Is borax bad for tarantula

[John2097]

Has anyone use borax powder inside their tarantula room to get rid of the ant or house roach? Are they bad for tarantula, if I’m just gonna use it under the shelves? Thank you in advance

I found this thread also:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/using-boric-acid-to-kill-ants-in-the-tarantula-room.266528/

 

[Ian Brush]

Boric acid is a pesticide and would most likely kill your T. What do you need it for, I may have some suggestions.

 

[Chris LXXIX]

Technically for me should be a matter of concern only leaving such products in the same room where T's are

 

[John2097]

Boric acid is a pesticide and would most likely kill your T. What do you need it for, I may have some suggestions.

Sweet! Thanks for the reply. Yeah I’ll avoid it. As much as possible I don’t even wanna use any chemical. Right now I have glue traps.
Yes what’s your suggestion?

 

[Ian Brush]

Depending on the ant genus, you may want to try a few things. If you want to go right to something that works, I have a link for you...

https://www.amazon.com/byFormica-Ant-Products-Prevention-Climbing/dp/B00UJLH12A

Fluon is a natural mixture that hardens on the outside of glass and acrylic very well. I use it for all my ant colonies and the ants avoid it completely, although it is a little pricey, that kit has lasted me over a year and I have used it on more than 10 colonies during that time. Try it out on the outside of your T enclosures and that will fix your ant problem.

 

[John2097]

Thank you appreciate it I very much.
I’ll check it out

So far there’s no ant but during summer I see them outside the house. Tho they may go inside the house but rarely. Ohh I’m not too sure about what species of ant are they

 

[Ian Brush]

No problem. Let me know if your issue becomes worse and I will be here to help.

 

[chanda]

Borax should be safe to use in your tarantula room if it is kept out of the enclosures.

When I've had ant problems, I've used Terro Liquid Ant Baits (which contain a borax solution) to control the ants. It does take several days to see results, but then it wipes out the colony and ends the problem more effectively than sprays that just kill the ants they come into direct contact with. I have occasionally had ant incursions in my bug/reptile room (as well as in other parts of the house - and in my classroom when I'm teaching my bug/spider classes during the summer) and the liquid ant baits have taken care of the problem every time. I've placed the ant baits under shelves, in windowsills, and along baseboards in my bug/reptile room with no problems. I would not recommend actually placing them in the enclosures, but short of that, they should not cause any problems. The liquid borax stays in the bait station (except for what is ingested by the ants) and never comes into contact with my pets.

If you are using powdered borax, you'll need to use it sparingly - and be careful not to kick the dust up into the air where it could end up filtering into the enclosures. If it is carefully put down just on the floor along baseboards or under shelves, it should be safe - but you'll need to exercise caution, particularly when applying it - and when vacuuming it up.

While it is preferable to keep all pesticides and chemicals out of a bug/spider room, there are times when it becomes necessary - and at least borax does not have harmful fumes, like most pesticides do.

 

[Ian Brush]

I think the root of this whole ant issue is for us to discover the ant species and take action based on that. If you have to be so careful with borax, is it really worth using?

 

[cold blood]

food grade diatomatious earth.

 

[viper69]

Depending on the ant genus, you may want to try a few things. If you want to go right to something that works, I have a link for you...

https://www.amazon.com/byFormica-Ant-Products-Prevention-Climbing/dp/B00UJLH12A

Fluon is a natural mixture that hardens on the outside of glass and acrylic very well. I use it for all my ant colonies and the ants avoid it completely, although it is a little pricey, that kit has lasted me over a year and I have used it on more than 10 colonies during that time. Try it out on the outside of your T enclosures and that will fix your ant problem.

New to me—- do you think it can stop grain mites from climbing into T containers?

 

[Ian Brush]

New to me—- do you think it can stop grain mites from climbing into T containers?

Surely. Fluon is strong enough to stop even ants species in the genus Dorylus which are arguably the greatest climbers in the animal world. Just as long as there is enough of it and it is maintained thoroughly. Besides from that though, it will stop anything that relies on the "claw-footed method' to get up glass, acrylic, etc. Although grain and flour mites are more closely related to spiders and tarantulas, they still use the "claw-footed" climbing method to scale their way up things like ants do. What I mean by the "Claw-footed method" is basically that most creatures that fluon will work on have a claw or pad like foot structure that they use to grip surfaces called tarsal claws. These tarsal claws are used to grip the tiny irregularities on rough surfaces. But in some cases, creatures do make use of a kind of adhesion. If the surface is smooth, the critter can hold on using the adhesive action of hairs located on sticky pads (known as the arolia or pulvilli) on the tarsi. This is how ants, your tarantula, and most other insects 'feet' work.

Long story short: The fluon will stop your grain mite problem and you shouldn't have to use very much of it. It will eventually break down from being made of organic material so I would replace it after 4-6 months.

