One of pet owners’ most common problems is ants getting into their furry friend’s food.
Not only is this a nuisance, but it can also be dangerous for your pet if the ants carry diseases or toxins.
If you see ants around your pet’s food dish or pet food area, be sure to take action to keep them away.
Ants are also harmful to dogs because they can bite and sting, which can cause your dog discomfort.
Even if you do not notice ants in dog food, ensure the bowl is free from leftover food every single time your dog eats.
Clean and vacuum the area where the dog food and bowl are stored.
Keeping Ants Away From Dog Food
Some strategies we use to ensure that ants stay away from our dog’s food are petroleum jelly, double utensils, tea tree oil, cleaning the dog bowl after every use, vacuuming around the area where our dog eats, and re-sealing the dog food after every meal.
Ant-free pet bowls are also available on the market (See it here).
We go over the above much more in-depth and hope to help you keep your furry friend safe from ants.
Keep the Food in a Sealed Container
One way to keep ants away from your pet’s food is to keep the food in a sealed, airtight container.
Ants are attracted to food by the scent, so if they can’t smell where you’re storing dog food, they won’t be able to find it.
This is an excellent way to keep ants away from your pet’s food if you don’t want to use harsh chemicals.
Use a Natural Repellent
There are some natural repellents that you can use to prevent ants from coming to your pet’s food.
One option is to make a mixture of equal parts of water and white vinegar. You can spray this mixture around the dog food container to help stop ants.
[amazon box=”B07985NMQD”]Another option is to use cayenne pepper, which you can sprinkle around the dog food bowl.
Ants don’t like the taste of cayenne pepper; hence, they will stay away from the area.
Use of Cinnamon Around the Food Bowl
Cinnamon can be a great way to keep ants away from your pet’s food container. Ants don’t like the smell of cinnamon, which can help keep them away from your pet’s food.
Cinnamon is also a natural insecticide, so it can help kill any ants that come into contact with it.
You can sprinkle cinnamon or lemon juice around your pet’s food bowl or add a few drops of essential oil to their food. You can also set up a physical barrier or set up diatomaceous earth.
If you have a problem with ants getting into your dog’s bowl, try one of these methods to keep them away.
It can help keep the area around your pet’s food clean and free of ants.
Whichever method you choose to use to prevent your ant problem from becoming ant infestation or an ant invasion, keep an eye on the area and ensure that the ants are gone.
If you see any ants, remove them so they don’t have a chance to get to the dry dog food.
Use a Commercial Ant Repellent
If you want to prevent ants from your dog’s bowl and you don’t mind using chemicals, there are a few commercial ant repellents that you can try.
One option is to use an ant baiting system, which uses poison to kill ants.
These systems can be effective but must be used carefully, so your dog doesn’t eat the poison.
Another option is to use an ant spray.
There are many different ant sprays available in a spray bottle, so you can choose one that is safe to use around pets.
Be sure to follow the directions on the package so that you don’t put your dog at risk.
Use of Ant bait
Ant bait is a substance that attracts ants and then kills them. (Source)
By putting a little bit of ant bait around your pet’s food bowl, you can kill the ants before they can get to the food.
Be careful with this, as some dogs will also make a snack of the Ant Bait.
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Harmless Ways Of Keeping Ants Away From Your Dog’s Food
There are several ways to restrict ants from entering your dog’s food that is non-toxic and safe for your pet.
One way is to clean the food container with dish soap and water regularly. Rinse the bowl thoroughly before using it.
(We like biodegradable solutions)
[amazon box=”B00T7PEVHC”]Another way is to sprinkle a line of salt or cayenne pepper around the bowl’s perimeter.
The ants cannot cross the barrier and will be deterred from coming near the food.
You can also try placing a small amount of honey or syrup, tea tree oil, or peppermint oil around the outside of the bowl.
The ants will be attracted to the sweet substance but will not be able to get to the food inside the bowl.
You can also add cornstarch to the ant-infested food and filter it. Corn starch is safe for dogs but is deadly for ants.
Use peppermint essential oil to cleanse the area where ants can be seen.
