Glue from Hot Glue Gun Toxic?

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lectricblueyes

lectricblueyes

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
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Location
Chicago, IL 60609
I've been placing strips of fiberglass screening into each of my 32oz mantid cups. This allows both the mantid and feeder insects greater access to the lid. Most mantids hang from the lid and when crickets cannot reach the top, the mantid generally will just stare at the cricket who is circling the bottom of the cup.

Any way... The beautiful thing is that the screens can be very easily glued to the side of the cup using a hot glue gun. Place the screen where you want it and simply run the tip of the gun along the screen and the hot glue slips through the little squares and adheres to the side.

The question is, is this toxic?

When I wash out my cups once a week (every 2-3 feeding/misting sessions) I use hot water to disinfect the cup, help neutralize mold, and to do a much better job of cleaning. The question is, when I heat up the cup with hot water.. could I be re-activating the hot glue which then mixes with the water. Now, I've got water droplets inside the cup and those droplets are full of toxic glue chemicals. I put the mantis back in there and she drinks that water up. I've not lost any mantids (yet) by washing my cups in hot water, but was wondering if their is potential for a problem in the future.

What are your experiences with this, is this glue toxic to mantids, and do you suggest another method? (other than using cold water only).

 
Sounds like a cool idea, though a twig or two works pretty well, also.

The good news,'Lectric, is that the glue is non-toxic, hot or cold.

The bad news is that hot water will neither disinfect the cup nor neutralize mold. What it will do, though, is clean the cup (use a little DW soap and rinse it thoroughly), and that's all you need.

 
PhilinYuma said:
Sounds like a cool idea, though a twig or two works pretty well, also.The good news,'Lectric, is that the glue is non-toxic, hot or cold.

The bad news is that hot water will neither disinfect the cup nor neutralize mold. What it will do, though, is clean the cup (use a little DW soap and rinse it thoroughly), and that's all you need.
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Thanks Phil! Been a few weeks. Life is so chaotic right now with new job + moving! How you been?

 
No it is not. Most glues for hot glue guns say non toxic on the label. Some people use superglue which is chock full of chemicals.

You got a new job pretty fast. I said to heck with work and went back to school. <_<

 
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Rick said:
No it is not. Most glues for hot glue guns say non toxic on the label. Some people use superglue which is chock full of chemicals. You got a new job pretty fast. I said to heck with work and went back to school. <_<
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Thanks for info on the glue, now I see why you all use it. Suppose my common sense factory is shut off today.

About the job. Unemployment isn't enough here in IL even if you work your butt off and never use it. I think it's funny how some folks barely work yet collect unemployment/welfare continuously throughout their entire lives. Even choosing to raise entire families on the back of the state. I've been working since I was 15 years old and this is my first time I'm collecting. I'm only doing it out of fear of our current market/economic situation. That, and because I've worked so hard in my life to own the things I have, I don't want to loose them. Something is better than nothing I suppose. What can I do about it? Nothing.

Anyway, a friend of a friend who's got loads of cash owns various houses around the Chicagoland area. He's going to rent me his house for $400/month. Very generous of him. That, and this same guy is starting his own business. He needs a T1 installed, network setup, server setup, PC's setup and a phone system installed. I've been working out of his house and his newly rented office. I'm going to work for him for real cheap because he's renting the house to me for such a low ammount. I've put in 62 hours in my first week and I have 2 days to move out and into my new place. It's been hard... 10-12 hour days but hey... gotta survive ;)

I'm such a chatter box today... just so happy to have some free time.. though I need to get packing very very soon. Rick, I wish you the best of luck with school... if it were up to me... a man who served in our military should have EXTREMELY good benefits from Unemployment/Health Care for the remainder of his life.. and his family. ;)

 
LectricBlueyes said:
Thanks for info on the glue, now I see why you all use it. Suppose my common sense factory is shut off today.About the job. Unemployment isn't enough here in IL even if you work your butt off and never use it. I think it's funny how some folks barely work yet collect unemployment/welfare continuously throughout their entire lives. Even choosing to raise entire families on the back of the state. I've been working since I was 15 years old and this is my first time I'm collecting. I'm only doing it out of fear of our current market/economic situation. That, and because I've worked so hard in my life to own the things I have, I don't want to loose them. Something is better than nothing I suppose. What can I do about it? Nothing.

