fruit flies?

Status
Not open for further replies.

DuttonWebb

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
139
Location (City and/or State)
Texas, yeehaw
fruit flies? they look like them...there is no fruit though. there was some a while back that brought a couple flies with it and now its rediculous...the little flies are buzzing all around the substrate...countless flies... do I have to change my substrate?...its fresh too I just put it in a week or two ago and its the same stuff as I had before. I'm thinking about getting a sticky trap and putting it outside the enclosure. idk what to do.:(
 

Laura

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
5 Year Member
Joined
Sep 5, 2007
Messages
7,502
Location (City and/or State)
Foothills above Sacramento CA
i have them in the house too . i think its a plant with damp or bad soil. when im on computer at night, the light attracts them.
get a house gecko....!
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
What kind of substrate do you have?

A sticky trap with tape only (no pesticides) near the enclosure out of reach of the tort could work, but if at all possible I would move the tort out of the room, try to get all the substrate and torts out, wait to make sure they are gone, and put substrate and the tort back in. They have probably laid eggs in the substrate if they are multiplying...
 

bettinge

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2009
Messages
921
Location (City and/or State)
Upstate NY
I second the fly paper idea. While it does not get rid of them, it does reduce their numbers the a more manageable level. I wonder whats attracting them? They seem to like fruit or damp soil.
 

DuttonWebb

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
139
Location (City and/or State)
Texas, yeehaw
bettinge said:
I second the fly paper idea. While it does not get rid of them, it does reduce their numbers the a more manageable level. I wonder whats attracting them? They seem to like fruit or damp soil.

Im guessing that they can feed on the tortoise poop. because Ive seen them on it...I try to get poop and any uneaten food out of the enclosure quick... The flies are so bothersome!!! >:[ They do live in the substrate.
 

tortoisenerd

Active Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2008
Messages
3,957
Location (City and/or State)
Washington
Well if you get rid of the substrate hopefully there would go your problem. If you can get rid of the eggs & flies with the substrate, then just try to avoid re-introducing them again.
 

Candy

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
3,990
Location (City and/or State)
Alhambra, CA
I had them too Dutton. I had to get new substrate and clean out Dale's enclosure with a little bit of bleach and a lot of water (and soap of course). I don't know if you can clean yours like that if I remember correctly you have a wood enclosure. They've probably laid eggs somewhere and you weren't able to get them all out although you cleaned it. Maybe if you tried vacuuming it after you cleaned it this time you'll get the eggs or switch enclosures for a while and put that enclosure outside until you don't notice anymore of them. I actually think they have something to do with the poop and the humidity in the enclosure so if there's none left they will probably die off and you can start over.
 

DuttonWebb

Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
139
Location (City and/or State)
Texas, yeehaw
I'll maybe replace the substrate later this week if the fly paper doesnt kill the population. Any suggestions on something else to try? Maybe I should just get a chameleon or two. I would then have no flies and some happy and full chameleons.
 

bettinge

Member
5 Year Member
Joined
Apr 11, 2009
Messages
921
Location (City and/or State)
Upstate NY
I've got Chameleons and the fruit flies. Baby Chameleons will eat the fruit flies, but the adults probably figure its not worth the effort....too small.
 

Crazy1

Well-Known Member
10 Year Member!
Joined
Aug 21, 2007
Messages
6,068
Location (City and/or State)
Inland Empire, CA
Dutton are they flies or nats. I have had an outbreak of nats. Very small and bothersome critters. They are only in the pens with coco fiber and sand, and cypress mulch. None of the pens with aspen have them. I took all the substrate placed it in a turkey roasting bag and baked it. Emptied all the aspen (time to do that anyway). Then I cleaned all the pens by washing with a bit of bleach and water. Then rinsing them and drying them well. I must admit I baked the be-geezers out of the substrate. Almost 2 hours. You have to make sure no flies or nats are left in the room, so I just left the substrate out and put down paper towels for a couple of days. When I put the substrate back no more nats. Should work for fruit flies too.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top