Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I live in South Carolina and would love to keep my EBTs outside. Unfortunately, our area is infested with ants. What can I treat my yard with that won't harm my turtles?

Sevendust (Cevindust) I think is suppose to be safe for around pets. I have used it sparingly before in the turtle pen without any affects.

Sevin dust would NOT be my first choice!! Read the label carefully...it is toxic, although perhaps slightly less so than some other insecticides.

I would be inclined to use Diatomaceous Earth if I had to use something around animals, and I'd use the ant bait tins in the vicinity (but not within the turtle pen).

I was going to suggest DE also! It is not a chemical. It is not toxic to people or reptiles. It is a mineral that will make tiny cuts in an insects external skeleton and they will dehydrate. I use it around my chickens. Even if your turtle eats some ants killed by DE it will not hurt your turtle. Theoretically, all it would do is kill any internal parasites your turtle might have! I don't know about slugs, but it is not supposed to hurt earthworms either!
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0.1.0 ornate box turtle
1.0.0 eastern box turtle
1.0.0 Yellow belly slider
0.1.0 Red belly cooter
0.1.0 Australian shepard
1.11.0 chickens
1.0.0 Dutch(rabbit)
3.2.0 children (do I still count the married ones?)
1.0.0 husband

The problem with any chemical insecticides is that box turtles like to eat bugs and bugs also get into and onto the food that we put out for them as well, and if that chemical can kill an insect it can make a turtle or even a person who comes in contact or ingests it sick at the least and dead in high enough amounts. Another possibility would be to put a strip of copper sheeting around the entire sides of the pen, this does two things it creates a small electrical change that inscects (especially slugs) do not like and creates a slippery vertical that is not easy for them to navigate so they will take an easier route and go elsewhere. Good housekeeping and not leaving uneaten food in the pen will reduce attraction too. I would guess this would be of much more concern for hatchling or even juvi than adults. Adults would dig under or go to water if things got ugly.
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You got your regius's to the wall, man!
1.0 pastel Python regius
0.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
0.2 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.1 Ambystoma tigrinum
1.1 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.1 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
1.1 heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus

Unfortunately not letting slugs and other crawling bugs for that matter into the pen is a big negative, because they are a good natural supplimental food source.
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You got your regius's to the wall, man!
1.0 pastel Python regius
0.1 mojave Python regius
0.1 normal Python regius
0.2 Terrapene carolina thriunguis
2.3 Terrapene carolina carolina
4.1 Kinosternon baurii
1.1 Malaclemys terrapin terrapin
2.1 Ambystoma tigrinum
1.1 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.0 anerythristic Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis
1.1 Iowa snow Thamnophis radix
1.1 heterozygous for amelanistic,carmel, and stripe Pantherophis guttatus
0.1 anerythristic motley Pantherophis guttatus