Is TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Safe For Pets? Risks and Better Ways

Ants can be very annoying when they get into your house and walk through the kitchen or bathroom. TERRO liquid ant bait is a popular way to get rid of ants in and around your home. But is TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Safe For Pets?

As a pet owner, you want to protect your home from pests but also keep your animals safe. So should TERRO liquid ant bait be used if you have pets?

Let’s take a look at how TERRO works and the things you need to do when using it in a home with pets.

What is TERRO Liquid Ant Bait?

TERRO Liquid Ant Bait is a product used to get rid of ants in and around your home. It comes in plastic bait stations filled with a sweet liquid that ants like. It wipes out ant trails in your home without having to spray chemicals.

TERRO Liquid Ant Bait is designed to be used both indoors and outdoors. It attracts common household ants like pavement ants, black ants, and red ants. By killing the queen ant, it eliminates the entire colony over time.

TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Ingredients

The main ingredients in TERRO Liquid Ant Bait are:

• Borax: This is a powdered mineral that is poisonous to ants. It kills ants by harming their digestive system when they eat it.
• Sugar or sweet attractants: These make the bait smell and taste good to ants so they want to eat it.
• Water: The bait is a liquid solution the ants drink down.
• Oil: This helps the bait stick to the ants’ bodies so they carry it back to the colony.

The borax is the active ingredient that actually kills the ants after they consume the sweet liquid bait.

How TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Works

TERRO liquid ant baits use borax to kill common household ants like black ants, red ants, and pavement ants. The bait also has sweet stuff that ants like to eat.

When ants eat the liquid bait, the borax stops up their digestive system and makes them dry out. Ants will die within 48 hours after eating the bait. The drying also helps kill the whole colony once the bait gets taken back to the nest and shared.

Is TERRO Liquid Ant Bait Safe for Pets?

TERRO can be used safely as long as precautions are taken to avoid pet ingestion. The small amount of bait consumed by ants is unlikely to pose any real hazard to your furry friends.

However, TERRO may not be the best option if you have dogs or cats that are obsessive about getting into things or have a history of eating non-food items. In that case, switching to a borax-free ant bait is probably the safest route.

Also Read: Is Aptive Pest Control Safe for Pets?

Is the Borax in TERRO Toxic to Pets?

Borax is a natural mineral powder that is toxic to ants and bugs if they eat it. Since TERRO liquid ant baits have borax in them, this makes you ask – can TERRO hurt cats, dogs, or other pets if they accidentally eat some?

The answer is yes, borax can be harmful to pets if they eat a large amount of TERRO bait. How bad it is depends on the animal’s size and how much TERRO bait they eat.

According to pet poison control experts, borax can cause vomiting, diarrhea, tremors, and seizures in pets if big amounts are eaten. Just a few licks likely won’t hurt your pet, but eating even 1-2 teaspoons could be toxic for a small animal.

So while the borax itself won’t immediately kill a pet, TERRO ant bait could make your pet sick if they eat more than a tiny taste.

Using TERRO Safely Around Pets

Even though TERRO liquid ant bait can be risky for pets, you can use it at home safely if you are very careful. Here are some tips for keeping pets safe when using TERRO ant killer:

• Put bait stations up high: Place TERRO liquid ant bait traps on counters, shelves, or in cupboards your pets can’t reach. Don’t leave bait on the floor.
• Clean up spills fast: Right away wipe up any TERRO liquid that drips or spills so pets don’t lick it. Don’t use TERRO gel baits which can get on your pet easier.
• Store containers carefully: When not using it, TERRO ant bait should be sealed tight and kept up high so that pets and kids can’t get to it.
• Watch pets when first placed: When you first put out TERRO, watch pets closely to make sure they don’t try to eat the bait. Limit access until ants have taken most of the liquid away.
• Remove when the ants are gone: Once the ants are killed off, take away the TERRO bait stations so curious pets aren’t tempted.

Safer Alternatives for Pet Owners

If you want to steer clear of borax around your furry friends, there are some alternative options for controlling ant infestations:

• Pet-safe ant baits: Look for ant killers that use abamectin or fipronil as the active ingredient instead of borax. Brands like EcoLogic, Uncle Johnny’s, and Safer make pet-safe ant baits.
• Boric acid gels: These are made from a different form of boron that is low toxicity and safe for pets. Put small amounts in cracks and crevices instead of open baits.
• Natural repellents: Use essential oils, vinegar, citrus, peppermint, or chili powder to repel ants without harmful chemicals.
• Sealing entry points: Caulk and seal areas where ants enter your home to prevent access. Ants follow pheromone trails, so cleaning with vinegar also helps.
• Call an exterminator: For severe ant infestations, hiring a professional exterminator is advisable to treat the nest and surrounding areas thoroughly.

Diatomaceous earth or boric acid powder can also naturally kill ants in walls safely as long as pets don’t breathe it in or eat it.

Final Thoughts

In most cases, TERRO liquid ant bait can successfully knock out ant infestations in your home without endangering your furry companions. A few common sense precautions go a long way in allowing safe use around pets.

As with any pesticide, read labels thoroughly and follow all instructions. Monitor bait stations closely, especially right after applying TERRO liquid ant bait. Pick up any pieces your pet could grab and lick up liquid spills immediately.

Be sure to contact your veterinarian if you think your pet has consumed TERRO bait. Signs of poisoning include vomiting, seizures, weakness, or acting drunk or unstable. Your vet can advise on any needed treatment based on the amount ingested.

People Also Asked

Q1: Is it dangerous for my dog or cat to lick TERRO liquid ant bait?

Ans: A small lick won’t hurt them, but larger ingestions can cause poisoning. Keep pets away from TERRO bait stations and immediately clean up any spills.

Q2: How exactly does borax in ant bait kill ants?

Ans: Borax is digested by ants and absorbs moisture inside them, leading to dehydration and eventually death. However, the small bait amount eaten by ants is unlikely to harm pets.

Q3: What if my pet gets into the TERRO bait and eats some?

Ans: If you see your pet ingest TERRO liquid ant bait, contact your vet right away. Depending on the amount, they may advise inducing vomiting or giving fluids to dilute the poison.

Q4: Are TERRO ant traps safe to have around dogs or cats?

Ans: The enclosed TERRO ant traps that contain borax liquid or gel bait can be used around pets safely as long as they can’t chew into the plastic to access the bait. Keep out of reach regardless.

Q5: Can I use TERRO liquid ant bait outside if I have dogs?

Ans: Outside usage comes with a greater risk of dogs ingesting the bait. Use with extreme caution, applying bait out of reach in areas pets can’t access. Remove once ant trail activity has ceased.

Q6: How long does borax take to kill an entire ant colony?

Ans: It usually takes 3-7 days for TERRO liquid ant bait to eliminate an ant colony. Worker ants ingest it and carry borax back to kill the queen, nest, and other ants over this time period.

Q7: Is TERRO safe for kids?

Ans: TERRO should be kept away from small children to avoid accidental ingestion. Use the same precautions as with pets – supervise closely, clean up spills fast, and store securely.

Q8: What smell or scent is in TERRO ant bait?

Ans: TERRO liquid ant baits contain food-grade sugars and oil to attract ants through scent. However, the borax itself is odorless, so TERRO doesn’t have a strong smell.