Mosquito Yard Spray?

[tortoisestew]

Is there a mosquito yard spray or something that is safe to use around tortoises. The mosquito's are horrible right now.

 

[ascott]

http://eartheasy.com/blog/2011/04/5-easy-to-grow-mosquito-repelling-plants/



www.thetortoisetable.org

You can also check here to see if any of these plants are safe for tort yard enclosures ..

 

[tortoisestew]

Thanks. Guess I'll go get a bunch of marigolds and citronella plants tomorrow. Was also thinking of bringing him indoors for a couple days so I could spray.

 

[Yvonne G]

"They've" run out of money for it now, but a few years ago the county or whoever, used to fly over the town in airplanes and spray mosquito killer on all the properties. When I called the County Ag Extension and told them my concern about my tortoises grazing the grasses with this spray on it, they said it would not harm the tortoises. I don't know what they used.

Just be sure you tip over any vessel holding standing water and spray yourself, and your tortoises will be safe.

I change my tortoises water every morning, and every morning I see little wiggle mosquito larvae in there.

 

[Jacqui]

I am going to say, every year I have a ton of marigolds and they do not keep the 'skeeters away (I have them 'cuause I like the stinky little happy looking plants ). I tried the citranella plants too and I could be right next to the plant and the 'sketters would happily munch away on me. The same goes for catnip and Ageratum.

 

[jason g.]

Thanks. Guess I'll go get a bunch of marigolds and citronella plants tomorrow. Was also thinking of bringing him indoors for a couple days so I could spray.

Be careful they aren't African or French marigold. They are supposed to be poison. Wild marigold or potted marigold are supposed to be OK.

 

[EKLC]

Check out this bacteria which kills mosquito larvae
http://www.arbico-organics.com/category/natural-mosquito-control-products

 

[lynnedit]

if you have standing areas of water, including gutters, etc., that can be a source.

This info applies to turtle ponds, but contains generally good advice.
http://www.tortoise.org/general/pondvectorcontrol.html

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

I keep our garden pond stocked with goldfish, so the mosquito larvae haven't a chance to become problems.

 

[Kristina]

I use cold pressed neem seed oil (works on my rose bushes, too!) I just take a dropperful and place it in a spray bottle, top it off with hot water and then shake well to emulsify it, and spray as needed. I have also used it to cure mange and treat fleas and ticks. It is completely edible and non toxic.

 

[Moozillion]

In our area they still spray/fog residential areas with both the fogging trucks and the "crop duster" type airplanes. I phoned the county agency responsible and got the names of what was used, then looked them up on the Internet. What I found was there are safer chemicals available but these were cheaper. Both these chemicals breakdown rapidly when exposed to sunlight, which is a good thing, I suppose. I don't know what chemicals your county was using. I NEVER accept governmental assurance that something is "safe." There's always varying degrees of "safe."

 

[Terry Allan Hall]

In our area they still spray/fog residential areas with both the fogging trucks and the "crop duster" type airplanes. I phoned the county agency responsible and got the names of what was used, then looked them up on the Internet. What I found was there are safer chemicals available but these were cheaper. Both these chemicals breakdown rapidly when exposed to sunlight, which is a good thing, I suppose. I don't know what chemicals your county was using. I NEVER accept governmental assurance that something is "safe." There's always varying degrees of "safe."

On "fogger days", when I lived in Ft. Worth, my torts came inside and stayed inside for the week after...fortunately, out in Da Boonies (9 miles from the nearest town) it's no longer a problem.