Pests: ants & geckos

[rhumbaba]

Help, I live in a condo and we just can't get rid of the ants (I have sprays, baits, poison etc. all over the place) and to make matters worse we've also got loads of lizards/geckos. I thought they were supposed to help get rid of the little blighters.

We've been in Singapore for over 2 years now and had a small amount of both ants and geckos in our old place, but since moving to a different condo a few months ago all I seem to do is spend half my time clearing up gecko poop, which is driving me mad, looks disgusting and dirty, and is definitely unhygienic, and the other half of my time fighting the invasion of ants. We have huge big ants (mainly in the bathrooms and living areas), and tiny little ones in their masses in the kitchen and study/spare room.

It's getting ridiculous. Has anyone got any tips to help.

[prkravi]

You mean you let Geckos into your existence, how did you do that?

Anyways, I read somewhere, that Peacock feathers in the house drive geckos away...call me crazy, but its there all over the net.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Clean the house?

Seriously, get the house disinfected first and then some maintenance bait/poison. But spare a though for the geckos. They are your friends and not your enemies. While they do feed on ants they can be overwhelmed by ants as well and if you find large reddish ants, be careful has they have painful bites. You don't normally find them in the house fortunately, but they seem to love hybiscus plants and gardenia and fences. But geckos do like mozzies as well.

[beppi]

There's something called "Insecticide Chalk" available very cheaply in my local DIY shop. It's made in China and one of the greatest inventions of ant-fighting mankind: Just draw one or two lines across an ant-trail and the next day the ants are gone. I tried it on whole nests: Circle around the entrance and they're all gone in no time!
It does not seem to work on the big ants (which don't normally come into houses anyway) and, despite it being labelled "non-toxic", I won't use it near food or anywhere my daughter can reach.

Geckos are our friends, and cute. You should never kill one!
I have never seen other lizards in Singapore houses.

[ev-disinfection]

Well, all pest will be there if there is a food source.....
Any food bits on the floor or other surfaces will attract the ants.
There are ant baits available in the shops, also consider sealing the cracks in the walls, cause when it rains, the ants will move homes.
as for the geckos (good guys) just have to toilet train them... no no no

Are there flies / moths in your home? if yes, then geckos will be there.
you might consider using magnetic mesh over your windows, they sell them at DIY stores.

If the problem persist, consult a pest control company. There are some under sundaymorningstaple's signature link.

Hope this helps, post back to tell us how it went....
Cheers

[rhumbaba]

Thanks to everyone for all the advise.

I already have the baits, and some spray poison, but they don't seem to be sufficient, so I'll be trying the chalk stuff next.

The appartment we are in was filthy when we moved in and I cleaned and disinfected everywhere, and am pretty manic about keeping the place spotless (my poor husband gets no end of grief from me when I find crumbs or unwashed plates and cups lying around), so I'm already doing everything I can to avoid leaving food around to encourage them. I think part of the problem is that the place is old, with gaps down the back of the kitchen cupboards etc. which I've tried to seal and also put poison down, but seem to keep producing an endless supply of ants. My landlord isn't willing to fix anything, so we have to live with it and make the best of it, but I can't get behind/underneath to clean and poison, which I think might help. Anyway, I'll try the chalk and see how we go.

As for the geckos, I know they're supposed to be the good guys, and I used to really appreciate them in our old place (in small numbers, for their insecticide value if nothing else), but here we have so many, and they don't make a dent on the insect population and just poo everywhere, every day. So I'm sorry if it seems cruel, but I can't keep sharing my house with so many of them , and their poo. Any tips to help get rid of them, or at least reduce their numbers would be great. It can't be hygenic, I have to wash up all my plates, cups, cutlery etc. before using them every day because they leave mess everywhere and get in all the cupboards and drawers, so please don't tell me how wonderful they are.

[prkravi]

Have you tried the Peacock Feathers? It worked for few of my friends.

[beppi]

If you kill the Geckos, you'll have to kill the insects yourself that they would have otherwise eaten (and converted into poo).
It's your choice.
But from your description, maybe a visit to a pest control company is in order? Or changing the kitchen cupboards? Both on your own expense if the landlord wouldn't pay.
Again your choice.
Or becoming more tolerant to fellow creatures who have lived there longer than you.
Admittedly not the easiest choice.

[JR8]

Or becoming more tolerant to fellow creatures who have lived there longer than you.

Don't expect a gecko's average lifespan is more than a year. So the Disneyesque platitudes seem a little misplaced.

[beppi]

How wrong you are: Average Gecko lifespan is 5 - 7 years!

http://www.petsuppliesplusfl.com/Animal ... egecko.htm

They are also territorial and rarely move.

[JR8]

How wrong you are: Average Gecko lifespan is 5 - 7 years!

http://www.petsuppliesplusfl.com/Animal ... egecko.htm

They are also territorial and rarely move.

[Sad Panda]

This worked for me before, maybe it will for you.

This Ant Annihilator is made from granulated Sugar, Water, and Boric Acid. Be aware that Boric Acid is Poisonous; so handle it carefully, and keep the mixture out of the reach of Pets and Children.

This should be effective on most Ants since they tend to crave sweets.
Mix it as follows:

1 Heaping teaspoon of Granulated Sugar
1 Level teaspoon of Poisonous Boric Acid powder
1 Teaspoon of HOT water
COMPLETELY dissolve the Boric Acid in the HOT water. Mix the sugar into it until it is dissolved. Half fill small caps like those found on milk jugs and soda bottles.
Place the caps where Ants are a nuisance. To protect pets from this POISON, place the caps inside plastic containers that have holes punched in to allow the Ants to enter. Mark the container with "Skull and Crossbones" Poison symbol. When the Ants are gone, dispose of the containers properly.

This is a Very strong recipe. Increasing the sugar to a whole cup should still be very lethal to Ants. Of course, it would require adding a cup of hot water to dissolve it. $6.00 will buy 12 ounces of Boric Acid; enough to last you and your neighbors for years, if the container is kept air-tight and cool.

http://www.gardengrapevine.com/AntKiller.html

If they are after protein instead of sugar http://tipnut.com/ant-killer/ has a few other recipes you can try.

[ksl]

My cat brings these long lizards home with curly toe nails, maybe tree geckos about 30 to 40cm long, she likes to let them run around the house and chase after them.

Harmless i guess, as i pick them up and sit them on my arm for a minute or two, holding the tail, before putting them in the tree outside. Though i go crazy when she brings the pigeons home, feathers flying all over the place We don't see or hear many geckos at all one or two at most.

[JR8]

My cat brings these long lizards home with curly toe nails, maybe tree geckos about 30 to 40cm long, she likes to let them run around the house and chase after them.

Harmless i guess, as i pick them up and sit them on my arm for a minute or two, holding the tail, before putting them in the tree outside. Though i go crazy when she brings the pigeons home, feathers flying all over the place We don't see or hear many geckos at all one or two at most.

It is said that cats are the only animals with the capacity to kill for pleasure, besides ourselves.

[sundaymorningstaple]

The Orca is also known to kill for sport.