Serious ant issue need advice ASAP

[gibsongrrrl]

ok y'all I give up. I think we are going to have to have an exterminator come out. These things are coming out of the walls and vents. I've been trying to control it for about ten days now and when I get one area under control they start coming out in another spot. Have put out a total of 12 of those plastic bait traps everywhere but the bird room, which there were no ants in until tonight and my house is covered in baby powder, most of the vents are now duct taped over, we are constantly cleaning their trails, I don't know what else to do. I don't have access to the bottom floor but the owner says he isn't seeing them there, which I don't really believe because he is a pig. I know because I have to clean up after him at work. Leaves soda cans in the bathroom there and crumbs all over the floor around his desk in his office which has caused ants there before. Started in my bathroom. Got all that blocked and they came out the other side of the wall from behind a shelf bracket above this cabinet unit on the far end of the kitchen. Got that surrounded with baby powder and put 6 traps there. Then they came out of the vent where my bed is on the other side of the kitchen. Blocked that and they started coming up from the burners that are on the kitchen island. Got that blocked and put more traps. I had already put cinnamon all the way around the walls in the bird room which is on the other side of the bathroom they first started coming out of and now they are coming out of the wall in their closet which is that same bathroom wall. I duct taped the whole closet frame and the bottom of the wall where it meets the floor tonight and put the cage wheels in dishes with water. Been vacuuming daily and hitting up the stuff they throw with a dust buster. this has to stop. Since most of the vents are now taped over it is too cold to move them anywhere else and it's below freezing here now. I have cinnamon all the way around their air vent so I could leave it open but it's just a matter of time before they come out of it I am sure. Clearly there is a serious infestation. What can I have the exterminator do and how long do I need to remove the birds for when I have them come? Need to figure this out soon as I have already lost two days wages last week working in this and it's seriously affecting my sleep because I'm up all night trying to contain them. Had to take off tomorrow as well. Losing my mind over here. We are all packed to move again so when they decide to hit up the living room where all the boxes are its going to be impossible to deal with. I'm now sleeping in there and it already looked like a darn storage facility. I remember someone here saying their hubby was an exterminator but can't remember who. Hoping they will see this or someone that has had to have an exterminator come can give me advice. I have never had to have any of my residences sprayed before in all my 36 years. FREAKING OUT.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

Go to the wal mart garden center and buy some TERRO or go on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&k...qmt=b&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_27wsqp1scm_b

It WORKS fantastic

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Can I use those in the bird room, Bonnie? Will get some in the morning if so.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Everyone is covered and the air purifier is in high so I just snuck back in with a flashlight to check to see if my duct tape worked and no ants so far. Fortunately they must have just started going in not too long before bedtime so I caught it fast. No telling what is going on in the closet though. Should have gotten the travel cages out before sealing it with tape but they just went on one trip to the vet recently and I cleaned them beforehand so shouldn't be any food in them but there could be a few crumbs. Don't recall them eating on the trip and took the dishes out so fingers crossed they just go back in that wall. Everything else in there is either toys or parts and they are all in sealed containers or totes.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Those Terro traps are the only thing I'll use around my birds. I had to put some down not long ago for some little ants.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Have you ever had to have an exterminator out before? If we can make it to the weekend I can have it done Friday and leave with all the animals for a few days. It just seems there is a serious issue. So creepy they are in the walls.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Those Terro traps are the only thing I'll use around my birds. I had to put some down not long ago for some little ants.

Oh awesome!!

 

[gibsongrrrl]

I have used the little square terro traps before around the birds because it says no fumes, odors, vapors but haven't messed with the liquid ones before.

 

[gibsongrrrl]

Poor dogs are all fenced in too.

 

[Danita]

We just put the ant spray in all the door ways on the outside. It stopped them from coming in.

 

[Danita]

I didn't have a problem like you, maybe it wouldn't work. I know we had an exterminator come for ants where I worked and sprayed the perimeter of the house on the outside and in any sort of crevices that it looks like they come through.
Where I used to live we had to spray the whole building and we took the birds to the vet for 2 nights.

 

[Macawnutz]

Use the liquid ones. Just put them out of harms way. It takes a day or two but they work.

 

[Clueless]

My birds are clipped and no other pets. We use the liquid terro (?) stuff. Once it is out the ants seem to increase, but that's good. They're hauling the chemical back to their nest and they will all die.

May take more than one treatment.

 

[Macaw Lover]

I stopped using the Terro stuff because it was not working. Get your hands on Sevin from a garden place and dust that around. That stuff is safe to use around the birds, breeders have been using it for years in the nests and you will see bodies within 1/2 hr, it works that quick.

Dust it around everywhere you see them and then I would dust it around the perimeter where all your boxes are too then go get some sleep.

 

[rocky'smom]

I use Red pepper flakes and water boiled together then steeped for over night. strain out the red pepper flakes until you have clear red liquid. this spray can be use outside on steps and along the foundation. it must be re applied after a rain.

 

[saroj12]

my vet only allows diatomaceous earth. It looks messy around the perimeter of the room but no more ants or bugs!

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Oh awesome!!

Yep, I used the liquid ones. Sometimes it takes a little bit and sometimes it knocks them out within a day or two. Maybe it depends on if you're dealing with one nest or multiple.

The diatomaceous earth is supposed to be good, but it's just to kill on contact. You could use that close to the cages as a barrier to keep the ants from questing too close while you're luring them in with the Terro.

 

[Nikomania]

I take a solution of boric acid, sugar and water, soak cotton balls with the solution and place it near their trails. You have to be patient while the ants feast on the 'goodies' and take some back to their next. Within 2-3 days they're all gone.

 

[Tim]

I used diatomaceous earth with great success. Because it acts on the waxy coating of insects, and is not a chemical it is completely safe. You can even eat it. (It's available as food-grade.) Use it generously everywhere you have seen ants. It's the only thing I'll use.

 

[saroj12]

I used diatomaceous earth with great success. Because it acts on the waxy coating of insects, and is not a chemical it is completely safe. You can even eat it. (It's available as food-grade.) Use it generously everywhere you have seen ants. It's the only thing I'll use.

yes, definitely buy the food grade, not the one used in pools.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KPXGNT...SSF2ZFE1H9QFV72S0&ie=UTF8&qid=1482169357&sr=1
they also have a 10 lb size