Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my Sav cage for 4 months. Its 8x3x2 with a combo top soil and decomposed granite substrate.

Since its gotten warm, it seems that there are a kind of fruit fly/gnat infestation not only in the cage, but also by every window and light in the room. My cage is set up in a room adjacent to the kitchen. Talking with my friend, he thinks they came from the garbage/garbage disposal. I tend to agree, since I spray the cage weekly with mite spray (the good stuff from Pro Exotics). The bugs seem to gather by the lights (bank of 3 on one side) and get between the plexiglass and the wood in the cage top. I spray around, between under, over, etc. to get the bugs, but I am concerned they are in teh dirt.

I was cleaning the cage furniture yesterday and when I knocked the dirt off of a piece of wood, a bunch of the "baby" bugs came out. They are probably nesting inthe wood, so I soaked the wood and then sprayed. I used to "turn" the dirt every week, but is that necessary, it ruins his burrows.

What can/should I do or try to get rid of this problem?

Thank you in advance for your help

Jeff

You're spraying bug poison in your cages???? Bad idea. The gnats are probably harmless springtails or something that thrives in moist dirt or decomposing plant materials. They are unlikely to bother your lizard.

I have to agree with Justin!
Spraying poison in your cage is a "crappy" idea!!
Your best bet is to put a 1" piece of no pest strip in a small deli cup with small holes in it.
Leave this no pest strip in the cage for a few days, it will kill the bugs.
When you remove the deli cup there will be no more POISON in your cage.
Again spraying poison into your cage will lead to problems.
Mike

-----
Mike's Monitors!

I'm guessing I wasn't clear on what I was spraying. I am using BK-II mite killer from Pro Exotics. I have the spray for the substrate as well as the spray for the cage/reptile. I remove all furniture, water, animals and spray the cage and leave it for about 30 minutes while the lizard is soaking. THen I spray the furniture outside and the lizard with the other spray. They both say they are safe for reptiles. After it all airs out, I return everything to the cage

I’m not really familiar with that product, but it sounds like what you’re doing is kinda overkill... are you sure those bugs are really a problem?

Apparently the stuff sucks!
If you have to continualy use it.

No pest strip for a few days will kill any insects, the benificial bugs(work horses) centipedes, millipedes and roly polies remain unharmed by the no pest strip.

I only had one bad infestation from using leaf litter once.
A quick fix for the problem was to dump the leaf litter.

Again the work horses that help keep my soil nice and clean are benificial!
What type of bugs are you encountering?
My method works great for ants and flying insects!
Mike
-----
Mike's Monitors!

They are flying insects, gnats or fruit flies. Where can I get the no pest strip? is this for in and outside of the cage? They seem to not be as present after the spraying and the cleaning. How often do you (if at all) "turn" your soil? Meaning, dig it up and move the bottom to the top? Do you run into wet soil underneath from keeping the top humid?

Thanks for you help

"They are flying insects, gnats or fruit flies. Where can I get the no pest strip? is this for in and outside of the cage? They seem to not be as present after the spraying and the cleaning. How often do you (if at all) "turn" your soil? Meaning, dig it up and move the bottom to the top? Do you run into wet soil underneath from keeping the top humid?

Thanks for you help"

Jeff
You can buy no pest strip's at most home improvement stores.

What I used to do is cut the large piece into small squares.
Place these squares in small plastic cups(take out katchup).
Punch or burn a few holes in it to let the smell out but not touch your Monitor...you can hang it as well.
Inside of the cage for a week, outside in your room you can hang what's left!

When I was breeding only snakes I would have a constant supply working to kill everything!

With Monitors or any insectivor you must not feed insects until you remove the strips.
Once it gone so are the lil nasties and the poison!

The lil gnats will be HISTORY!!
Unfortunately for me with all of the Roaches I breed I just eat the fruit flies if they get too close to my pie hole! LOL

I never "turn" my soil.
From time to time I'll run a little hand rake through the top 3"s or so.
I have simple drains on all of my enclosures...no stagnant mud on the bottom!
Mike
Let me know how you like living without the gnats!!

-----
Mike's Monitors!

Mike, thanks for the help. Did you put drains in the steel stock tanks? they make for one hell of a watertight container otherwise. I know there is a drain onthe side, is that what you use?

I'll pick up some pest strips right away, I dont feed insects anymore, so anything thats in there is fair game.

Thanks for your help

I do use the drain plug on one of them...the other is even more simple!
3 holes drilled near the bottom off to one side.
They do their job well!
Good Luck if you have anymore questions about how to use the no pest strip just ask.
Remember it is poison be carefull!
Mike
-----
Mike's Monitors!

Mike,
Just picked up the no pest strip. I do like you said and make kind of a trap for the gnats to enter, but not leave and to keep the monitor out. Will monitors try to get at the strip because of its smell?

No Brother, the gnats don't have to enter!
The holes are for the smell to seep out.
That piece of yelloW rubber should not be allowed to touch your Monitors.(extended periods)

Make a hook to hang it in the cage, or just place it out of the reach of your Monitors.
You should notice it working in a day.
Leave it in there for a few days, when you notice they are gone put what remains back in the foil pouch and then in a ziplock baggy.

You may have to use it again in a few days.
Sometime the eggs of the gnats will hatch again days later.
Keep me posted!
Mike
-----
Mike's Monitors!

JJJJ
-----
Mike's Monitors!