ANTS

[thetortoiselady]

You guys these dang ants are going to be the death of me!!!!!!! I have tried everything. I put ant traps in the outdoor enclosure, and didn’t let the tortoise in it for several weeks to try to control them. I also bought the white powder to put around the edges and nothing is working. What can I do!?!? The weather is amazing and i want to utilize the outdoor enclosure!!!! Help!!

 

[thetortoiselady]

As soon as I saw an ant, I picked him up and put him back inside, but I want to be able to have him out there!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

Hi!
What kind of ants are bothering you? Fire ants are definitely a trouble, smaller black ants are of less concern. When you place baits can you trace ants to their nest? Did you found what baits work better - with sugar, with fat/grease or with protein?

 

[thetortoiselady]

Hi!
What kind of ants are bothering you? Fire ants are definitely a trouble, smaller black ants are of less concern. When you place baits can you trace ants to their nest? Did you found what baits work better - with sugar, with fat/grease or with protein?

To be completely honest, I can’t tell whether they are fire or carpenter ants. I placed ant traps in every corner and also tried to follow where their ant hill was and placed in there as well. I can’t tell if I have several nests, but I have sat out there trying to find where they’re coming from. I use the terro any baits.

 

[thetortoiselady]

Also would appreciate any tips and tricks on how to prevent this for the new enclosure in Texas? When I built the one we have now I didn’t consider ants and I’m thinking I might have built it on top of an ant pile? We have a house with a big backyard- should I treat for ants before building the enclosure?

TIA!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

If you have found ant hill - you can pour some kettles of boiling water in there. Be careful if these are fire ants - they will attack you.

I may be mistaken, but Terro Ant Bait doesn't work for fire ants. So if they arent't aggressive and eat the bait - they aren't fire ants.

 

[thetortoiselady]

If you have found ant hill - you can pour some kettles of boiling water in there. Be careful if these are fire ants - they will attack you.

I may be mistaken, but Terro Ant Bait doesn't work for fire ants. So if they arent't aggressive and eat the bait - they aren't fire ants.

The problem is, I can’t locate exactly where the ant hill is. Or if there is only one or multiple. I’m gonna go outside and try to take a picture of the ants that I see.!!!! in some of the tarot aunt bates there are little tiny red ants so maybe sugar ants or carpenter? It looks like I have several different species of ants.

 

[thetortoiselady]

OK, so I’m seeing a lot of red ants with black butts. It’s a lot harder to capture photos of ants then you would think.

 

[ecachuh]

What about orange oil? If there is a nest you can do a soil drench with it. NOT IN THE ENCLOSURE of course. I've poured boiling water on them and it's fun! I hate ants and I have way too many as well. I'm starting to do the orang oil around a larger perimeter but not close to the enclosure. I don't think I'll ever get rid of them.

 

[ecachuh]

View attachment 381525 OK, so I’m seeing a lot of red ants with black butts. It’s a lot harder to capture photos of ants then you would think.

YIKES, that does look like fire ants! Supposedly the red carpenter ants have the same booty. I guess if they attack you they are the FIRE ones!!!

 

[Alex and the Redfoot]

View attachment 381525View attachment 381527View attachment 381526View attachment 381527View attachment 381525 OK, so I’m seeing a lot of red ants with black butts. It’s a lot harder to capture photos of ants then you would think.

Oh, I know. I have maybe 20 different species of ants in my yard. Some of them move chaotically and super fast - like Flash.

The ants on photos can be fire ants. So it's wise to keep your tortoise away from them. You really have to find the ant hill to win the fight.

 

[thetortoiselady]

Oh, I know. I have maybe 20 different species of ants in my yard. Some of them move chaotically and super fast - like Flash.

The ants on photos can be fire ants. So it's wise to keep your tortoise away from them. You really have to find the ant hill to win the fight.

Going to go try to find it! My boyfriend looks outside his window window of his office and sees me on my hands and knees, searching for ants he doesn’t ask questions LOL

 

[Megatron's Mom]

Fire ants here in Arkansas are pretty easy to find. The hills are big and will stand up over the grass. If you have to crawl around I don't think they are fire ants. I'm going to google lens your ant picture, since I'm far from an ant expert.

Oh and fire ants around here swarm you when you get anywhere near them or their hill.

