Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Will gnats harm my eggs?
I have notice that their are little gnats flying around my hog eggs. the eggs are only a few days old and have a ways to go. Should I worry and try to find a way to isolate the eggs.
Thanks
Jasonmc

Jason, I hate to break this to you, but they probably are not gnats. They are more then likely "KILL BUGS" . They look like gnats or fruit flys. They will lay eggs in your substrate and bore holes into your eggs, when the larvae hatch they will suck your eggs dry. I would change the substrate that your eggs are in imedietely and move them to a different location asap! I don't know how to get rid of kill bugs safely, maybe someone else will know a better solution, but that is how I have always taken care of the problem when I have had them.

I keep my cages VERY clean now and havent had kill bugs in years. It seemed to help when I started cleaning all of my cages about once a week instead of every 2 weeks. It costs a little more to maintain the collection, but in the long run its well worth it.

I hope I was of some help, good luck and congrats on your eggs.

Sam

Thanks for the response. I am moving them now.
Jasonmc

Do you do anything special when you clean your cages or just change out the substrate and new water ect? Just curios since you said it cost a little more to maintain.

I just take out all the old substrate, wipe down the inside of the cage with bleach water, dry it, add new substrate, empty the water bowl, clean the bowl with bleach water, rinse, dry and refill with fresh water. I make sure I give the cage enuff time to air out from the bleach smell before I put the animals back in. The bleach water is very very weak. A little goes a LONG way. Hope that helps ya out.

Sam Craver

Cage Crafters

sure did, it's good to know that I was pretty much cleaning them the same way. Thanks for the reply.

I have a question regarding the "Kill Bugs". How do you know what they are? How are they introduced into the population? Do they naturally occur in Reptile set-ups? Please if you could let me know or maybe provide a picture of one. With my eggs I have noticed Fungus Gnats in the substrate but I also have those Gnats on plants in the house. Just wondering.
Thanks, Josh