How to keep Ants away from the vivarium without harming your Leopard Geckos?
Ants infestation can be deadly for geckos in vivariums. In this solution, I will explain to you some methods to eliminate ants from vivarium, which will be effective and pet friendly. Methods are given below-
Affix Double-Sided Tape- Apply Double Sided Tape around the outside and bottom or top of the vivarium around several rounds. This method helps to stick ants in one place and ants can't try to move ahead.
Note- Don't use tape near heat elements.
Put Petroleum Jelly Products- By putting petroleum jelly like Vaseline on the outside and top of the vivarium make the surface slippery and stops ants from getting in.
Apply Cinnamon or Peppermint Oil- Use Cinnamon on Carpet. This green solution helps to repel ants from the vivarium. This oil is best for those areas where ants sit for a couple of hours.
Wash vivarium using Vinegar- Wash floor and windows using Vinegar for scent trails that they leave. This method helps to make the surroundings clean.
Create Pepper Boundary- Create a black or cayenne pepper boundary because ants hate these two types of peppers.
If you don't have any choice then use traps or ant poison.
NOTE - Ant poison is very harmful to your Leopard Geckos' health.
How to clean a vivarium infested with ants?
Some steps you should follow carefully while cleaning the vivarium are as follows -
- The best way is to first remove everything like plants, substrate, etc from the vivarium and clean it properly. After cleaning, place them again in the vivarium.
- Wash and disinfect the vivarium inside and outside with the help of vivarium cleaner and disinfectant. You can easily buy this product on Amazon.
- After that, wash any food, water dishes, toys, etc that are present in the vivarium and clean them with soapy water and toothpaste. This will help to remove any traces of the ant scent.
- After that wait and let them dry completely and then place them again into the vivarium.
- Take care of the plants that were inside the vivarium.
- Remove all the soil present in the vivarium so that the ant can't hide in the roots.
- Wash leaves and step properly with clean water and be aware that there are no ants hiding in the folds of the plants.
- At last, before moving all things back into place in the vivarium, be aware to clean the surrounding with the help of vinegar to get rid of ant scent trails.