Bugs bugs everywhere

Kells Bells

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Oct 6, 2018
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Hi I hope everyone had a great Christmas:) I know there have been quite a few posts about this. I started seeing a few little black dots that jumped about. Now I see they have wings and quite alot of them. I have read some people bake, microwave or boil their substrate. But most of what I have read is people doing this with new substrate. My question is can I do any of the above with the old substrate?
 

JoesMum

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These are detrivores. They feed on rotting vegetable matter and poop. They are not harmful. They are inevitable in the warm and humid environment necessary for tortoise health.

You can do many things, but they always return.

You need to spot clean any poop promptly and remove food waste as well.

Some people introduce roly polies (aka woodlice, pill bugs, etc) as natural waste control. Turn over rocks and logs outside and you will find them in the damper spots underneath
 

Kells Bells

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Joined
Oct 6, 2018
Messages
97
Location (City and/or State)
Ireland
I do spot clean every day and pick up the food as he tends to drag it everywhere hes such a messy eater :D I understand they will come back but do you think boiling or baking the substrate could give me a few weeks or month or so at least without them? Or at least cut the numbers down? I'm not thinking of getting new substrate but if I could get rid of a few of these wee buggers it would be something
 

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