wierd question for you

[Baby Lolita]

For those of you that live in San Diego in the summer, you will understand this question. We all fight ants all summer long here. They go deep in the ground during our short summer, and come out ready to eat anything they can find when it warms up.
We never leave our cat's or dog's food setting out because of this, and now that I have a new little bird, this thought popped into my mind. Hasn't happened yet, but for those of you who live in areas where this is a problem, how do you keep ants from going after your bird's food? I work, so I'm worried if the ants get in her cage, they will get to her too. I would like to think of an idea to keep them from climbing up her cage without using anything that will hurt her. My husband thought of using double sided tape, and replacing it when needed.
Looking forward to responses.

[Graehstone]

Not a weird question at all. Check out the following thread as this has been discussed before: http://www.birdboard.com/forum/showt...highlight=ants

Hopefully you will be able to have some of your questions answered there. Although I live in the San Diego area and in a second story apartment we still have an ant problem every now and then.
But in the above mentioned thread are some good tips on what to do to get rid of them

[Baby Lolita]

I got a message that I didn't have permission to access that link.

[Graehstone]

Hmmmm Don't know what to tell you on that one. This is something that one of the administrators should be able to help you with. Write one of them a PM (private message) and I am sure they will fix it for you.

[cfulhage]

Mike, that was a post from OPL....is there another one from the regular board you could post for her?

[Graehstone]

Ahhh my bad. Sorry about that, I shall see what else I can come up with.
Ok try this and see if this has something you might want to try:
http://www.ehow.com/how_3791_rid-ants-naturally.html

[jimpierce7]

ants............oh how they are a sore subject for me ........my childhood trauma is all about those San Diego ants.........well ok I don't actually remember it as I was only 2 but my desire for the destruction of all things ants still carries on!!

[birdsnthings]

Had a problem with ants as well at my former house.
If you can put the wheels of the cage in water, they ants won't cross water.......does work. I used Camicide to control those pesky piss ants as they are called. It worked. Now if we only would get a good freeze one winter which would take care of the over populaltion.....
Alice

[Baby Lolita]

I thought of the wheels in the water, but I am worried the metal will rust because it would have to set in it for months.

We have tried a lot of suggestions outside, but they become resistant to stuff, and it doesn't work anymore. I have lived here my whole life, and I know we didn't have these guys 20 years or more ago.

I still haven't heard if anyone has ever had a problem with ants in a bird cage.

[Rubyred]

I only put food in the cage that ants won't usually go for....ie pellets, seeds, and nuts. Anything that ants like ( fruit, people food, veggies, snacks of the like) are only served on the play stands and is cleaned up right away before the ants find it. I don't believe in spraying poison outside or anywhere so I use soapy water to catch them and wipe them up if I see a line. Plus, I check on the birds many times a day to make sure there aren't any ants around or in the cage. If I do get some in there I move the birds and cages and clean until they are gone. It takes the ants a long time to "re-locate" the food once it is moved and all ant traces are cleaned away. I know...it sucks. I live in Santee where it is particularly bad during ant season.

If it's a particularly bad ant season I sometimes end up using those Grant's ant stakes outside. They work well if you pour hot water on them before setting them in a place where kids and pets can't get them. The ant do become resistant so you have to change brands every season.