Black ants invade hatchy rack - anyone else had this happen?

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pythonmum

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This morning when I checked on my hatchlings, about half of the click clicks had tiny black ants in them. The ants were not bothering the snakes, but seemed to be concentrating on the water bowls. I went into a cleaning frenzy, popping hatchlings into their travel containers and thoroughly washing out all click clicks. I also sprayed TOD around outside of the rack to kill off any additional ants and deter future invaders. Has this happened to anyone else? I have been keeping for years, but never had an ant invasion. It isn't like there is food lying around or anything. Only two of the invaded hatchlings had produced waste overnight, so they weren't after that. I suspect it was just an exploratory mission.
 
Sometimes if the weather is dryish, ants move around looking for a bit of humidity and moisture, which ties in with the interest in the waterbowls. They rarely bother the snakes.

Jamie
 
Yes, I thought it was the bowls. Pretty silly, as it is sprinkling with rain outside and was doing so yesterday, too.
 
I had them last week in my insect tubs and in my gecko room.
Poor crickets were hopping up a storm trying to flee from them.
Peppermint essence wiped over surfaces works well as a deterrent.
 
I have my beardie rack on wheels and toi stop the black ants ive put each wheel in a margarine container with a bout half an inch ( water inst touching metal only rubber strip of wheel) of water to act like an ant cap in a stumps and bearer house. seems to be working for the time being?? That or thomassss told me to use those small black plastic ant rid things that you stick to your ground and the ants take the bait to the nest and it kills them all, Im told they work well.. :)
 
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Had them in the kitchen which drives me bonkers.
DEADANT doesn't seem to do much.
But hey, on a good note, if you have ants in your yard, they keep the termites away. Saw that just recently on a gardening show.
 
Ants are just part of the circle of life included in any ecological balance. Its not necessary to kill them just because you dont value them. Is it any wonder that people "shovel" snakes as they pass by!
 
Yeah, well I do not like them in my kitchen...so as long as they are not there.
OOhh I also had a friend who had ants in her flat, they chewed through all her wiring.....sorry, but I am not having that.
 
Yeah, well I do not like them in my kitchen...so as long as they are not there.
OOhh I also had a friend who had ants in her flat, they chewed through all her wiring.....sorry, but I am not having that.
Maybe you need a thorny devil watch lizzard. lol
I get them in the walls of my snake room in winter. I guess they like the warmth.
 
I lost my Spiny Stick Insects to black ants. Ant sand around the enclosures seems to work.
 
Yeah, well I do not like them in my kitchen...so as long as they are not there.
OOhh I also had a friend who had ants in her flat, they chewed through all her wiring.....sorry, but I am not having that.
i am with you, Fay. They are welcome to be outside, but if they come near my food or animals, they must go. I don't want anything messing with my babies! My 'rack' is actually a bookshelf, so no option of putting the wheels in a container. I hope they are done with their excursions and stick to the great outdoors where the resident skinks and geckos can have a nice meal of them. A thorny devil would be lovely, but we don't have that many!
 
There has been threads of ants killing outdoor pythons so when it comes to my herp room i will not stand for them in there, outside they are welcome dwell in the garden. :)
 
But hey, on a good note, if you have ants in your yard, they keep the termites away. Saw that just recently on a gardening show.

That's like saying those snake repellers work. Termites will still attack a home in the presence of black ants.
 
Ants we are having problems too! If you place an ice-cream container on floor with brick in it then bookshelf on top then add water this will help.
Wokka if you let inside ants live and over populate does that mean that cockroaches are free to run ramped also?
 
Follow the trail as far back to the nest as you can and apply some Antrid, the nest will be dead in no time.
 
Ants we are having problems too! If you place an ice-cream container on floor with brick in it then bookshelf on top then add water this will help.
Wokka if you let inside ants live and over populate does that mean that cockroaches are free to run ramped also?
Great to read your creative solution. If everyone nuecs every bit of unwanted life, there will soon be nothing left. On one hand most people on this site are appauled at killing reptiles but the solution to other unwanted life is sometimes just to nuec them. Sometimes a little thought can allow us to deter them or even tolerate them, particularly if they are just passing by.
 
All animals have the right to live but Only if they stay outside, and in my opinion any animal I have restricted to an enclosure is my responsibility is to keep it safe, healthy and happy.
Ps I should clarifie ants, blowflies, cockroaches eg bugs is what I'm referring to.
 
Yeah, well mine aren't just passing by...they have set up tents...:)
 
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