Turtles & Diatomaceous Earth

Turtles can make fine pets, but you must take steps to protect these slow-moving animals. One way is to use diatomaceous earth, which is a chalky powder also known as diatomite.

  1. Diatomaceous Earth

    • Diatomaceous earth is made up of the fossilized remains of single-celled plants and is often used as a pesticide.

    Ants

    • Fire ants and army ants are known predators of turtle hatchlings and eggs. They will kill and eat both of them.

    Killing Ants

    • Diatomaceous earth is abrasive and highly absorbent. This allows it to enter an ant's body and cause it to dehydrate and die.

    Barrier

    • Protect the turtle's enclosure from ants by placing a ring of diatomaceous about 15cm wide around the enclosure. If the area gets wet, such as after a rainstorm, the diatomaceous earth must be replaced.

    Keep it Outside

    • Diatomaceous earth can cause problems for turtles if they inhale it or it gets in their eyes, so keep the ring outside the turtle's enclosure.