Mosquitos

[Pearly]

Hey guys, Our area has been a "mosquito country" last few years especially in my backyard where there are more trees. I'm very close to finishing the tortoise garden fence so the babies can start going out there for few hrs each day, but I worry that they'll get bitten by those pesky critters. Aside from skin issues, how about all the diseases (viruses, parasite eggs) that the skeeters spread. What do you guys do to protect your torts?

 

[dmmj]

I got a couple of water turtles the mosquitoes in my general area completely disappeared. Summer nights now short sleeve no mosquito repellent no bites

 

[JoesMum]

I suspect that torts are rarely, if ever, bitten. Their skin is pretty tough and scaly

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't think mosquitos are attracted to cold-blooded reptiles - just a guess, I don't know this as a fact.

I never see mosquitos here, never get bitten, but by the end of the week (I change my rescue turtles' water weekly) the turtle water is full of wigglers.

These plants are supposed to repel mosquitoes:

common lantana
fever tea
lemon balm
lemon thyme
citronella
marigold
lavender
catnip
peppermint

Before you plant any of these in the tortoise yard do a search to see if they're toxic to your animals.

 

[Tom]

I've never heard of any mosquito related tortoise issues. Not even from outdoor tortoises in the south.

I don't think it's an issue.

 

[surfergirl]

my sully has been exposed to mosquito summers in Georgia for 20 years and no issues yet. he has never seen a vet and I hope he never has to.

 

[Pearly]

I don't think mosquitos are attracted to cold-blooded reptiles - just a guess, I don't know this as a fact.

I never see mosquitos here, never get bitten, but by the end of the week (I change my rescue turtles' water weekly) the turtle water is full of wigglers.

These plants are supposed to repel mosquitoes:

common lantana
fever tea
lemon balm
lemon thyme
citronella
marigold
lavender
catnip
peppermint

Before you plant any of these in the tortoise yard do a search to see if they're toxic to your animals.

I've been on a quest for mosquito repelling plants. I have some already growing in my garden but those pesky bloodsuckers don't seem to care. They eat me alive!!! Unless I spay myself with DEET which I hate but no other stuff seems to work. They seem to find me from miles away! I hate them! Well... No, I don't like this word, "hate", I should say, I dislike the female mosquitoes when they are after my blood. Males don't bother me. I know all living creatures have their role in the ecosystem so I'm trying to learn living in harmony with them. Mosquitos have been the more difficult ones to accept in loving way

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Fun fact: Only female mosquitoes bite us. And they don't bite everyone equally. The females want a protein from our blood right before they lay eggs.
I have the "good egg laying blood" apparently as they are always biting me, never my husband

Now, I *think* I remember this correctly...mosquitoes never travel farther than 300ft in their lifetime. If there is no water source near you for them to lay eggs and hatch in (or predators that eat them) you won't have a problem with them.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Ha! I just read that you addressed the females...lol nevermind