ANTS…..Ugghh!!

[Roberta]

We have a serious ant problem in my area and every summer the dry conditions drive them indoors taking over kitchens, crawling on pet food getting into any thing and everything. I have tried all sorts of sprays and other remedies and whilst the pesticides are fine for areas away from my cats and bunnies I certainly can’t use it in their areas. They will even make bridges and rafts from their own bodies to cross water barriers.

Does anyone know what might keep them out of the hutch and the greens, they are after the water and making a menace of themselves. It’s bad enough we are experiencing temperatures in the high 30’s celcius (it’s been over 100 F every day this week and will be up round 105 every day for another week and I don’t have aircon just a swamp cooler) the buns don’t need crawling invaders in their bunny condo too.

I have tried corn flour barriers and sprays using garlic, vinegar and chili but these are only effective for a few hours. I’ve tried the ground sage also that didn’t work at all.

I am going to have to use pesticide all around the perimeter of the house but this takes a few weeks to actually get all the nests and I need to stop their progress in the interim.

Ideas?

[Monkeybun]

Peppermint oil seems to work. i think it messes with their pheromones.

[Roberta]

Peppermint Oil ? Hmm. just wondering where I can buy that, sure I’ll find it though. Worst case I can try a fresh peppermint infusion in a spray bottle.
just announced on the news it was the hottest day in 47 years and the hottest week since 1962 and me with a house full of baby buns. Argh….My freezer is so full of coolie packs for the buns there’s no room for hooman food.
And its going to get hotter.
At least it seems to be stopping some of the ants, even they can’t handle it.

[MayaConsuelo]

This ant spray is the only thing I’ve ever used that got rid of ants (I was plagued by them for several years, especially in the kitchen):

Ecosmart Ant/Roach killer. It’s basically essential oils. I wouldn’t spray it directly where any pets would be, but sprayed around the point of entry for the ants and the trails they followed, then wiped it off. The scent lingers behind and bothers the ants so they don’t return. The only thing with essential oils is you have to be consistent (spray around the ant areas and wipe down every day at least, twice a day is better.) Plus then you’re left with a very strong smell, however it’s herbal which is nicer than chemical.

No more ants since I moved to NYC but now we have ROACHES! Ugh! I don’t let the exterminator spray, and keep the apartment scrubbed down, but those bugs are persistent.. the other week I found a giant dead roach lying on its back in Mr. Bun-Bun’s cage!!!! Gross… since we don’t poison I can only assume it died of natural causes… or the rabbit killed it!

[Stickerbunny]

Terro works really well against ants, if you can place the outdoor liquid traps around (outside bunny space, but near enough to where they are messing with stuff) they should be gone pretty quick. The traps entrance is tiny so no wildlife can get into it – the poison itself is syrup and borax, so there is no smell. Can be bought at any hardware store of wal-mart. I had ants REALLY bad when we moved here, they got in the A/C (and broke it), in the mailbox (and made a nest, ew!), they were in the house and all over the yard… the terro is such a strong attractor for them, they feed off it and ignore other things until the poison works in their nests.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

What about like-double sided tape in window and door wells-or putting ant watering stations in your neighbors yard

[Kai Loves Olive]

If you find where they’re coming from blocking the area with a little ground cinnamon always works for me. For some reason they won’t cross it and I always have some on hand for baking. I don’t know if it’s bunny safe though.. Probably not

[SuperCheesetastic]

You could find peppermint oil in a health food store or perhaps some Publix stores.

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