Will ants be harmful to tortoise?

Jessica Yue

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I saw several ants in the tortoise outdoor enclosure. Some of them are even in the tortoise shell and legs. Will that be harmful to tortoise? Should I use some ants killer liquid to kill the ants?
 

Tom

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I saw several ants in the tortoise outdoor enclosure. Some of them are even in the tortoise shell and legs. Will that be harmful to tortoise? Should I use some ants killer liquid to kill the ants?
Yes. Ants can be harmful. They can kill your tortoise. You need to get rid of them.

What type of ants are they? Little black ants? Big red ants?

In some circumstances, the Terro Ant Baits work well and are a safer, less toxic option. In the cases Amdro Ant Granules are the way to go, but this is a toxic poison, so you must use it more carefully and never let your tortoise gain access to the product.
 

Jessica Yue

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Yes. Ants can be harmful. They can kill your tortoise. You need to get rid of them.

What type of ants are they? Little black ants? Big red ants?

In some circumstances, the Terro Ant Baits work well and are a safer, less toxic option. In the cases Amdro Ant Granules are the way to go, but this is a toxic poison, so you must use it more carefully and never let your tortoise gain access to the product.

Little black ants. Are they very bad? There are not a lot. But I do see about 10 in the enclosure soil and 3 in the one tortoise shell and legs
 

Jessica Yue

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Yes. Ants can be harmful. They can kill your tortoise. You need to get rid of them.

What type of ants are they? Little black ants? Big red ants?

In some circumstances, the Terro Ant Baits work well and are a safer, less toxic option. In the cases Amdro Ant Granules are the way to go, but this is a toxic poison, so you must use it more carefully and never let your tortoise gain access to the product.
And is Cinnamon harmful to tortoise? I heard Cinnamon is a natural repellent for ants. I plan to put some cinnamon powder in the enclosure
 

Tom

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And is Cinnamon harmful to tortoise? I heard Cinnamon is a natural repellent for ants. I plan to put some cinnamon powder in the enclosure
If you are seeing 13 ants, there are probably 13 million close by waiting for their scouts to tell them where the food is.

Put some cinnamon powder on your pillow before bed tonight and then come back and tell me how you liked it in the morning. Your tortoises nose is less than an inch form the ground at times. I wouldn't want my tortoise snorting cinnamon all day.
 

ariesxiao

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Fire ants will be a problem which is toxic and may bite your tortoise. Regular little black ants look ok. It may bother your tortoise and make him uncomfortable if there are too many in your tortoise's body, But small amount of little black ants should be ok. If you put your tortoise outdoor, it is normal to suffer from those insects since they are part of the nature.
 

Pastel Tortie

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If you find a bunch of ants crawling all over your tortoise, a good soak should help provide some immediate relief. You can make the water level a bit deeper than normal, provided you keep a lifeguard on duty. (Factor in the flipping/drowning risk.)
 

ZEROPILOT

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Not all ants are very dangerous.
Some are no issue at all.
Fire ants can swarm and kill your tortoise.
Others bite, too. And identifying every ant you see is probably impossible.
Treat any areas of your yard where your tortoises NEVER roam with ant killing granules.
Remove all uneaten food and avoid any foods that seem to attract ants inside your enosure. At least while you're battling them.
 

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