Anyway, a friend of a friend who's got loads of cash owns various houses around the Chicagoland area. He's going to rent me his house for $400/month. Very generous of him. That, and this same guy is starting his own business. He needs a T1 installed, network setup, server setup, PC's setup and a phone system installed. I've been working out of his house and his newly rented office. I'm going to work for him for real cheap because he's renting the house to me for such a low ammount. I've put in 62 hours in my first week and I have 2 days to move out and into my new place. It's been hard... 10-12 hour days but hey... gotta survive ;)

I'm such a chatter box today... just so happy to have some free time.. though I need to get packing very very soon. Rick, I wish you the best of luck with school... if it were up to me... a man who served in our military should have EXTREMELY good benefits from Unemployment/Health Care for the remainder of his life.. and his family. ;)
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I have great benefits for education which I am using now. Or should say I have applied to use them. Takes a few months to kick in. Unemployment is no different from anyone else which here it is based on your work history. No health care unless you got something service connected which I do for two things. Everything else there is a copay but I am very happy with my VA doctors.

 
Yes, hot glue isn't toxic. But I have one more piece of advice I just learned about it. Don't wash your insect cups that you've hot glued things to (like sticks, flowers, etc.) in the dishwasher. I just did this last night, and found a bunch of sticks (skewers cut to length) in the bottom of my dishwasher... trying to get through the little holes in the bottom. :eek: :rolleyes:

 
Katnapper said:
Yes, hot glue isn't toxic. But I have one more piece of advice I just learned about it. Don't wash your insect cups that you've hot glued things to (like sticks, flowers, etc.) in the dishwasher. I just did this last night, and found a bunch of sticks (skewers cut to length) in the bottom of my dishwasher... trying to get through the little holes in the bottom. :eek: :rolleyes:
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LOL! Katt!

That glue gets soft at about 100F (~40C), I think, but its one thing to read that and another to see it in practice! And you do such a nice job of gluing in those sticks, too! :D

 
PhilinYuma said:
Sounds like a cool idea, though a twig or two works pretty well, also.The good news,'Lectric, is that the glue is non-toxic, hot or cold.

The bad news is that hot water will neither disinfect the cup nor neutralize mold. What it will do, though, is clean the cup (use a little DW soap and rinse it thoroughly), and that's all you need.
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Does DW soap mean dishwasher soap?

[SIZE=8pt](just need to be clear, sorry if this is a stupid question, english is my second language)[/SIZE]

 
Eldur said:
Does DW soap mean dishwasher soap?[SIZE=8pt](just need to be clear, sorry if this is a stupid question, english is my second language)[/SIZE]
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Glad to clarify, Eldur... :) . She means liquid dish washing soap, but not the kind you use in an electric dishwasher... the kind you do the dishes by hand with. ;)

 
PhilinYuma said:
She Katt? What's going on there? You reckon that a guy can't use dish washing soap, huh? :D LOL!
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Ooops!!!! :eek: I thought it was Hibiscusmile that suggested the dish soap! I've heard her suggest it before, lol. Had to look back up in this thread.... and I'm oh so sorry, Phil... :huh: ;) for one, not giving you the proper credit for the suggestion.... AND secondly, for any insinuation that men can't, won't, or just plain don't do dishes. (no matter how true it may be in some cases! :rolleyes: ) :p :lol:

You're very much welcome, Eldur! ;)

 
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Duh Katt. Course I hardly ever wash enclosures anyways until the mantis is gone as they rarely get that dirty.

 
Rick said:
Duh Katt. Course I hardly ever wash enclosures anyways until the mantis is gone as they rarely get that dirty.
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Well.... :rolleyes: I've never claimed to be a rocket scientist with a monopoly on perfect and ever-present common sense. And unfortunately I get hit with the "stupid stick" from time to time! ;) :lol:

 
leric, if you want to sanatize your cups without killing your mantis' use 1 tsp ONLY!!! of bleach in one gallon of water, vuala home made serilizer it kills everything and its pet safe becuase its so diluted, i use for all my pet cleanings (except the accual pet lol)

 
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