Home-made flea-killing shampoo and detergent spray using vinegar and essential oils are also helpful in keeping the ants away.
Another way to prevent ants is using a commercial repellent. This product is safe to use around dogs and will not harm them if they should happen to ingest it.
You can also try to prevent ants by ensuring no food source for them. This means keeping your dog’s food bowl clean and free of spilled food. You should also sweep up any crumbs or kibble food that falls on the floor.
If you have an indoor dog, you may want to keep their food in a sealed container.
Outdoors, you can try to prevent ants by trimming back any vegetation near your dog’s food container.
You should also remove any other potential food sources, such as fallen fruit from trees. This is a safe method that will not harm the dogs.
Potentially Harmful Ways To Keep Ants Away From Your Dog’s Food
If you are concerned about ants getting to your dog’s food, you can do a few things to keep them away.
However, it is crucial to be aware that some methods used to prevent ants from coming to the dog food can also harm dogs and other animals you wish to keep.
A few methods of keeping ants away from pet food can harm your pet. (Read More Here)
One uses an insecticide spray bottle around the perimeter of the food dish.
While this will kill any ants that come in contact with it, it can also be toxic to dogs if they ingest it.
Ant baits are also poisonous to the ants but can also be dangerous to dogs if they eat them.
Meanwhile, placing the food dish in a saucer of water will prevent ants from being able to reach the food but may also discourage your dog from eating.
Another method that can harm the dogs is using Vaseline or other petroleum jelly products around the base of the food dish. While this will keep ants from being able to climb up, they can also be toxic to dogs if they ingest it.
Finally, using citrus peelings around the base of the food dish can also harm your pet, and the peelings can also be toxic to dogs if ingested.
Our Other Articles about Ant Prevention
Sometimes, you’ll need to make sure your ants stay away. In some of our other articles, we give an in-depth guide on ant prevention, read more here:
- Keep Ants Away With Plants
- Keep Your Feeder Clear of Ants
- Keep Your Fruit Trees Clear of Ants
- Getting Queen Ants Out of Their Nest
- What Diseases Do Ants Hold?
- Keep Your House Clear of Ants
Reasons To Protect Pet Food From a Colony of Ants
Getting rid of ants from swarming your furry friend’s food is vital to maintaining their health and safety. The reason is that ants can carry bacteria and other harmful things that can make your dog sick.
While some say ants can give vitamin C to your pets, they may still bring some harm, like food contamination, bacteria, and pests.
Ants might also cause infections and fungus to your pet’s food which might cause illness to your pet. Keeping them away will keep your dogs hygienic and healthy.
Ants Bring in Bacteria
One of the main reasons to keep ants away from your pet’s food is to prevent your pet from becoming sick.
Ants can carry harmful bacteria and parasites that can make your dog ill.
More than discomfort, ants often cause rashes and itching to your pet.
Ants Cause Food Contamination
Another reason to deter ants from pet food is that they can be a nuisance.
Ants are attracted to the sweetness or grease in pet food; once they find a source, they can quickly swarm the area.
When ants infect your dog’s bowl, they can contaminate the entire batch of expensive pet food, making it unsafe for your pet to eat.
Ants Will Attract Other Pests
Once ants find a food source, they will often come back in large numbers causing ant infestation, which can be challenging to get rid of.
They can attract other pests like flies and tiny insects, causing a pest problem.
Ants Increase Food Wastage
Ants can infest dog food or cat food storage containers, making it challenging to keep your pet’s food fresh.
This might cause the ant-infected food to lose its freshness and crispiness, making the pet reluctant toward it.
Ants Painful stings Hurt Animals
Another reason is that some ants can bite. While most ants won’t cause significant harm if they bite your dog, others can deliver a painful and potentially dangerous sting.
Fire ants are one type of ant that can deliver a nasty sting, so it’s essential to keep them away from your pet’s food container.
Final Thoughts
Finally, ants are annoying pests, and no one wants their pets’ food to be covered in them.
They are hard to control and eliminate as they will return to your pet’s food if you fail to change their course.
You should keep ants away from your pet’s food for many reasons.
Taking simple precautions can help ensure your pet’s food is safe and clean.