Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm having an awful time here. I've taken my ferret's (Puck) cage outside, scrubbed it down weakly, sprayed it with flea killer in hopes that it might help, but nothing does. As soon as he poops, these gnats just swarm the poop. They won't go away. They became a problem around hte beginning of summer and have stuck around ever since. I've scrubbed the floor, whiped off the bars, cleaned the shelves, cleaned out his food and water bottle, washed toys and thrown away a few that were just gross and cardboard anyway, I... I am going crazy! At least they seem to leave HIM alone, but I'm very worried and extremely annoyed. The little monsters are all over the place when I clean it, and of course I can't spray bug killer in his cage!
I'm begging for suggestions or solutions! Anything and everything is appreciated!!!

These thoughts are just off the top of my head. I know the food dish is out, that can't be helped. But change that every day. Is his food stored in an airtight container? If it's just in the bag, toss that and get new food and put that in an airtight container. When I clean my girls' litter boxes, I use a little bleach with the soap and water. Also maybe get a couple of those fly strips that are sticky. Just make sure your fuzzy can't get to them.
I hope someone else can come up with something.
Good luck!

Kat

Yep, airtight container. I did that because one night I saw him eating his food and thought to myself "ew, that's gotta be just like stale cereal. I'm getting a storage thing" and I did. Oddly enough they don't touch his food, just his poop! He doesn't have a litter pan, he hated litter training and avoided it at all costs so I gave up. Now he just has two designated corners on the same side.
Fly strips sound good, I'll try those on the outside around the edges or something where he can't reach!

This is making me sick! I tried putting some fly paper on the outside edges and on the floor around those corners but I've only caught like 4... and 4's nothing when there are like 20 swarming his poop. God, it's DISGUSTING! NORMAL people have problems with fleas or something but no, I get GNATS?! How the heck do you get rid of GNATS?
My dad suggested taking him out of the cage when the stench gets good and gross and nailing the little monsters with some bug killer spray. He thinks I should do that, let them die, then clean out the cage real good. Do you think it's safe?
I'm really getting desperate here, this is simply vile, and my ferret should not have to share his house with VERMIN!!!