do aphids harm the garters?

[HazAnga]

I'm just wondering if a population of aphids is something to worry about in the vivarium. I have a few plants in the tank and just wondering if it is anything to worry about. I know mites are and they cause problems and even death to a snake, I'm hoping that aphids arn't anything of a serious matter, but I do plan to set my checkered's up with a BSS vivarium at some point.

[guidofatherof5]

Do you have a positive ID on the insect? If so, what is it?
How about a photo.

[HazAnga]

they are wayyyy too small to git a photo (unless i was to ask my neighbor to use his rebel to take a pic)
they are like 1mm long if that, and a brownish green colour (similar to the description of Aphids) They are starting to infest my vivarium. I'm just concerned that they would stress them out?

[guidofatherof5]

I have a no bug policy with my snakes.
I just don't know enough about them to feel safe in leaving them to live with my snakes.

[ssssnakeluvr]

they won't bother your snakes, however will reek havoc with plants

[kibakiba]

I doubt they'd hurt the snakes, but even so, I wouldn't want them anywhere near my snakes.

[HazAnga]

it's true... all i can really say is that I'm moving in 2 and a half weeks, and in 2 weeks i plan on cleaning the cage, and i think vinegar and water is going to be involved. Then maybe the setup of a BSS Viv is in order :D. unfortunatly the thinking of the whole brumation might git scraped, but they've been in a kinda cool down/ no eating time for a month or more. So that might be enough for the time being. Sucks now that things are coming into place and everything and I'm thinking of things that are going to have to happen even though I don't want it too...

[ssssnakeluvr]

removing plants will eliminate the aphids...no food for them, they die. are sap sucking insects and no danger to any snakes.

[HazAnga]

true... but the plants have been making it a nice home... I'd basically have to take apart the viv in order to git the plants out anyway...

[guidofatherof5]

I found this page on the little buggers.
How to Get Rid of Aphids (http://www.getridofthings.com/get-rid-of-aphids.htm)

[ssssnakeluvr]

a handful of ladybugs will work too :D

[HazAnga]

Yes but how to git lady bugs at this time of year...

[guidofatherof5]

Check this out:
buy lady bugs - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&aq=1&oq=buy+lady+bugs&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GPCK_enUS393US393&q=buy+lady+bugs#q=buy+ladybugs&hl=en&sa=X&rlz=1T4GPCK_enUS393US393&prmd=ivs&source=univ&tbs=shop:1&tbo=u&ei=g7rkTOOEA4WglAe4-am9CQ&oi=product_result_group&ct=title&resnum=3&ved=0CEEQrQQwAg&biw=1899&bih=867&fp=d66dc236fd112694)

[Tyrel26]

I don't know about there but I was out for a walk a couple days ago and the aphids were everywhere! As a result so were the ladybugs. Even after I got home I was still finding ladybugs on me lol.

[guidofatherof5]

Ladybugs are awesome. I once bought some for my kids to raise. They were shipped with a living area and were easy to setup.
The instruction said that a treat for them would be raisins.
I thought I'd give it a try. WOW, as I threw the raisins in the ladytbugs flew to them in mid air. They attacked them. It was amazing.

[HazAnga]

I would actually like to know why aphids appear? anyone know or do I have to do a Google search?

[guidofatherof5]

Balance of power, circle of life,:D

[HazAnga]

lol steve. I'm just wondering because if you don't have aphids and then they just appear how the hell does that work. it's like a virgin giving birth to a child (mind you I am a bit of a religious person) but like it just doesn't make sense.

[Mommy2many]

Yes but how to git lady bugs at this time of year...


If you're in the Northeast, you can find ladybugs in your house almost all the time as they make their way in for the winter.:D

[ssssnakeluvr]

lol steve. I'm just wondering because if you don't have aphids and then they just appear how the hell does that work. it's like a virgin giving birth to a child (mind you I am a bit of a religious person) but like it just doesn't make sense.

adult aphids have wings and fly. they will lay their eggs and leave. have had a lot of them here this summer

[Stefan-A]

Has it been established that we're actually talking about aphids here?

[HazAnga]

Stefan I do believe I've ID'd them as aphids. From size, colour, poop, and signs on the plants. I will be cleaning this tank out as soon as I git a afternoon to do it, which should be this weekend.

[ConcinusMan]

Aphids won't harm garters directly. More concern is to be had about the conditions that would allow aphids to thrive in the vivarium in the first place.

[HazAnga]

I've removed the snakes and now have some sort of yellowish thing my dad gave me to use. He said within 24 hours they should be dead. The tank is closed off with a towel overtop. So hopefully it will be done soon, then clean and airrate the tank and git it ready for setting up the BSS. And that should take care of those problems.

[guidofatherof5]

I've removed the snakes and now have some sort of yellowish thing my dad gave me to use. He said within 24 hours they should be dead. The tank is closed off with a towel overtop. So hopefully it will be done soon, then clean and airrate the tank and git it ready for setting up the BSS. And that should take care of those problems.


Sounds like some sort of pest strip. If so, they are very toxic.

[HazAnga]

It is some sort of pest strip. But its in this white plastic casing. My old boss used to cut them up and put them in deli cups with holes in them for help with killing mites but everything is getting washed and cleaned tomorrow or Monday.