 

[zovick]

Going to go try to find it! My boyfriend looks outside his window window of his office and sees me on my hands and knees, searching for ants he doesn’t ask questions LOL

If you have fire ants, you will see an ant mound fairly close to where you see the ants. If you touch one of the mounds, the ants will immediately pour up out of the mound and attack you (or whatever has disturbed the mound). If you aren't seeing a fairly good sized mound which projects up off the ground a couple inches or more, you probably do NOT have fire ants.

The best treatment I have found for any type of ants is called Orthene. It is a white powder. All you need to do is sprinkle it on top of the mound and the ants will be dead within a few hours. I have treated many ant mounds with it here in GA. If the mound was inside one of my outdoor pens, I sprinkled the powder on it, then placed an inverted 5 gallon pail over it and put a cinder block on top so a tortoise couldn't move it.

One time, I underestimated the strength of one of my tortoises and she tipped over the pail weighted with the cinder block. I happened to go outside sometime after that happened and observed her actually eating the Orthene powder (which is hard to understand because it smells terrible). Of course, I immediately moved her to a different pen, but the main reason for me relating this story is to say that the female tortoise had eaten quite a fair amount of the powder and she never had any ill effects from it. She produced babies for a number of years after that episode, too, so I feel fairly confident saying that if it should happen, accidentally ingesting a little Orthene won't be harmful to your tortoise. Obviously owners should attempt not to let that happen, but if it does, it should not be a major problem according to my experience.

 

[thetortoiselady]

If you have fire ants, you will see an ant mound fairly close to where you see the ants. If you touch one of the mounds, the ants will immediately pour up out of the mound and attack you (or whatever has disturbed the mound). If you aren't seeing a fairly good sized mound which projects up off the ground a couple inches or more, you probably do NOT have fire ants.

The best treatment I have found for any type of ants is called Orthene. It is a white powder. All you need to do is sprinkle it on top of the mound and the ants will be dead within a few hours. I have treated many ant mounds with it here in GA. If the mound was inside one of my outdoor pens, I sprinkled the powder on it, then placed an inverted 5 gallon pail over it and put a cinder block on top so a tortoise couldn't move it.

One time, I underestimated the strength of one of my tortoises and she tipped over the pail weighted with the cinder block. I happened to go outside sometime after that happened and observed her actually eating the Orthene powder (which is hard to understand because it smells terrible). Of course, I immediately moved her to a different pen, but the main reason for me relating this story is to say that the female tortoise had eaten quite a fair amount of the powder and she never had any ill effects from it. She produced babies for a number of years after that episode, too, so I feel fairly confident saying that if it should happen, accidentally ingesting a little Orthene won't be harmful to your tortoise. Obviously owners should attempt not to let that happen, but if it does, it should not be a major problem according to my experience.

Thank you so so much!

 

[Ink]

Be careful. Fire ants killed my tortoise in Georgia.

 

[thetortoiselady]

Be careful. Fire ants killed my tortoise in Georgia.

I won’t let him out there until I either move or get them under control. I am so sorry to hear that.

Were there any signs when he/she had been bitten?

 

[Ink]

I put my Russian tortoise in an outdoor enclosure. I checked it with my hands and dug a small deep hole. No ants. I went out about 2 hours later, and my tortoise was covered in fire ants. They went to his eyes and butt. They attacked his head too. I took him to the vet within 1 hours. He cleaned up the wounds, but his eyes were so swollen. I think they gave him an antibiotic shot (over 20 years ago). Later that evening his head almost split open with swollen tissue. He then passed. I hate fire ants!!

That is why I wouldn't risk my tortoise if I even see ants.

 

[thetortoiselady]

I put my Russian tortoise in an outdoor enclosure. I checked it with my hands and dug a small deep hole. No ants. I went out about 2 hours later, and my tortoise was covered in fire ants. They went to his eyes and butt. They attacked his head too. I took him to the vet within 1 hours. He cleaned up the wounds, but his eyes were so swollen. I think they gave him an antibiotic shot (over 20 years ago). Later that evening his head almost split open with swollen tissue. He then passed. I hate fire ants!!

That is why I wouldn't risk my tortoise if I even see ants.

Oh my god. That is terrible. I am so sorry that happened to you. I may have to come up with another solution like a raised bed with legs while he/she is so small

 

[thetortoiselady]

Is this a major issue for all ages or are they more fragile when younger? My plan was in a few years to have him /her outdoors full time but this scares me.