Insect Question

[JT_Hunter]

I have searched this site and not found much on insects. My rabbits are in a rather open environment, inside of a floorless tent, pretty much in the woods. I am concerned about insects getting to them. Is there any way to prevent this?

 

[MaggieJ]

What insects are you concerned about in particular? You can hang fly strips to keep the numbers down. Ticks and fleas should not be a major concern if your rabbits are in cages above ground level. Mosquitoes can be repelled by hanging bunches of fresh catnip in the rabbitry and bruising them to release the scent.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I know I have ants and spiders...as I remember someone said to add a bit of vanilla to water to reduce flies...don't remember the amount...may do that..yes, all cages are above ground...starting around 2 feet..

 

[Anntann]

If you're "natural" or organic in orientation, you could dust the floor with DE (diatomaceous earth) from the garden supply (food grade or what is used by garden centers..NOT the stuff for pools). If you don't mind a chemical, dust the floor with SEVEN 5%. It's pyrethrins, and safe for rabbits and humans. hmm. You could actually plant chrysanthemums around the outside of your tent. they're a natural insect repellent. also marigolds.

fly strips to keep the flies down. (you could also get a few guinea fowl to control insects..but then you have a whole NEW set of problems! :lol: )

 

[eco2pia]

It seems to me, the rabbits' activity keeps the spiders out of the way...the ants are only a problem if you have those fire ants...or if you feed lots of kitchen scraps/fruit. Ants have never bothered mine for pellets and hay and greens, but they like dog and cat food. I use lime under the cages to keep the flies down for now, plan to add poop chutes soon and solve the problem by not having a poop accumulation.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I have those poop chutes...works great...wash them down real well each weekend..

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

vanilla-- one teaspoon per gallon of drinking water, DE is wonderful-I had my rabbits in a situation similar to yours-- never had a spider issue-- if there is ample air movement, the spiders stay away (spiders want still air so they can 'feel' the web movements bu caught insects) Never had ants, either--but then, the poultry took care of all manner of pests in the area-- and kept the ground cleared of wasted food, so as not to attract mice and other vermin,

 

[JT_Hunter]

Thanks for the help...and relief on this...seems I am probably OK...just wanted to be sure....

 

[Iggysbabysitter]

I use deep bedding in my colony shed, and there are surprizingly few bugs around. A few mosquitos, a few house flies, not much else. Maybe add a bale of hay to keep down the bug population?

 

[SatinsRule]

JT, not sure if Diazenone crystals are still sold, but I will tell you that it works wonders on ants. I used it to get rid of fire ants the first 2 years I lived in Florida (until I realized that something in my dog's poop was very effective at killing the entire colony).

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Um... :shock: ...would it be completely weird ask to borrow your dog for awhile? :lol: We have the WORST ant issues here in SE Texas. Seriously, I think one day they will just overrun us in our sleep!

Shannon, who will do ANYTHING to get rif of the ants.

JT, not sure if Diazenone crystals are still sold, but I will tell you that it works wonders on ants. I used it to get rid of fire ants the first 2 years I lived in Florida (until I realized that something in my dog's poop was very effective at killing the entire colony).

 

[SatinsRule]

Um... :shock: ...would it be completely weird ask to borrow your dog for awhile? :lol: We have the WORST ant issues here in SE Texas. Seriously, I think one day they will just overrun us in our sleep!

Shannon, who will do ANYTHING to get rif of the ants.

JT, not sure if Diazenone crystals are still sold, but I will tell you that it works wonders on ants. I used it to get rid of fire ants the first 2 years I lived in Florida (until I realized that something in my dog's poop was very effective at killing the entire colony).

The offending dogs are both passed on now.

I got tired of having to bag up their stools every week, and couldn't help but notice how the ant colonies would literally decimate anything that fell on their mounds. I thought, well, if I can't get rid of these darn things, I might as well get some usage out of them. I'd take the dogs out to "go", and after they were finished with their bidness, I grabbed the scooper, patrolled it, then dumped their excrement onto the HUGE fire ant mounds, and sure enough, here came a couple thousand eager worker ants, intent on toting it down to the queen. It went on for 3-4 days, then the colony suddenly disappeared like the Lost City of Atlantis. A few weeks later, another colony appeared in a different section of the yard. Same routine, same result. Eventually, no fire ants.

To this day, the only thing I can attribute it to was the heartworm preventative I gave the offending golden retrievers. Whatever it was, it sure beat the heck out of stepping into an active colony and getting tons of ant bites.

 

[fuzzy9]

I've noticed ants the last couple days, just the regular type, walking around parts of the cages. I know I can pick up the food grade DE in town, so I just sprinkle it on the ground around the cages?

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I've noticed ants the last couple days, just the regular type, walking around parts of the cages. I know I can pick up the food grade DE in town, so I just sprinkle it on the ground around the cages?

yes-- but be aware of this-- in order for DE to remain effective, it must stay dry! That helps the DE cut up exoskeletons-- keeps an 'edge' on the particles. Once wet,the DE needs to be ingested.

Something else that works for ants, and other insects-- powdered bori acid-- must stay dry-- the insects clean it off themselves, then dehydrate.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I do not want to put anything chemical on the ground...as my beagle loves to eat some bunny dropings...one of her things to look forward to each day...

 

[fuzzy9]

JT, I've actually read that some horse people use food grade DE in their worming program for their horses, so it should be fine for the beagle, and keep him parasite free.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I will keep that in mind...for now...the insects are not a problem...I was mostly looking to get ahead of an issue before it got out of hand..

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I have used DE as a parasiticide on my sheep and dogs-- and as a dust bath for my chickens.


How to kill fleas on a dog---

Let the dog drink a can of beer. Dust DE into his coat. The fleas drink his blood, get drunk, and then, in a typical picnic brawl, start throwing rocks at each other...

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I was just kidding, FYI... :lol: That is what I get for trying to make a joke when I am exhausted!

I am sorry that your doggies have passed on...interesting theory about the Heartworm meds, though.

The offending dogs are both passed on now.

To this day, the only thing I can attribute it to was the heartworm preventative I gave the offending golden retrievers. Whatever it was, it sure beat the heck out of stepping into an active colony and getting tons of ant bites.

 

[SatinsRule]

I was just kidding, FYI... :lol: That is what I get for trying to make a joke when I am exhausted!

I am sorry that your doggies have passed on...interesting theory about the Heartworm meds, though.

The offending dogs are both passed on now.

To this day, the only thing I can attribute it to was the heartworm preventative I gave the offending golden retrievers. Whatever it was, it sure beat the heck out of stepping into an active colony and getting tons of ant bites.

I didn't figure you were being serious, as was evidenced by the :lol: you posted up at the time!

It's just a theory, but it's the only explanation I can come up with, as their heartworm preventative was the only thing we ever fed them outside the ordinary food, and their food would be unlikely to ever cause it. I'm left to assume that some trace amounts of the preventative we gave them every month somehow wound up in their stools and the ants were wiped out when they consumed it.

As you know, fire ants will devour anything in rather short order and the colony will thrive on it. When the same thing wipes out colony after colony, there's something involved which is effective at wiping it out.

And the dogs lived very long lives, too. One lived to the age of 13, and the other lived to almost 15. :icecream: