Pest control

[Crisis1837]

Any suggestions on pest control? I'm wanting to start having my house and yard sprayed for pests (crickets, scorpions, ants, spiders etc) but I dont want to harm Koopa and I want to make sure he can still eat the grass. Currently he has about a 10x10 section of the yard, but I'm looking at giving him the whole thing after I do a little securing. My question is after a yard is sprayed is there time when he can go back to grazing (after the first now perhaps) or is it pretty much shot?

 

[wellington]

It's pretty much shot. I wouldn't let him go on it for at least 6 months and that's after lots of watering and grass cutting.
With grass/weed eating animals that kind of stuff really should be avoided.
I would be very cautious of the dogs too. I have seen so called "animal safe" kill wild birds and mice.

 

[wellington]

Also as cute as that pic is, you do know your tort can instantly become their chew toy. The two, dogs and torts should never be left alone and you eye should never look away when they are togther. The look of them In the pic doesn't look good for the tort.

 

[Grandpa Turtle 144]

Hi

 

[Tom]

If you are going to own a tortoise, you are going to have to come to terms with not using toxic chemicals all over the place. There are other better ways to deal with pests, and many times if you stop "dealing" with them, all the critters will reach a balance to a point where you don't need to deal with them because they deal with each other. There are little tips and tricks you can do that are much more weed and tortoise friendly than spraying poison all over the place where you and your animals live.

Barb is right about the dogs. I want you to feel welcome here, but that picture is a horror show for anyone who has been keeping tortoises for a while. We get several cases a year of tortoises being mauled or killed by sweet loving family dogs that no one ever thought would do such a thing. Do a search for it and you'll see. Your have a gorgeous young tortoise and nobody here wants to see anything happen to it.

 

[Crisis1837]

Also as cute as that pic is, you do know your tort can instantly become their chew toy. The two, dogs and torts should never be left alone and you eye should never look away when they are togther. The look of them In the pic doesn't look good for the tort.

Thanks. My dogs are very friendly towards koopa and even still I never leave them alone with him. If this wouldve been a video I think you would appreciate it more. My big dog actually watches over koopa and pushes the little one away when he gets too close. Koopa actually goes after towards the big dog and follows her around. But even still, as much as I love and trust my dogs I know its possible for them to have moments and never leave them unattended with Koopa.

 

[Crisis1837]

If you are going to own a tortoise, you are going to have to come to terms with not using toxic chemicals all over the place. There are other better ways to deal with pests, and many times if you stop "dealing" with them, all the critters will reach a balance to a point where you don't need to deal with them because they deal with each other. There are little tips and tricks you can do that are much more weed and tortoise friendly than spraying poison all over the place where you and your animals live.

Barb is right about the dogs. I want you to feel welcome here, but that picture is a horror show for anyone who has been keeping tortoises for a while. We get several cases a year of tortoises being mauled or killed by sweet loving family dogs that no one ever thought would do such a thing. Do a search for it and you'll see. Your have a gorgeous young tortoise and nobody here wants to see anything happen to it.

Letting the pests "deal with each other and balance out" isnt too much of an option. Black widows and scorpions can really ruin social events or even just sitting in my yard. I understand what you mean about using the chemicals all over, thats why I came on here (as well as other places) to ask for advice. I dont want to spray the crap all over and then have my animals get sick. As for the pic, like I replied above, theyre never alone together. I can understand how 1 pic can be perceived differently than how the event was. I would never put my koopa in harms way. The comment of "do a search for it and you'll see"...honestly if you do a search for "anything" being mauled, hurt, injured, killed youre gonna find all the horror stories. You can probably do a search for "coffee table gets killed by friendly Chihuahua" and get a bunch of stories. I would much rather come on here and see all the good that people do with their torts. Please don't read this and think I'm angry or mad, I'm not. I understand where you are coming from and are just worried for my torts safety.

 

[Crisis1837]

Hi
View attachment 243223

Hey neighbor. I'm in Glendale out by Westgate and the Stadium.

 

[Kristy1970]

NEMATODES!!! Spraying it tonight!

 

[Kristy1970]

NEMATODES!!! Spraying it tonight!

 

[Crisis1837]

NEMATODES!!! Spraying it tonight!

Gonna do some research on these tonight. Seems like it may be a good option. Thanks.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't know how effective diatomaceous earth would be against spiders, but it works well for other types of insects and is not harmful to pets or people.

 

[Hugo's Home]

View attachment 243250

Nice! I sprayed my garden n plants two days ago!! I use the stuff from Arbicoorganics.com since there more local and in Tucson.

 

[Dianne iin South Florida]

Also as cute as that pic is, you do know your tort can instantly become their chew toy. The two, dogs and torts should never be left alone and you eye should never look away when they are togther. The look of them In the pic doesn't look good for the tort.

I too found out without any harm not to leave my baby tortoise where my little dog can sniff at it when I returned from grass cutting, letting Shelby soak forgetting the dog was not with me. Shelby on the floor, ended up in his soft bed safe and sound but that was the first and last time I will be careless.