casper Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 I hope someone can help me out here. Ive just got back in from work and noticed ants all over my room carpet where the birds are kept. Ive been outside and they are coming in through an air vent. The air vent dosent lead directly into the room through the wall so I presume they are coming up through the floorboards, I cant find where. I know there are standard ant killing powders which I wouldnt use as I know they would be dangerous to the birds. What can I do to get rid of them? Also if I treat outside the vent with a standard killer would the fumes come in and harm the birds? Any help is most welcome, I am sat with my feet off the floor lol, its horrible, Ive never had ants inside the house before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Natasha Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Hi Casper I also have that problem lots of ants I take bodycream (odourless) and put it around the wheels of the stand they don't climb on any more and babypowder also works just be carefull if the CAG climbs down that he doesn't eat it!!!!!!!! There is this new thing from Verimark can't remember the name you plug it into the wall it's safe for birds and keeps all bugs,ant,roaches ect. away in the house will get the name for you I am gonna get me 2 of those!! But please remeber to keep the birds away form the wheels of the stand if you put cream or babypowder!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 There are some "Bird Safe" and of course people and animal safe home remedies that work. Here's some Ant deterrent tips: Here's some things you may want to try before reaching for that can of insecticide, depending on the application: - Ants hate vinegar; so spray it around doorways and other areas they frequent to repel them. A small container of vinegar mixed with honey placed in affected areas appears to do the trick too. - Baby powder will stop them dead in their tracks. It dries them up, like diatomaceous earth. - Baking soda can deter ants - pour a solid line in areas of activity and they won't cross it. - A ring of coffee grounds around entry ways, critter food bowls, sensitive plants etc. can discourage ants. - Planting mint around vegetable patches, flower beds and around the house - Quite a few people have found cinnamon sprinkled across ant scent trails to be very effective - Citrus oil is a good deterrent; it can soaked into a piece of string and place around scent trails. - Use a piece of chalk to draw a line over trails - again, the ants won't cross it. Chalk also has the advantage of being able to be used on vertical surfaces Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Thankyou so much! I just rang a couple of companies up and they all use chemical products. I have found the hole they are coming up from, shall I blast it with talc for now? My skin is crawling!:sick: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 Karma to both of you when I can:kiss: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Casper, I found some non odor, safe spray at Home Depot just for ants. I use that where needed. There is no odor, no residue. It looks like water, and works really well. B) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 7, 2009 Author Share Posted May 7, 2009 You have all been so helpful, thankyou very much:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GorgASS Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 a line of cinnamon(sp) also stops ants from crossing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Use Cinnamon! It's smells nice and it has NO side effects! We get hughe Carpetner ants here on the East Coast and they hate that smell. My daughter in Cali told me about it lol Dan- Ohhh Baby powder? oh Im gonna have to get some of that! lol even though my baby is 14 now but hey that's good to know! Thank You Dan! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Baby powder works great, so does cinnamon, but I left cinnamon off the list because I'm selfish and like it for myself. Both smell good too, to thats a plus along with the good riddance to ants. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eckobird Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 This is all great information! Thanks guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jamalbirdbiz Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted May 7, 2009 Share Posted May 7, 2009 Caroline, I hope you get rid of the ants. This is a great thread and I'm going to try the cinnamon on the sidewalk in front of my house. Nasty little buggers better look out!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 Thankyou to everyone again:) I have used the baby powder but will also get some cinnammon as well, we have also blocked the hole they were coming in. What a shock today though I can tell you! There were loads of the little buggers everywhere!:sick: Its great to learn something new everyday dont you think? I would rather use one of these methods anyway instead of chemicals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave007 Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I've used borax in the past. I put some around the hole where they come from. For some reason they like that stuff. They take it back to where they came from, eat it and die. I use it outside in the back yard too.It's the same principle as with mice. There's certain poisons that they like, (certain small pellets). They eat the pellets, go back in their hiding spots and a week later they're dead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 I like that idea Dave, it might not get rid of them at the moment but give them a few days and they die. The cinnamon would be nice to use but it would only serve as a deterrent and not kill them, thank you so much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azzie Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 If you've found the nest outside, pour methylated spirits in it and on it and set fire to it. My father used to do that when I was a kid and I thought it was all rather exciting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Ohhh I forgot too I use Mama safe remedys too if they are coming through a whole use... TOOTHPASTE to block it! I have been doing it fr years at least 10. When my ex husband was in the Navy one of our neighbors told me about it and it works like a charm! Yeah they may have minty breath and a white smile{Feel-good-000200A2} but those lil bastards get stuck and die in the toothpaste too. Use the old fashioned cheap white kind. I don't use the good gel or whitening one justthe cheap 1.00 kind lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted May 8, 2009 Author Share Posted May 8, 2009 These ants are gonna smell so good and have the mintiest breath in the neighbourhood lol:laugh: Well I have come home today and there isnt one in the room! Who needs specialists when we have got each other here eh? Azzie, that sounds good will sort out the nest this weekend, Im sure the kids will love it;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Thats GreYt news Casper!! They the minty breath, atleast you'll be able to smell them coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Glad to hear it Caroline, hope you don't see any more, this is wonderful how we are solving each other's problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyric Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 These are all really great tips. I've been fighting with ants for two years now. I've tried using an ant killer called Terro that is supposed to be great- it is odorless and it's a clear sticky liquid that comes in little packs that you put out where the animals can't get to it. The ants go inside, drink the poison and take it back home with them. Well, the ants have been having Terro for breakfast, lunch and dinner for months now and just keep coming back for more. I see no decline in them, in fact they are worse now that it has been raining cats and dogs here for a few weeks. I'm going to try the cinnamon or vinegar and see what I think. Thanks to you all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZivaDiva Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 I use diatomaceous earth. It's safe around the animals and in fact, I use it on my cat and rabbits for fleas. It dries up the little critters. It works on ants, fleas, mites, roaches, spiders, etc. It's kind of like baby powder and I spread it around and the problem is gone. You can read about it on wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com It's also used for internal parasites in human and animals. I always try things that repel critters but if that doesn't work, then I don't want to use poison around my animals. It's just too scary. I had ants come in one time and kill baby hamsters I had rescued from the shelter. The poor mom was going crazy and I was able to save a few of the babies. They also went after my hermit crags. No more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarolandFamily Posted May 9, 2009 Share Posted May 9, 2009 lol@minty breath! I'm glad I could help too! Caroline im so glad those lil boogers are gone! I hate summer fr us out here because we get those GINORMOUS ants lol they scare my cat and he's a BIG ONE! Those carpetner ants are hard to kill too, I HATE summer time! :angry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casper Posted July 2, 2009 Author Share Posted July 2, 2009 Well, I opened my curtains in the family/bird room this morning and they are BACK! All over the window sill which is near Jaspers cage, I was horrified!:ohmy: I have watched to see where they are coming from and there is a gap inbetween the window frame and sill which I am gonna see if my husband Dave can maybe silicone when he gets home. I have got rid of them all and put talc down the gap for now but it makes you feel so awful having them in the house:( All our gardens are infested with them in the street where I live and they seem to be getting in where they can, any small hole it seems. Is this what they do? Ive never had them before. I thought I had solved the problem last time but the sneaky buggers have found another way in! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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