The question of whether Terro Ant Killer is harmful to humans has been debated for decades. People have asked several questions about the popular ant killing solution, including the following:
- Is it harmful to humans?
- Is it harmful to cats, dogs, and other pet animals?
- Is it the best way to get rid of ants?
So if you’re currently facing an ant infestation and are wondering if the Terro Ant Killer is the solution you need, keep on reading!
Is Terro Ant Killer Harmful to Humans?
No, Terro isn’t really harmful to humans on skin contact. So if you happen to get some of it on your body when laying it out, there’s no cause for concern. The worst you can experience is some minor burning or itching. You can easily get rid of those symptoms by simply washing the exposed area of the skin with soap and water. Just make sure to wash thoroughly.
Is Terro Ant Killer Harmful to Cats, Dogs, Or Other Pet Animals?
Cats, dogs, and almost all other pet animals have resilient skin. Their skin can tolerate substances much stronger than Terro. So to answer the question, no, Terro Ant Killer isn’t harmful to the skin of cats, dogs, and other pet animals.
What Are the Ingredients of the Terro Ant Killer?
Terro Ant Killer contains Borax, which is a chemical compound that can cause skin irritation. However, the concentration of this compound isn’t strong enough to harm humans or pets in any way.
Are Borax and Boric Acid the Same Thing?
No, borax and boric acid are not the same things.
Borax is a compound with the molecular formula of Na₂B₃O₈•11H₂O. It consists of sodium, oxygen, hydrogen, and borate ions. On the other hand, Boric Acid has this molecular formula: H₂BO₃. It consists of hydrogen, boric acid ions, and oxygen atoms.
Furthermore, boric acid is much more toxic than borax.
What Happens if Someone Accidently Ingests Terro?
As we just discussed, skin exposure to Terror Ant Killer isn’t really dangerous for humans, dogs, or cats. But what about ingestion? What happens if someone accidentally eats it?
The answer to those questions varies depending on who we are talking about.
What Happens If a Human Ingests Terro?
If a human accidentally ingests Terro liquid ant bait, there’s no need to worry. It’ll just pass through their digestive tract without causing any serious side effects. But what about the irritatory effects of borax? There’s an easy way to prevent the irritatory properties of Terro. Just drink two to four cups of water or milk as soon as possible to dilute the borax.
All that being said, if you’ve ingested unusually large amounts, then it’s best to go to a hospital right away.
What Happens If a Dog Ingests Terro?
Dogs are resilient animals. They are known to eat practically anything that’s not nailed down. So an irritant as weak as Terro won’t harm them in the slightest in most cases. The worst possible scenario is some minor digestive issues.
What Happens If a Cat Ingests Terro?
Just like dogs, cats are also resilient animals. They can easily tolerate the borax in Terro. However, if your kitty has ingested an unusually large amount of the solution and is vomiting, then you should visit the vet just to be safe.
Similarly, the vast majority of other pet animals can also tolerate Terro. However, if you’re unsure whether your pet can tolerate the substance, you shouldn’t hesitate to call a vet to get their professional opinion.
Is Terro Really the Best Solution to Ant Infestations?
In one word: yes! Terro is not only the most popular ant killing solution but also the highest-rated one by most experts. There are over a dozen Terro products, among which the following three are the best ones.
1. Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits
This product is the best one in Terro’s entire line. It contains a highly palatable liquid formula that tempts ants to eat it. Once ingested, this solution kills ants within 12 hours after ingestion.
Like most other Terro products, the active ingredient in T300 Liquid Ant Baits Is Borax.
2. Terro T344 Multi-Surface Liquid Ant Baits
This product is very similar to Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits. For instance, they’re both liquid products and the active ingredient in Terro T344 Multi-Surface Liquid Ant Baits is also borax.
So what’s the difference?
The main difference is that this product contains a special formulation of borax mixed with an insect growth regulator to prevent the colony from growing and multiplying. In other words, this product is mainly used for preventing the colonies of ants from growing.
3. Terro Liquid Ant Killer II T200
This is another highly effective Terro product. It’s specially formulated with a sweet liquid syrup, making it irresistible to ants and other insects such as roaches, spiders, silverfish, and earwigs. So this one won’t just get rid of ants, but also attract and kill several other pests as well.
Conclusion
Terro Ant Killer isn’t harmful to the skin of humans, cats, or dogs. But if ingested by a human, the individual should quickly drink two to four cups of milk to dilute the acidic borax — which is the main ingredient of Terro. In case of high amounts of ingestion, the individual should visit a doctor right away to prevent any disturbing symptoms.
As for Terro being the best solution to an ant infestation, we believe it is. Why? Well, because it’s not only the most popular ant-killing product but also the most highly ranked by experts.
However, as with everything, there are people who don’t share our opinion. But one thing is for sure, Terro is among the top products.
Do you agree with us that Terro is the best ant killing solution? If you have another product in mind, please let us know in the comments below!