Ants getting into nest boxes and killing babies

[E Orix]

There is a way of sorting the ants out and also keeping them out of a food tray.
Size is up to you but the bottom tray must be slightly smaller than the top tray
Example top tray 300mmx250mmx75mm
bottom tray 250mmx200mmx 20mm
Place the bottom tray in position then place 2 pieces of wood 200mmx30mm sq
just higher than the tray depth. Place a liberal coating of ant sand in the tray and then
place the top tray on the pieces of wood. There should be a gap of under 10mm but
the top tray over hangs so husks etc will not fill it up.
The ants will still come but need to walk right through the ant sand and the result is
nests are wiped out. It does work

[finchbreeder]

Worst year for ants ever here too. Got the Coopex from Bunnings and sprayed all round the outside and inside of the avairys and up the walls. Seems to have worked. I used 1 sachel to 3ltrs water.
LML

[Ajw132]

Awesome thanks for your advice went and bought coopex and a spray bottle hopefully death to ants not baby finches by ants on pack says upto 4 months period but as stated by you im going to keep a bottle handy and spray again at the first sight on an ant great advice good on you finch forum users and thanks again

[finchbreeder]

Just one word of warning. We also have a small hairy grub plague here. Quail have been eating them, and naturally they are dying from the Coopex too. The grubs that is. But have lost 2 1/3 grown quail, for no apparent reason, so suspect buildup of Coopex in system.
LML

[bob21358]

I use the Woolies Permethrin Ant Killer. Its a dust which I scatter on the shelves that the nest box sits on. Permethrin has low toxicity for birds but is not completely harmless. Certainly keeps the ants away and have had no effects on the birds.

I also use coopex on the walls and ceilings. Note that the active ingredient in Coopex is Permethrin but at higher concentration.

[finchbreeder]

Coopex says use 2.5 to 5 ltrs water to a sachel. Depending on the problem. I tried 4ltrs to a sachel and it made them go away for about 10 days then back. I then used the 3ltrs to a sachel and that did the job propperly. So yes the strength of the product matters with the strenth of the pest.
LML

[Craig52]

Coopex says use 2.5 to 5 ltrs water to a sachel. Depending on the problem. I tried 4ltrs to a sachel and it made them go away for about 10 days then back. I then used the 3ltrs to a sachel and that did the job propperly. So yes the strength of the product matters with the strenth of the pest.
LML

To be honest FB, it wouldn't make any difference of how much water you use to a sachel. Being residual, once the water dries/evaporates it still leaves the same amount of powder if you use the whole lot at one time and spraying the same area,i think Craig

[finchbreeder]

Only difference I think is how thinly or otherwise it spreads over the area. But could be wrong. Maybe it was just that I was too impatient. Or putting more made it work better.
LML

[Ajw132]

Yep coopex worked a treat haven't seen an ant since and have a spray bottle handy if they do thanks for the tip