Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 The warning about breathing in the DE is because it's such a fine powder that it will " float " in the air if you are sprinkling it around your yard, and they say because it's made of very sharp silica micro-particles, that it MIGHT damage the lining of your lungs. The people who want to be extra careful wear one of those paper surgical masks when spreading DE around. I don't use anything--I just make sure I don't have my face down next to the bag when I scoop it out and I don't stand down wind when I sprinkle it. <grin> It is totally safe for your little dogs--as I said it's even safe if they ingest it when they bite themselves to scratch, as many people mix it with their pet's food so that they kill all internal parasites (worms), too. You can sprinkle it around your baseboards, in your grass, etc, but remember that it kills ALL bugs outside, so even the good ones like lady bugs can die. I don't use mine outside, just around the baseboards in the house (have to put up with seeing a white powder for the few days it's down) and on my pets (dogs and cats) fur. But at least I feel safe because even when the cats happen to walk through the DE and get it on their feet, and then lick their feet I know it can't hurt them. I always sprinkle the base boards because one year when the flea problem was really bad I could see the fleas emerge from under the baseboards in the room where my dogs would lay! samala Renee " tossed down to live among angels, who have forgotten what they are, I strive to remember " RLV 1998 ---- I sent my husband to the hardware store and they looked at him like he was on glue, but I did a google search for the DE food grade and it looks like I should try a feed store, the stuff that farmers put in the chicken feed? There was a caution about breathing in the dust- any problems with that, I am leary of putting on the dogs - they are 5lb toys and the pups are not even 1lb yet. I don't know why the advantage didn't work it sure smelled like it should have, a neighbor told me she is having a problem with fleas too she used fronline on her indoor cats and they still have fleas. I live in a old vacation development no woods and everyone has small fenced yards, the houses are real close together but they are building houses down the road and we are seeing alot of deer, smelling skunks and everyone is going nuts trying to keep the wood chucks from out of porches and sheds, they tore open the boards of my porch and had babies ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 Hi, Try a place that sells pool filter supplies. DE is not that loose, in fact has a greasy feel, and does not fly through the air, not like talc does. I have used it newborn kittens - with great successs. I would put a little on a saucer, and then transfer it with my fingers, rather than shake it on. Advantage and Frontline only work on the fleas that are on the animals, although after a period of time, both will get all the fleas. Mary Well, Naturally http://www.wellnaturally.com At 02:28 PM 6/27/2004 +0000, you wrote: >Hi Mary, >I sent my husband to the hardware store and they looked at him like >he was on glue, but I did a google search for the DE food grade >and it looks like I should try a feed store, the stuff that farmers >put in the chicken feed? There was a caution about breathing in the >dust- any problems with that, I am leary of putting on the dogs - >they are 5lb toys and the pups are not even 1lb yet. > I don't know why the advantage didn't work it sure smelled like it >should have, a neighbor told me she is having a problem with fleas >too she used fronline on her indoor cats and they still have fleas. > I live in a old vacation development no woods and everyone has >small fenced yards, the houses are real close together but they are >building houses down the road and we are seeing alot of deer, >smelling skunks and everyone is going nuts trying to keep the wood >chucks from out of porches and sheds, they tore open the boards of >my porch and had babies ! > >Gea > , Mary Robinson <maryr@u...> >wrote: > > One of the most effective flea control is to put diatomaceous >earth down > > everywhere and dont sweep for a day or so. You can also put it >down the > > spine of all the dogs, including the pups. It is made up of shells >of > > diatoms, (those one celled wonders we learned about in science >class) and > > has sharp edges, which tear the carapace (sp?) of the fleas and >kill them. > > It will not hurt the animals at all if ingested. > > > > But, having said that, I treat my cats with Advantage about once a >month - > > Ive never found anything quite as effective. And it will take >awhile, but > > the fleas will go, and it will keep them off. > > > > Maybe do both? