Re: Feeding Research

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Tortoise Forum ]

Posted by nathan on March 14, 2002 at 10:14:28:

In Reply to: Re: Feeding Research posted by Terry on March 14, 2002 at 07:47:09:

citrus oil is an extract from citrus fruits (lemon, orange, etc...). The way it works is that it attracts ants by smell, and they get stuck in it and dissolved. I think it can be purchased at home improvement type places as a pest removal. You could also put it out in a covered dish that only the ants could get to, and anchor it so the tort can't get at it, not that a mm of citrus oil should cause a tort any troubles.

Personally I use pots of boiling water. I boil it and then stir up the anthill or location where they are living, and pour pot after pot of boiling water on it.

Diatomacious earth is fossilized remains of little organisms, from what I can tell. It works because it is so fine, but still hard, it sticks to ants and when they try to clean themselves it cuts them up and kills them. If you dig a hole into the anthill and pour some in (it's like sand), then back fill, or put a rock on it, it shouldn't pose problems to animals that are not ant sized, they just happen to be so small that it can affect them. Humans can handle the stuff just fine. It does get rinsed away in rain.

I've found boiling water to be quite effective, though. It can take a few applications, like once a week for 2-3 weeks, but the ants decide to move elsewhere, or else are killed off. It's also just water, so once it cools it's harmless to everything else.

Follow Ups:

Re: Feeding Research Justin 03/14/02 (10)
- Re: Feeding Research nathan 03/14/02 (9)
  - Re: Feeding Research Justin 03/14/02 (8)
    - Grow up Justin. n/m Christine 03/15/02 (1)
      - Ahh Go to hell. Justin 03/15/02 (0)
    - Re: Feeding Research nathan 03/14/02 (5)
      - Re: Feeding Research Justin 03/14/02 (4)
        
        exactly nathan 03/14/02 (3)
        
        Hmmm, arguing about ants..interesting:) Crystal 03/14/02 (2)
        
        not really arguing nathan 03/15/02 (1)
        
        Re: not really arguing Justin 03/15/02 (0)

Post a Followup

Name:
E-Mail:

Subject:

Comments:
: citrus oil is an extract from citrus fruits (lemon, orange, etc...). The way it works is that it attracts ants by smell, and they get stuck in it and dissolved. I think it can be purchased at home improvement type places as a pest removal. You could also put it out in a covered dish that only the ants could get to, and anchor it so the tort can't get at it, not that a mm of citrus oil should cause a tort any troubles. : Personally I use pots of boiling water. I boil it and then stir up the anthill or location where they are living, and pour pot after pot of boiling water on it. : Diatomacious earth is fossilized remains of little organisms, from what I can tell. It works because it is so fine, but still hard, it sticks to ants and when they try to clean themselves it cuts them up and kills them. If you dig a hole into the anthill and pour some in (it's like sand), then back fill, or put a rock on it, it shouldn't pose problems to animals that are not ant sized, they just happen to be so small that it can affect them. Humans can handle the stuff just fine. It does get rinsed away in rain. : I've found boiling water to be quite effective, though. It can take a few applications, like once a week for 2-3 weeks, but the ants decide to move elsewhere, or else are killed off. It's also just water, so once it cools it's harmless to everything else.

Optional Link URL:
Link Title:
Optional Image URL:

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ The Tortoise Forum ]