Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been having small little brown bugs in my Uro cages and the only place I can determine that they are coming from is the seed substrate. I have been using seed for about 1 to 1 1/2 years and never noticed them before but I have switched seed brands (I still use millet). Has anyone had this problem before? I am thinking about switching to the T-Rex calcium substrate (looks like sand but if ingested won't impact but will provide calcium, I used it when I first got my Uros). This problem has really freaked me out. These tiny little brown bugs also fly. I am thinking that these bug eggs were in the seed already and when combined with the intense heat of the lamp and possible water getting spilled out of the food bowl is causing them to hatch out. I really don't know.
Thanks for your help!

The little brown bugs are probably grain weevils. The best way to get rid of them is to clean out ALL of the substrate and start fresh. You may have to do that every so often to keep them from coming back. When I had birds that became a problem with their food as well if it took a while to feed it all out. We ended up buying smaller bags and keeping it in airtight containers, but unfortunately you can't do that with substrate!

I wouldn't use the calci sand- it SAYS it won't cause an impaction, but so does the packaging on walnut shells. I've heard some pretty nasty stories. It clumps together when it gets wet and it doesn't dissolve very quickly. As long as I've had herps I've been told to stay away from that stuff, by other hobbyists, pros, and a friend at the zoo. It would probably be safer to use playsand than calci sand.

I have solved my birdseed problem by freezing the seed for a week or so before using it. Of course that was a smaller amount than you may need for your uro floor. I always freeze my dog food and dog cookies as well as my finch foods.I have had the weevil problem and it drives me crazy. If you have the space you might try it. Hope it helps.
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Grama Deb

If they fly they may well be moths. A number of factors turned me away from millet substrate but the straw that broke the camel's back was a moth infestation (after freezing!) that took over a year to eliminate. They get into everything in your house that says "food."
If you look at your Uro's poop, you'll see it full of millet. Look a little closer & you'll see it's undigested. Additionally, I don't like the idea of the Uros eating the very substrate they poop on. Gak!!
I went that route & am here to tell you that sand sucks but it's better than seeds.

Wow, even after a freeze,huh?? Now I'm not so sure I want to use millet either. I must not have had the flying kind. The ones I had looked like little beetles. They also got into all the dry goods in my cupboard though. Arghhhh. Thanks for the insight into the moth thing.
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Grama Deb

Thanks for the input. I think I am going to try the playsand. Those bugs gross me out and it really upset me to see them in with my lizards. I figure Uros live around sand naturally anyway so hopefully impaction won't be a problem. I hope not! My parents have used Walnut substrate with their Bearded Dragons for years and never had any type of problem, so I guess it just depends.
Thanks for all of your help!

How about dirt?

Look at proexotics.com.

Cheers,
Ryan

Dirt's good!!

I got playsand, and my Uros love it. I used sand a long time ago (3 years) when I got Rex, but then switched to seed. I noticed that seed purchased from Petsmart didn't have these pests but from Wal-mart it did. My Uros love the sand. They dig in it and love to stretch out on it to "sun" themselves. It has been a plus for me! Hopefully it is safe. I am still in the trial period and I feed my animals out of dishes and remove them if they kick too much sand into it.
Thanks for the help!

The ones that plagued us built little cocoons at all "right-angles" of the walls & ceiling & then proceeded to hatch out as little moths. Somewhere during their nasty little life cycles they managed to dig into damn near everything in our pantry that wasn't canned. Cardboard & plastic served as no barriers.

Crisseyg, please beware the walnut substrate. It's an accident waiting to happen. Just because someone chain-smoked 30 years & never got cancer isn't to say that smoking isn't dangerous. Walnut substrate is a gut stopper.

Playsand works just fine.

Best of Lucks!