What should I do about termites?

[w i l l o w]

Hey I'm new here this is my first thread/post

My grandma's house has termites and it got me thinking...If my house ever got termites what would I do? I mean the "they're just insects" thing doesn't really fly with me. What if they were rats? I seriously don't know what I would do about the termites because they can really destroy houses, what would you do?

[Rook]

Well, this IS a tough one, and something that comes up regarding other earth critters :(. For mice and rats, humane traps are easy (catch and release with no killing involved. Really works; I've done it). For spiders, I have always either let them spin their webs, take up residence, and simply appreciate the mystery, complexity and beauty of their masterful webs. For bugs and more aggressive insects, I remove them from the house, seal any entrances, cracks, and crevices to keep them out. For termites...sigh...well, I don't know, really. I had some in a rental house, but didn't do anything about it. Unfortunately, they feasted on an antique dresser I had :(. Still, I couldn't bring myself to bomb my space with poison -- for myself, the environment, the insects, the rest of my property...just not worth it, in the long run. I really can't say what I'd do if I were a home owner and my house became infested with termites.
I'd probably look further into the safest way to get rid of them. Have you done any research? Contacted anyone? Maybe a Vegan info site (as opposed to a discussion board)? Hmm. I'm going to be a home owner soon, so this is something to think about, myself!

Good luck. And post if you find any pertinent info!

[w i l l o w]

Hi I found some information on another site that said an alternative way of gettingrid of termites instead of the toxic gas, is heat...But of course it still kills the termites, it's just better for the environment and stuff. thankfully I don't have to deal with this right now since it isn't my house which has the termites, its my grandma's, but i still wish there was a better way...I guess there's no way to make them leave your house once they've moved in. :(

[snivelingchild]

I've had my house treated for termites. In the long view, I saw it as survival of them against me, because I put all my money into this house, and replacing it all just for them to come back isn't a viable option. When there's a good alternative to killing termites, I'll change my mind, but that's one of the many non-perfectly-vegan things I do. In fact, remodeling the kitchen is gonna cost more than I thought because I have to replace a lot of termite eaten wood.

[cruelkitti]

yeah, that sucks, I'd have to get rid of them as well...
If I had disposable money then I'd find other resources, but being that I am not well-off, if and when I buy a house I hope the termites stay clear for their own sake. :)