Tortoise and ants

[Nicholas999]

Now it's summer my hermanns tortoise montgomery spends majority of his time in the garden in his big pen but the other day I was watching him eating and I noticed couple ants on the food he was munching on if he accidentally ate a ant would it do him any harm

 

[wellington]

No, don't forget, in the wild they graze. Eating all kinds of bugs, poops, dirt etc. A few here and there won't hurt.
Now, if they are fire ants, that's a different story. They need to taken care of as they can hurt your tort, not only if he eats them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Are there FIRE ants in England?

 

[JoesMum]

No, don't forget, in the wild they graze. Eating all kinds of bugs, poops, dirt etc. A few here and there won't hurt.
Now, if they are fire ants, that's a different story. They need to taken care of as they can hurt your tort, not only if he eats them.

Are there FIRE ants in England?

In the UK we have no fire ants! The most any of our ants can do is give you an itchy nip.

If you live in a remote area, you may have bigger wood ants around, but most people don't have these.

Now it's summer my hermanns tortoise montgomery spends majority of his time in the garden in his big pen but the other day I was watching him eating and I noticed couple ants on the food he was munching on if he accidentally ate a ant would it do him any harm

My answer to accidental ingestion is no. Our ants simply aren't big enough. (Except wood ants mentioned above)

There is a risk if a big swarm were to go for your tort, but in 47 years of keeping a tortoise ... the last 20 of which have been in a garden full of standard black and red ants ... I have never found more than a few running over Joe.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=16&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjdju7e19PUAhUCNiYKHS5SDk4QFgh0MA8&url=https://articles.extension.org/pages/34811/how-do-fire-ants-affect-other-animal-populations&usg=AFQjCNEpGyadUdDCjAmPq-gbEJF_htKBgg
Nasty little guys
Ive never had any go after my tortoises. Though they have been bitten. The ants are usually after tortoise food.
Fire ants DO kill and consume very large mammals. I chose NOT to link those videos.

 

[TanksALot]

Now it's summer my hermanns tortoise montgomery spends majority of his time in the garden in his big pen but the other day I was watching him eating and I noticed couple ants on the food he was munching on if he accidentally ate a ant would it do him any harm

I don't suggest leaving food out on slate. But, you can use a terracotta pottery dish to place their food in, then place the dish in a larger dish and add water to the larger dish. Ants will not cross a water barrier, so now your feedings will be safe during the Tort's soaking. Food left in attented is just calling out to the ants for a free dinner. However, if you find their home (just watch for a trail leaving the buffet) ridding them can be rewarding. Truly rewarding.



And It's simple. Crazy simple. And most importantly, it's safe for any animals in the area, except of course, the ants... Boil at least a gallon or more of water, then take the water and a glass measuring cup or another type cup, a coffee cup will also do well. Then using the cup, slowly pour the boiling water into the center of the ant hill or where the ants seem to be entering and exiting the area, and any trail they are following to and from their home. You may even be able to see the actual labyrinth during your efforts. Good luck!