Please help me control gnats

[cesdrp]

I have a huge gnat problem! These sticky traps were put in only 24 hours before the photo! I know they are harmless but this is too much. How can I keep them at bay?

I am currently taking out all of the substrate (use fill dirt) and I am baking it. Once all the dirt is baked I am going to wipe down the enclosure with hydrogen peroxide before putting the dirt back in.

I know they are going to come back but how can I keep them at manageable levels?

I have seen a lot of people suggest springtails but I’m worried they will get just as bad. What about isopods? Any other ideas?

My tortoise is a 2 year old leopard in a 8 foot by 3 foot indoor enclosure. I live in Midwest USA so it’s too cold for my tortoise to be outside this time of year.

 

[wellington]

The only thing I found to help is baking or boiling the substrate before using. Bake at 250 for 3 hours or more. It helped me keep them away for about a year or so.

 

[wellington]

Your tortoise should be on orchid bark or coconut coir with an 80% humidity and in a closed chamber. All the above will help keep the numbers down and baking the bark or coir first will also help a lot.

 

[Yvonne G]

I found that the gnat maggots really multiply under the feeding tile where rotten food and lots of moisture accumulate. So just lift the food dish and clean out that area daily and you should eliminate the maggot stage.

 

[Lyn W]

That sticky stuff on fly paper can become runny and drip off in heat so I wouldn't use that in or near your torts enclosure.
I ruined a good coat by hanging fly paper over the place it was hanging in a warm spot, so I know for sure what a mess it can make and it would be probably be toxic for you tort.

 

[Maro2Bear]

Greetings. The trick is to disrupt them somewhere along their life cycle. Get rid of the adults or eggs or food or heat or moisture…….for a period of time to get rid of them from your enclosed space.



Here’s a good article to help you determine where/how to attack

https://rollingmountainkush.com/www.rollingmountainkush.com/november2020/2020/11/28/fungus-gnats-lifecycle.html

 

[Tappy_Tortoise]

Well springtails will multiply quickly so there's that. Though them with isopods combined should keep the population down. They work as a clean up crew. Just noticed some gnats in my own tortoise's enclosure. My isopods also live in there own enclosure right next to my tortoise. I've yet to see any gnats in there.

I would also have to agree with cleaning under wherever you feed them.