxins and mold spores. Helps with food poisoning symptoms, so good to have around for humans. I think DE has about 34 minerals, too, a pretty full range of macro and micro minerals.


I just noticed this was in the Enclosures section. DE is great externally and internally. For worming, grandpa would use it between full moon and new moon dates with other things, like raw pumpkin seeds/pepitas ground and with pureed pumpkin. I sprinkle a bit on my pets' food every day, just a tad, like adding salt or pepper, and have never had a worm problem.


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## sibi (Aug 21, 2013)

You always impress me


BeeBee*BeeLeaves said:


> USE FOOD GRADE ONLY !!!!
> 
> Swimming pool filter DE is for use in pool filters has been heated and partially melted. The difference is the way that each type of DE is treated. Pool grade DE is calcined, meaning that is treated with very high heat. This turns the silicon dioxide that is present in the DE into crystalline silica. Pool grade diatomaceous earth has more than 1 percent 1% (in fact, it can it can range from 60-70 percent) crystalline silica.
> 
> ...


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## Teodora'sDAD (Aug 22, 2013)

I know DE is added to some horse supplements as well.


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## Kameo37 (Aug 22, 2013)

So just to get this straight...
I can sprinkle DE all over my yard and if my sulcata eats it, it's ok. Beneficial, in fact.


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## mike taylor (Aug 22, 2013)

*Re: RE: diatomaceous earth*



N2TORTS said:


> mike taylor said:
> 
> 
> > Carol S said:
> ...


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## jaizei (Aug 22, 2013)

Kameo37 said:


> So just to get this straight...
> I can sprinkle DE all over my yard and if my sulcata eats it, it's ok. Beneficial, in fact.



Yes. If you're up for it, I think 2 tablespoons in a glass of water is recommended serving for a person.


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## Grandpa Turtle 144 (Aug 22, 2013)

Evan the " the Garden Guy" on TV describes it as "like Fiberglass"


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## mike taylor (Aug 22, 2013)

If you look at though a magnifying glass it looks like shards of glass . That is why I thought of fiberglass . When the pool guy told me about it thats what he said fiberglass and it cuts into the bugs exoskeleton killing the bug .

Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Aug 22, 2013)

Kameo37 said:


> So just to get this straight...
> I can sprinkle DE all over my yard and if my sulcata eats it, it's ok. Beneficial, in fact.



Very beneficial, as long as it is FOOD GRADE. Sorry for yelling it out like that but the thought of someone, anyone giving the pool grade to their pets, freaks me out. 

However, "all over my yard" is a problem because not only will it destroy bad things like fleas and ants, but it can also affect beneficial insects like bees IF it gets on them. As localized as you can and not on a windy day. 

People can use it too. Very good for our health, in my humble opinion. Parasites can do great harm and there is a school of thought that many icky people diseases start with parasites in our system. Ewwwww. : 0




mike taylor said:


> If you look at though a magnifying glass it looks like shards of glass . That is why I thought of fiberglass . When the pool guy told me about it thats what he said fiberglass and it cuts into the bugs exoskeleton killing the bug .
> 
> Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app



Crystalline silica is fiberglass looking so I can see that being said. But remember (okay, okay BeeBee, they say) FOOD GRADE only. None of the pool guy's truck bed stash around our beloved chelonians, LOL. Safe. Not sorry. : )


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## Kameo37 (Aug 22, 2013)

Cool!! Guess who's got two thumbs and is getting some DE this weekend...this gal!! (Points at self with thumbs like a huge dork)

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## mike taylor (Aug 22, 2013)

You can get a 20 lbs bag at tractor supply. 12 /15 dollars .( food grade) 
I feed it to my chickens and dogs . I did feed it to show pigs too. 
Sent from my C771 using TortForum mobile app


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## Yvonne G (Sep 18, 2013)

Well, I must say, I'm very disappointed.

I feed my YF tortoises on a small square of plywood. Before I put the food down, I tip the wood up to dump all the dirt off. There are usually many, many baby roaches under the wood...the kind that grow up to be those big ugly brown things about an inch long.

So I bought the DE from Tractor supply. I put down a thin layer of it under the plywood, with a bit of a heavier layer all around the edge.

The next day when I lifted up the wood to dump off the dirt...many, many baby roaches.

Maybe baby roaches aren't soft enough to be affected by the DE?


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## CourtneyG (Sep 18, 2013)

I won't lie here but before there was the food grade one, I know quite a few people who used the pool one when it came to deworming their dogs and geckos, there has been no ill effect at all on them and it still removes the worms. I even used the pool one before the food one came along.


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## Kameo37 (Sep 18, 2013)

Yvonne, that must be the case because I put down some on our ant heavy areas and we have not seen them since! Granted, I didn't check back the very next day, maybe it takes a few days?


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## Thalatte (Sep 18, 2013)

I know no one will want this opinion but yvonne let me know if it doesnt kill the roaches. 

I had recently started having ant problems in my roach colonies and if this diatomaceous earth doesnt harm the roaches then it would help me out immensely. If it does kill them then I will have to think of something else.


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## kathyth (Sep 18, 2013)

This is a very informative thread.
Are there stores in the L.A. Area that might carry this?

Another member on this forum just lost his tortoise to ant's.
That scares me.

Thanks!


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## Thalatte (Sep 18, 2013)

Most garden stores have it.


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## BeeBee*BeeLeaves (Sep 18, 2013)

And once again, I yell FOOD GRADE. CourtneyG, thanks for that info but it still is scary if it is not FOOD GRADE. Phew, that no one was hurt but why take chances. Of course, before FOOD GRADE was clearly defined and available, who knew, right?

Kathyth, in Los Angeles, Centinela Feed used to carry it but also check in your feed stores near you in Walnut. Maybe even a trip to Norco? I order from wolfcreekranch.net because they have lots of organic, holistic products I can get at once. It's ma-thing. : )

And don't forget, FOOD GRADE. (I know, I am getting to be obnoxious with that). No more, I promise.


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