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 Um, I have always been told from everyone, that the pool filter type of DE is NOT the kind you want. You want to use the food grade kind. The DE we buy at our Home Depot (hardware) store, in their garden section, specifically states Food Grade on it, and it's in the bug killing section. If I remember right, the pool filter type is not ground fine enough, and if swallowed could hurt the intestines. I do know people that actually put a quarter teaspoon of food grade DE in their pet's food, as it kills internal parasites. You would definitely want Food Grade for that, but personally, I would use food grade all the time, just in case the cats or dogs licked a lot of the DE from their coats or skin. Just my opinion. samala Renee " tossed down to live among angels, who have forgotten what they are, I strive to remember " RLV 1998 ---- Try a place that sells pool filter supplies. DE is not that loose, in fact has a greasy feel, and does not fly through the air, not like talc does. I have used it newborn kittens - with great successs. I would put a little on a saucer, and then transfer it with my fingers, rather than shake it on. Advantage and Frontline only work on the fleas that are on the animals, although after a period of time, both will get all the fleas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 Renee, You are entirely correct in this. Pool filter DE cannot be used on animals as a flea deterrent. Only food grade is safe to use. Sandi BLACKKAT HERBS http://www.blackkatherbs.com We did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 HI Sorry, I should have mentioned food grade - the place I get mine ordered it in for me, because I didnt want the " regular " DE mary Well, Nturally http " //www.wellnaturally.com At 01:52 PM 6/27/2004 -0500, you wrote: >Um, I have always been told from everyone, that the pool filter type of DE >is NOT the kind you want. You want to use the food grade kind. The DE we buy >at our Home Depot (hardware) store, in their garden section, specifically >states Food Grade on it, and it's in the bug killing section. If I remember >right, the pool filter type is not ground fine enough, and if swallowed >could hurt the intestines. I do know people that actually put a quarter >teaspoon of food grade DE in their pet's food, as it kills internal >parasites. You would definitely want Food Grade for that, but personally, I >would use food grade all the time, just in case the cats or dogs licked a >lot of the DE from their coats or skin. Just my opinion. > > > >samala > >Renee > > " tossed down to live among angels, who have forgotten what they are, I >strive to remember " RLV 1998 > > > >---- > > > >Try a place that sells pool filter supplies. DE is not that loose, in fact > >has a greasy feel, and does not fly through the air, not like talc does. > > > >I have used it newborn kittens - with great successs. I would put a little > >on a saucer, and then transfer it with my fingers, rather than shake it on. > > > >Advantage and Frontline only work on the fleas that are on the animals, > >although after a period of time, both will get all the fleas. > > > > > >Step By Step Instructions On Making Rose Petal Preserves: >http://www.av-at.com/stuff/rosejam.html > >To adjust your group settings (i.e. go no mail) see the following link: >/join > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 27, 2004 Report Share Posted June 27, 2004 If anyone needs food grade DE, I carry it on my website. Hope it was okay to say this on the list - if not I apologize. Sandi BLACKKAT HERBS http://www.blackkatherbs.com We did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Wow, Debra, they are selling it at 1/3 of the price I am buying it for at my wholesale co-op! Guess where I will be buying mine for my webpage now! Thanks so much for that link... Sandi We did not weave the web of life. We are merely a strand in it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. BLACKKAT HERBS http://www.blackkatherbs.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2004 Report Share Posted June 28, 2004 Debra, I decided I couldn't live with the itching any more so I scratched then applied hydrogen peroxide (yes, it stung for a while) and then added triple antibiotic cream and NO more itching. I only had to do this one time and what a relief because the little bugger had climbed in my belly button and bit me there. Kathy - Debra 6/28/2004 1:01:31 AM Re: fleas- DE gea, did a quick search and found this company with the best price on de http://www.gardeniq.com/InsectControl.cfm?CFID=30491 & CFTOKEN=39968087 you can order it anywhere from 5 lbs to 50 lbs. also you may want to read this article on it. http://ighawaii.com/naturally/naturalanimal/de.html this says that it can be applied wet. doesn't do a thing till it's dry but you don't have the dust particles with the wet applications. hope this is of some help deb c *gonna try it on those darn chiggers and see if it works!* > > " gea " <gea >Re: fleas- DE > >Hi Mary, >I sent my husband to the hardware store and they looked at him like >he was on glue, but I did a google search for the DE food grade >and it looks like I should try a feed store, > > > Step By Step Instructions On Making Rose Petal Preserves: http://www.av-at.com/stuff/rosejam.html To adjust your group settings (i.e. go no mail) see the following link: /join Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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