[ConcinusMan]

They're safe to use. I don't know about garters but I've used them with Sceloporus ssp. before, and that's with the lizards still in the tanks. As long as they can't touch the strip itself, then poisoning of the animals is highly unlikely. Very effective at getting rid of ticks and mites.

[guidofatherof5]

Chemicals are chemical. Most should be avoided. I would guard against any contact with your garter snakes. Especially smaller ones.
Many times these chemicals are dangerous in their concentrations.
I believe some baby snakes are being killed by fresh/frozen fish purchased because they are treated with some chemical. In a larger animals it's not lethal but in a tiny baby it is.
Please be careful.;)

[ConcinusMan]

He's treating the tank anyway, in the absence of the snakes. Perfectly safe. Funny how we hesitate when it comes to our snakes but wouldn't think twice about putting a collar made of that same pesticide, around the necks of our cats and dogs.:cool:

[Stefan-A]

Chemicals are chemical. Most should be avoided.
Especially dihydrogen monoxide, which is in practically everything we eat and drink.

Dihydrogen Monoxide Research Division - dihydrogen monoxide info (http://www.dhmo.org/)

[guidofatherof5]

The point I'm trying to make is that our babies or very small snakes are most susceptible to any of these chemicals because of the chemicals concentration in the small body.
I think we are fed a daily supply of harmful chemicals which probably catches up with us later in life.

[Stefan-A]

My point was that the term "chemicals" covers a every single chemical substance, from elements to compounds. Harmful chemicals aren't harmful because they're chemicals.

[ConcinusMan]

Hmmm... something to think about. Still, I think when Steve said "chemicals" he wasn't talking about something as benign as compounds such as H2O or cobalamin. He was talking about compounds made with intention of killing in this case. Anything powerful enough to have a benefit, also has the power to harm.

[ConcinusMan]

I think we are fed a daily supply of harmful chemicals which probably catches up with us later in life. Of course we collect poisonous chemicals throughout our lives and many of them build up in our bodies. Whether or not we gather enough of any one of them as to be beyond the limit of a harmless amount, is another matter altogether. We all have chromium, lead, and mercury in our bodies in small amounts. It takes a level beyond that which most of us carry, in order to do any apparent harm.

Anyway, I still say the pest strip, if used properly, is safe. I use a number of toxic and corrosive chemicals every day at work. They are used in the production of fruit juices that we drink! It's how they are applied that can make them safe or unsafe. Once, someone made a mistake and sent 50% liquid caustic soda (Sodium Hydroxide) into the finished product. This is a substance that causes severe burns in just seconds, and will dissolve your flesh, turning it into soap. We were still able to save the product and make it safe for human consumption, and pass FDA inspection.:eek:

[HazAnga]

It's the smell of the pest strip that is killing them. it is in no contact with anything in the tank. It was hung in our basement to kill spiders down there... it works up to 15' or something more then that i can't remember. But all I'm doing is killing the aphids then I'm cleaning and air rating the tank of any fumes. I'm more or less looking forward to using the plants again for the 'BSS'. And yes the snakes have been removed from the tank.

[mustang]

i learn more here than in bio ap!

[mustang]

Of course we collect poisonous chemicals throughout our lives and many of them build up in our bodies. Whether or not we gather enough of any one of them as to be beyond the limit of a harmless amount, is another matter altogether. We all have chromium, lead, and mercury in our bodies in small amounts. It takes a level beyond that which most of us carry, in order to do any apparent harm.

Anyway, I still say the pest strip, if used properly, is safe. I use a number of toxic and corrosive chemicals every day at work. They are used in the production of fruit juices that we drink! It's how they are applied that can make them safe or unsafe. Once, someone made a mistake and sent 50% liquid caustic soda (Sodium Hydroxide) into the finished product. This is a substance that causes severe burns in just seconds, and will dissolve your flesh, turning it into soap. We were still able to save the product and make it safe for human consumption, and pass FDA inspection.:eek:
oh man feel a song coming on
"oh it D D T
its as simple to i-ingest
oh they used to spraaayyy it
out big trucks on peoples yards
cmon get up guys i wanna go run around in the ddt spray
mmmm tasty tasty tasty
DDT "-my spoof on abc

[ConcinusMan]

And hey guys, this method works like a charm and will also rid tanks of mites(or any other bugs) even if nothing else works. It can save you from having to throw away your favorite tank accessories, including pourous wood, or delicate silk plants, without the need to boil. Works best if the tank is covered because as was stated, it's the "smell" that kills the bugs. All that is needed is to air it out, and no trace of poison is left behind.

[HazAnga]

I found the actual name for it. It's called a vapona strip. it's now called something else, but is formally known as "Vapona" and yeah is an easy way to kill without ruining any of your tank ornaments

[ConcinusMan]

Well, that's a bit more powerful than what I used. I definitely wouldn't use it anywhere near unintended targets. I used pieces of a dog flea collar even with the lizards still in the tank. Didn't seem to harm them, and it worked.

[HazAnga]

I just picked up a new one cuzz the old one my dad brought home didn't seem to be doing a whole lot. but I have the whole tank basically closed off. so there shouldn't be much of a problem. tomorrow I'm going to open it up and air rate it and clean it out. I just wanted them off and dead so i can reuse the plants, that's it. The tank itself will be cleaned out with vinegar and water, left to dry then Wednesday or Thursday night hopefully some things will git moved to my new place and I will be setting them back up.