Not sick, but I have a question! =P (RE: BUNNIIES AND ANTS)

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sthvtsh

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First of all, good news! Takodo is now healed and she can walk right again. I'm so thankful. =)

Anyways, LuvaBun had a realy good idea about the sandpit, I saw. And i wanted to create one for Takodo. However, ants are a BIG problem in florida, and I don't want big nasty and mean fire ants living in her sandpit. Is there an ant killer that'll kill the ants, but not Takodo?
 
This is a tough one. I'll keep looking, hopefully there's something safe that's considered a repellant, not a poison, that's safe for bunnies.
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 teaspoons boric acid
LABEL ANY UNUSED LIQUID WITH A SKULL AND CROSSBONES!!! (so nobody takes a big gulp of it)

Pour into jar lids or soak cotton balls in it. And don't kill the ants who come to it.... they will carry it to the nest and kill the rest of the population.

Now THIS article (loooong),http://devinefarm.net/rp/rpboric.htm,points out the dangers -- *although interestingly enough, it was the mice and rats reproductive systems affected in the tests, so maybe there's potential for the development ofa much needed bunny contraceptive here. ;)

Opinion & Information on Boric Acid
By Michael R. Cartwright, Sr.

(Michael R. Cartwright, Sr. is a third generation licensed professional in the fields of structural pest control and building construction and is also licensed in agriculture pest control. His qualifications are too extensive to print but are available on request from The Reporter.)
Over the past years I have seen, in many homes and restaurants, boric acid covering everything. Carpets, floors, toys and furniture, in kitchen cabinets, on counter tops and tables, in refrigerators, clothing, etc. Why? Because environmentalists, helped by an uninformed news media, tell them to. Why don't the news media also explain the possible dangers of applying something not normally found in the home environment, that you or your animals will come in direct contact with?
I'm writing this article even though a California environmentalist group advised me not to say anything against boric acid and that I would pay dearly for only trying to mislead the public. My company uses a lot of boric acid, but not as described above.
Under an OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, based on animal chronic toxicity studies of inorganic borate chemicals, boric acid and/orborates are Hazardous Materials. California has identified boric acid as a hazardous waste. The above information is taken from Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) 25-80-2320 (Section 2 and 13) supplied by U.S.Borax Inc. (the major supplier of borax to many industries).
The National Academy of Sciences reports that children may be uniquely sensitive to chemicals and pesticide residues because of their rapid tissue growth and development. Most laboratory tests are performed on fully grown adult laboratory animals.
On page 312 of the National Academy of Sciences' report Pesticides in the Diets of Infants and Children (under the section entitled"Non-dietary Exposure to Pesticides") boric acid is cited as one of the pesticides/fungicides that can induce adverse skin reactions such as contact dermatitis and hyperkeratosis with dermal contact of treated surfaces.
Boric acid and/or borates are important and promising pesticides and fungicides, for my industry as well as for the general homeowner, for the control of fungus, termites, roaches and other insects as well as a wood preservative. Using appropriate application methods, boric acid and/or borates can be safe and long lasting pesticides and fungicides without having any negative side effects on the environment.
Boric acid is generally known as a desiccant; in other words, it kills by removing the moisture from the body of the target pests, causing severe dehydration which will affect electrolyte metabolism with the potential of metabolic acidosis. In fact, boric acid is a stomach poison normally ingested, along with the fact that it can also enter the blood by inhalation. Boric acid is an acid. Acid will decrease the pH level with the possible side effects of renal, respiratory, and cardiovascular failure. Symptoms and signs of boric acid poisoning are nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache, dyspepsia, cold sweats, dyspnea,muscular debility, scarlatinal eruptions, subnormal temperature,cardiac weakness, cyanosis, coma, collapse, etc. Boric acid is 3 parts hydrogen, 1 part boron, and 3 parts oxygen. Recently U.S. Borax discovered that boric acid contains traces of arsenic. Before California Prop 65 there were few, if any, human studies on boric acid.When human studies were requested from U.S. Borax they said they were unable to supply us with any at that time. But in the late 1980's they had started doing new and extensive toxicity tests on rats and mice asa result of California Prop 65. As a result of these tests, *they discovered a decrease in sperm count and the stopping of fetal and embryonic development in rats and mice. In early 1993, U.S. Borax had asked for, and has received, additional time to complete their laboratory studies from the State of California.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has adopted a "de minimus" policy, which accepts that zero is not absolute, but avery, very small amount. But environmental groups protested the EPA policy, and the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court in California struck down the de minimus clause, thus establishing zero as absolute zero.
Boric acid contained traces of arsenic, a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer. U.S. Borax was able to use the EPA de minimus policy, which accepts that zero is not absolute, but very,very small to remove arsenic from its Material Safety Data Sheet. I personally do not see any risk with the trace amount of arsenic at 1part per million in boric acid and/or borates if used in inappropriate application method. But, not where there will be constant direct contact.
Others in the pesticide manufacturing industry have found that boric acid is an effective and reliable long term pesticide. Consider the fact that the environmentalist groups approved of its use, contrary to their stand on the EPA de minimus policy. When they discovered a possible decrease in sperm count and no development of the egg capsule or ovum plus the stopping of fetal and embryonic development in roaches with the potential to similarly affect other insects, this made it the perfect pesticide, and with the blessings of the environmentalists.
Those in the fungicide and wood preservative manufacturing industries discovered that boric acid and/or borates are effective and reliable long term fungicides and preservatives. When wood was treated with boric acid and/or borates and then placed in a damp and warm area, the ideal environment for fungus growth you would have no fungus growth.These chemicals also work as a termiticide (prevents and/or kills termites and other wood destroying insects) -- unlike other fungicide sand preservatives, which would also break down. Boric acid and/orborates are derived from natural elements, therefore they do not breakdown readily. When boric acid and/or borates are used as fungicides and preservatives, they serve as a growth regulator rather than a desiccant.
Fungi are plants that contain no chlorophyll. Therefore, they cannot make their own food and so they must have an outside source of food, in this case wood. There are four requirements for fungus growth; first is food, such as cellulose and lignin which is contained in all wood;second is air; third is warmth; and, fourth is moisture.
I do not wish to see the loss of boric acid and/or borates as we have seen in the past the loss of so many other fine pesticides, due to improper methods of application, which in many cases unnecessarily exposed people to hazardous chemicals. Boric Acid is one of the safest pesticides if used correctly.
THIS IS NOT AN INDICTMENT OF U.S. BORAX for they have always been forthright about providing any new information regarding any of their products. U.S. Borax has the only correct Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) on boric acid that I have seen to date. Most, if not all,other manufacturers of pesticides that contain boric acid have incomplete information contained in their MSDSs about boric acid and/orborates.
When talking with U.S. Borax about use of their product, technical grade boric acid, for reformulating or repackaging into registered products, they do not necessarily approve of anyone using boric acid in any manner inconsistent with their original label. But there is nothing they can do if its recommended use is inconsistent with its own original label when it has been re-labeled by still others. U.S. Borax indicated that if they were to try to stop re formulators or repackagers from registering products with recommendations that were inconsistent with their product label on boric acid, that would be considered restraint of trade. It is entirely up to the discretion of the EPA to oversee how a pesticide is labeled.
Broadcast application of boric acid (to cover entire areas or surfaces)is not one of U.S. Borax's recommended methods of application on its registered label. Based on U.S. Borax's label, broadcast application would not be the normal occupational exposure and not what I would consider the normal human exposure to boric acid.
Limiting the use (application methods and locations) of pesticide sand/or reducing of unnecessary human and/or animal contact with pesticides regardless of their perceived safety is of the utmost importance. Many illnesses may be directly related to a pesticide o rchemical but because of its perceived safety could be overlooked.
 
