Borax- Am I overreacting?

SasquatchTortoise

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I know people say that borax and a sugar mixture using a cotton ball can get rid of ants, but I've been nervous to use the product since it can be poisonous.... So should I use it, or not?

Note: since we've been in an extreme drought, they will go after syrup.
 

Tom

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I know people say that borax and a sugar mixture using a cotton ball can get rid of ants, but I've been nervous to use the product since it can be poisonous.... So should I use it, or not?

Note: since we've been in an extreme drought, they will go after syrup.
I've never made my own, but I use the Terro Ant Baits, which are borax and sugar water, regularly. Don' let the tortoise have direct access to the product, but using it near the enclosure or around the house is fine.
 

SasquatchTortoise

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I've never made my own, but I use the Terro Ant Baits, which are borax and sugar water, regularly. Don' let the tortoise have direct access to the product, but using it near the enclosure or around the house is fine.
So it would be fine to use?
Would it be safe to put some cotton balls in the enclosure overnight, then let her back into it once they are gone?
 

wellington

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So it would be fine to use?
Would it be safe to put some cotton balls in the enclosure overnight, then let her back into it once they are gone?
It would be safer to put them just outside the perimeter of the enclosure. I wouldn't risk anything poisonous inside the torts enclosure specially a cotton ball that could leak the substance onto the ground.
If you got the traps Tom mentioned, that keeps the poison contained, then you could put them out at night and remove then in the A.M.
 

Moozillion

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I have used Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth when we got fire ants in Elsa's enclosure (she's a Hermann's tortoise). Humans stir it into a glass of water and drink it to get rid of parasites etc. Even then, I blocked off that area so she couldn't walk through it. Her enclosure is shaped like a large O, but we changed it to a large U while we were using the diatomaceous earth.

It's my understanding that it's the the silicate shells of minute organisms called diatoms, that is ground up into a powder. The finely ground silica shells has microscopic sharp points that scrapes the bodies of the insects so they lose body fluid and get sick or die or move on. It worked well on our ant problem.
It's supposed to be 100% natural but so is cobra venom and hemlock! Just because something is natural doesn't guarantee it's safe!
Although it's used in alternative medicine, it's irritating if it gets in the eyes or if it gets inhaled- by you or your tort.
I hope this helps!
:)
 

SasquatchTortoise

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I have used Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth when we got fire ants in Elsa's enclosure (she's a Hermann's tortoise). Humans stir it into a glass of water and drink it to get rid of parasites etc. Even then, I blocked off that area so she couldn't walk through it. Her enclosure is shaped like a large O, but we changed it to a large U while we were using the diatomaceous earth.

It's my understanding that it's the the silicate shells of minute organisms called diatoms, that is ground up into a powder. The finely ground silica shells has microscopic sharp points that scrapes the bodies of the insects so they lose body fluid and get sick or die or move on. It worked well on our ant problem.
It's supposed to be 100% natural but so is cobra venom and hemlock! Just because something is natural doesn't guarantee it's safe!
Although it's used in alternative medicine, it's irritating if it gets in the eyes or if it gets inhaled- by you or your tort.
I hope this helps!
:)
Unfortunately, I have tried Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth, But it didn't seem to work.
I'll Probably just go with Terro.
 

ZEROPILOT

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I place ant baits/poison in glass jars (mayonnaise jars) and poke holes in the lid and leave them near the perimeters of my tortoise enclosures laying sideways under pots or plants.
The baits stay dry. Kill loads of ants and remain animal proof
 

SasquatchTortoise

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I bought Some TERRO outdoor liquid ant bait stakes
Are these the same general product as the other TERRO products?
It has borax like the others
1658691896331.png
 

Tom

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I bought Some TERRO outdoor liquid ant bait stakes
Are these the same general product as the other TERRO products?
It has borax like the others
View attachment 347762
That is the right brand. I haven't used that particular type before, so let us know how it works for you.

With this type of bait, it is important to leave the ants alone and allow them to swarm the bait, so they can carry it back to the underground colony. My wife kept wanting to kill all the masses of ants that kept coming and I kept having to tell her to leave them be to do their work and carry our gift back to their queen and colony. Sometimes it takes two or three days. We had so many ants that they would empty two or three trays and then they would just disappear.
 

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