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ddovecity · by **ddovecity** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 9:43 am

I have these little black bugs in the bottom of my flight cages, at some point they shed their shells and turn into little wormy looking bugs. I clean out the cages and they are right back the same day. Has anyone else had these little bugs? Is there something that I can use in the cages that will kill the bugs and not harm my birds?
Your help is appreciated.
Thanks
ddovecity@yahoo.com

christie · by **christie** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 10:34 am

The bugs are probably coming from the food. Either it was old in the store, or the store itself is infested. You will need to get new food, freeze it for 24-36 hours, then clean out the cages, pressure wash/steam clean everything and put everything back. Then replace the new food. Make sure you wash all the perches, toys and cups too.

No, you can't use something to kill the bugs. 99.99% of all insecticides are toxic to our birds.

MFids · by **MFids** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 11:23 am

Christie, from speaking with a friend in the pest control company (as well as his father, brother, and MIL), their insecticides are supposed to be plant based, thus "pet safe", but that doesn't mean that you should go spraying the stuff around your pets. My friend recommends either putting them in a room that is not being sprayed, or putting them outside...

Dove, are you sure the "worm like things" are not the larvae and the black bugs the adults? They sound like beetles to me... can you get pictures? Christie has given you great advice on something to try! (although when I've found bags of infested food, I froze it and re-used it, since insects can be healthy for birds to eat, anyway... unless it was the larvae from seed/flour moths and they just took over the seed...)

christie · by **christie** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 12:05 pm

I'd be interested to find out more about the insecticide that is safer MFids. I have decided that my house sits on an ant hill and I've tried all the other baits to get rid of them. I don't want to try the sevin dust after reading the warnings and the ants are now starting to win...

MFids · by **MFids** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 2:40 pm

I know that they usually bait for ants, unless maybe you have a bad infestation? We have two anthills, and even had a colony of black ants (aka sugar ants, the type that invade your home!). For a few years now we've been fighting the black ants in our home, as they go into the sink, into our cupboards, and even our dishwasher. Making sure everything is perfectly clean helps, but doesn't stop them... I tried a few home remedies, but I've found that Boric Acid (Borax) with Confectioners Sugar mixed together and put in places that the ants will find but the animals can't get to (under carpets, in cupboards, around the sink) attracted the ants! They loved it! But within 3 days there were hardly any ants... after a week, the ants no longer went to this sweet mix, but if we saw them they were usually in the bathroom or on the floor in the kitchen... hardly saw any even then. My friend had come over with ant bait, put some on the colonies of red ants (the ones who build the hills), and I found the colony of black ants, who were also given bait. Since then, we haven't seen any more black ants in the house, and the red ant hills have less workers (not that I had any problem with the red ants, anyway...)

Diatomaceous earth, which should be found in a store such as Home Depot (?) is said to be pet safe but deadly for ants.

Here's a great article on controlling ants!
Winged Wisdom Pet Bird Magazine - Ants Be Gone! - A Bird Safe Method That Works.

Here's other sites that has lots of suggestions!
Getting Rid of Ants - Part II
Nontoxic Solutions for Ants
[Homestead] OLD FASHIONED HOME REMEDIES FOR DETERRING PESTS

I'll see if I can find anything else out, since the exterminators do have books they have to study!

christie · by **christie** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:20 pm

Thanks Monica. I tried the borox and powdered sugar, left a bunch right where they come into the house and they didn't bother with it. They seem to like the wet bait the best.

The house is a rental and hase quite a bit of termite damage, they are living under the house, in the walls, and throughout the property. I'll try anything at this point. I have them contained to where they come out of the walls, but I would love if they were at least outside all the time!! lol

I'll check out all those links and try anything at this point. Hopefully we will move within the year to a home we own and I can be rid of the infestation.

Bluesbird Exotics · by **Bluesbird Exotics** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 3:27 pm

The warnings on the boric acid are FAR more alarming than what I've heard about 5% Sevin dust. Breeders have long sprinkled Sevin dust in nest boxes with newly-hatched chicks. I've had no qualms about using it for years to run ants off. A quarter teaspoon of Sevin dust and the ants are gone within the hour. I like that a lot!

christie · by **christie** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 4:27 pm

Granted, boric acid isn't good, that is why I used it outside. It didn't work anyway, but it does work wonders for places infested with fleas!! Of course, the birds have to be out for over a week, but it got rid of a huge flea infestation in an apartment I rented years ago.

MFids · by **MFids** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:43 pm

If the ants aren't attracted to sugary baits, then maybe they are "grease" ants??? (also known as thief ants)
Grease Ants
What To Do About Household Ants

I'll see if I can get my friend to read your messages, actually! When they aren't so busy...

There's quite a bit of info about termites, too... (with info stating that it's best to allow professionals do the work since it's a complicated job) I know we have termites around here (I see the winged ones) however, I don't believe they've caused any damage to the house (haven't seen any damage!)
TERMITE PEST CONTROL, TERMITES, DO IT YOURSELF TERMITE BAITING KITS
Termite Guide - How to Kill Termites
Termite Control Options

christie · by **christie** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 6:46 pm

The termites are gone, the damage is done though. They are sugar ants, they just didn't like that particular mixture!!!! I'm going to try the boric acid, sugar and water mix next, hope it helps!

They love the Terro ant bait that is liquid, it is just hard to find.

Rosies Mommy · by **Rosies Mommy** on Mon Jul 14, 2008 8:22 pm

We get the huge water roaches in the summer that come up thru the drains so we get our house sprayed every month. The girl said that what they use is safe as long as Rosie isn't directly in it so we get the whole house sprayed and we don't have them spray along the wall where Rosie's house and playgym are. And then we just keep a really good eye on her that she don't go towards the baseboards where they do spray. She said that the stuff she uses is made by Johnson and Johnson and that it's made out of chrysanthemums. We only spray in the summer as thats the only time we have bugs and so far it has been safe for Rosie. When they come Rosie and I leave the house for half hour to an hour (even tho they said that is not necessary) and we put all the ceiling fans on and and open all the doors to let the house air out as soon as they leave just in case. I just make sure and remind then when we call to make our monthy appointments that we have Rosie so we need the stuff that is safe for her.

MFids · by **MFids** on Thu Jul 17, 2008 8:10 pm

Christie, sounds like you've got some picky ants! :wall:

I think my friend is "pms-ing" or somethin since he's being a donkey... Guys! :roll:

He says to read the label on the insecticide stuff, as all pesticide people are suppose to have the labels on the stuff that they use... and so you can see what is inside the sprays. So really, it just boils down to asking the exterminator/pesticide person, looking at the labels, and taken precautions.... Sorry I can't be of much more help!

christie · by **christie** on Thu Jul 17, 2008 9:45 pm

Thanks anyway Monica. Not worth spraying, since they are under control, most of the time. lol

mytielwoody · by **mytielwoody** on Sat Jul 19, 2008 11:43 am

My parents once had an infestation of those big black ants and my mom used a mix of baking soda and sugar and it worked wonders!

christie · by **christie** on Tue Aug 05, 2008 11:18 am

I give up!!! The tiels and finches stared eating the ants so I can't bait them!!!

Going to get some of the sevin dust that everyone loves. I do have four nestlings in the room, should I be worried about them? I do know that some breeders used to dust the nestboxes with sevin before breeding...

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