Glad to hear she's alright! From now on, I wouldnt let her roam if she's unattended. I dont even let my boys out of their enclosed run (for when we go outside), even if theyre supervised. Too much can happen! Think of how fast a dog/cat/hawk could sweep in and grab your little one.

It sounds like youre working on building a nice outdoor cage for her. You might want to think about making an enclosed pen area for her to have free time. MyBabyBunnies has a nice one,if you check out her blog, thats enclosed with a cover and everything.

Be careful with the sandpit though, some rabbits will ingest sand and that can lead to all kinds of problems. I would just be sure that if you do make one that you keep a close eye on her the first few days to be sure she's not eating it.

Good Luck!
 
Thank you a bunch for replying to my posts so much aley, it makes me feel really welcome here. =) Ife was much smarter than Takoto and I could put Ife in the yard and walk away and she'd never move, except a few feet. I never even thought about a hawk though, thank you a bunch for mentioning that!!

And thanks Pipp. :D I'm debating on whether or not I should give her this. I may do something let create it, but only let her in it supervised and for like 30min a day, o that she can dig.
 
Sounds like youre on top of things! And youre welcome for the replies (be sure to introduce yourself as well in our new members thread so others can welcome you!).

I had never really thought about the hawk thing either, until one member told us a story about how her friends dog (a smaller breed) was scooped up and carried off right in front of her in her back yard. She said it was so traumatic because she was sitting right there watching and it happened so quickly there was nothing she could do.

A lot of us have built pens/runs/enclosed areas for outside.You can either buy an enclosed pen for dogs, or build one yourself. Its fairly cheap to build one out of fencing material (just dont use chicken wire bc bunnies can chew through this)and wood. And then you can add things like a hay/sand box for digging, cardboard boxes for them to chew/climb/play on etc.Theres so much you can do so she has things to play with.

Good Luck!
 
That must have been one big hawk or one small dog. :shock: That was really terrible!

Hawks can carry about 1/4 of their own weight. And hawks as a rule do kill their prey with their tallons as soon as they grab it, so the poor little puppy was probably spared more trauma than she thinks.

Your poor little tiny baby is just a mouthful for a lot of predators. But bunnies are designed to avoid a lot of mishaps, theirbig eyes will see the sky and the ground on both sides of them all at the same time.

If they are having a runin open areas, if there is fast and easy access to tunnels,hidey boxes, and other shelter-like things, the bunny will be much safer and happier. It's alsoa good idea to not move those things around so the bunny knows theescape routes. (That's why bunnies hate itwhen you mess withtheir stuff). :)

sas
 
sthvtsh, I used to live about 20 minutes south of Sarasota in North Port. I would advice not to use the sandbox pit for you bunny. Fire ants can get into the house easily and once they make a pit, the only way to kill the hill is to use a pressure washer w/ scalding hot water. Plus, I was once attacked by them after I accidentally laid on a hill in the yard, and I almost had to go to the hospital. Now, I'm not as small as a bunny and I'd hate to see what could happen with one.
 

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