 

[Ellenantula]

I've used diatomaceous earth and also cinnamon (for ant prevention). Powders tend to stay put for me (used along baseboards in the seam between board and floor) but the risk is if your T gets loose in the room (esp if your have glue boards down as well). Hopefully you won't have any escapes -- I imagine contact with borax, DE (or even cinnamon) could be harmful.
Good luck.

 

[viper69]

Surely. Fluon is strong enough to stop even ants species in the genus Dorylus which are arguably the greatest climbers in the animal world. Just as long as there is enough of it and it is maintained thoroughly. Besides from that though, it will stop anything that relies on the "claw-footed method' to get up glass, acrylic, etc. Although grain and flour mites are more closely related to spiders and tarantulas, they still use the "claw-footed" climbing method to scale their way up things like ants do. What I mean by the "Claw-footed method" is basically that most creatures that fluon will work on have a claw or pad like foot structure that they use to grip surfaces called tarsal claws. These tarsal claws are used to grip the tiny irregularities on rough surfaces. But in some cases, creatures do make use of a kind of adhesion. If the surface is smooth, the critter can hold on using the adhesive action of hairs located on sticky pads (known as the arolia or pulvilli) on the tarsi. This is how ants, your tarantula, and most other insects 'feet' work.

Long story short: The fluon will stop your grain mite problem and you shouldn't have to use very much of it. It will eventually break down from being made of organic material so I would replace it after 4-6 months.

Thanks! The feet I know. Didn’t know some ants were better climbers than others!

Favorite ant for me are all the leaf cutters.

They are the only other animal that grows it’s own food like us.

 

[Ian Brush]

Ah, Atta! Atta is a great species (leaf-cutters). I actually have a colony of Camponotus ants that raise and harvest aphids that produce a honeydew like liquid, almost like little cows. They are incredible animals but they can become a pest as well.

 

[darkness975]

Borax should be safe to use in your tarantula room if it is kept out of the enclosures.

When I've had ant problems, I've used Terro Liquid Ant Baits (which contain a borax solution) to control the ants. It does take several days to see results, but then it wipes out the colony and ends the problem more effectively than sprays that just kill the ants they come into direct contact with. I have occasionally had ant incursions in my bug/reptile room (as well as in other parts of the house - and in my classroom when I'm teaching my bug/spider classes during the summer) and the liquid ant baits have taken care of the problem every time. I've placed the ant baits under shelves, in windowsills, and along baseboards in my bug/reptile room with no problems. I would not recommend actually placing them in the enclosures, but short of that, they should not cause any problems. The liquid borax stays in the bait station (except for what is ingested by the ants) and never comes into contact with my pets.

If you are using powdered borax, you'll need to use it sparingly - and be careful not to kick the dust up into the air where it could end up filtering into the enclosures. If it is carefully put down just on the floor along baseboards or under shelves, it should be safe - but you'll need to exercise caution, particularly when applying it - and when vacuuming it up.

While it is preferable to keep all pesticides and chemicals out of a bug/spider room, there are times when it becomes necessary - and at least borax does not have harmful fumes, like most pesticides do.

I second Terro.

 

[Crone Returns]

Has anyone use borax powder inside their tarantula room to get rid of the ant or house roach? Are they bad for tarantula, if I’m just gonna use it under the shelves? Thank you in advance

I found this thread also:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/using-boric-acid-to-kill-ants-in-the-tarantula-room.266528/

I wouldn't use it -- it's been used as an invertebrate killer.

 

[darkness975]

Has anyone use borax powder inside their tarantula room to get rid of the ant or house roach? Are they bad for tarantula, if I’m just gonna use it under the shelves? Thank you in advance

I found this thread also:
http://arachnoboards.com/threads/using-boric-acid-to-kill-ants-in-the-tarantula-room.266528/

Borax, diatomaceous earth, etc are good choices to use, but caution must be taken. If the dust is kicked up, it is not just a threat to your tarantulas but also to yourself and others.

Pool grade diatomaceous earth is severely NOT recommended for indoor use due to toxicity.

Pesticide grade diatomaceous earth, borax, etc can be used but cautiously.

Food grade diatomaceous earth is claimed to be safe for humans but I still dont trust it. Call me paranoid. And it is just as dangerous to invertebrates.

I have used these products in the past with varying success.

I have found that Terro works very well. Unlike most other ant baits that don't do squat, the ants swarmed over Terro. I had an evil degree of satisfaction watching them go after it.

 

[John2097]

Thank y’all for your reply.. Funny name for chemical (borax)it reminded me of the movie name borat

 

[Uial]

I have made such good experiences with baking soda against ants. One of my window frames had a crack through which the ants entered my room. I just put baking soda in front of that crack and within two days they were all gone and no new ants entered the room. They really hated that stuff.