Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,

Ive been using the dirt mix for a few months now and I have a problem, theres allot of little flying bugs in the cage!!!!
theres probably like 15 of them although I killed half, so now there probably like 7 or so, but I dont know where they came from, I had been seeing one for a couple of weeks but I figured it came into the enclosure somehow and wasnt a problem but now theres more.

I just replaced the dirt about a month ago, and Im wondering what Im supposed to do about this, cause if I have to change the dirt I think I might just go back to newspaper or something.

Thanks in advance
Jack
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0.1 Hypo-Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Tremper Albino Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Crested Geckos
0.0.1 CB Baby Saharan Uromastyx

Well, I'm a playsand user myself. My guess would be that maybe the bugs were in the dirt when you put it in the cage. Possibly the larvae and now they've hatched. I'd think the best bet is to completely remove the dirt and go with new stuff. Is it pre-prepared or dirt from outside? If it's dirt from around outside, who knows whats going to be in it. Just a thought.

>>Hi All,
>>
>>Ive been using the dirt mix for a few months now and I have a problem, theres allot of little flying bugs in the cage!!!!
>>theres probably like 15 of them although I killed half, so now there probably like 7 or so, but I dont know where they came from, I had been seeing one for a couple of weeks but I figured it came into the enclosure somehow and wasnt a problem but now theres more.
>>
>>I just replaced the dirt about a month ago, and Im wondering what Im supposed to do about this, cause if I have to change the dirt I think I might just go back to newspaper or something.
>>
>>Thanks in advance
>>Jack
>>-----
>>0.1 Hypo-Tang Leopard Gecko
>>0.1 Tremper Albino Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
>>1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
>>1.0 Crested Geckos
>>0.0.1 CB Baby Saharan Uromastyx
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2.1 - Rocky, Runako, and RoxyIII

Thanks for the reply,
but no the dirt was not from outside, its robyns mix and I bought the sand, vermiculite and soil. I think the bugs are gnats I killed a few but Im not sure what Im going to do at this point.

Jack
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0.1 Hypo-Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Tremper Albino Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Crested Geckos
0.0.1 CB Baby Saharan Uromastyx

gnats can become a problem when the environment is too moist. typically you see this with mosses and stuff, not soil, but check your topsoil (it wasn't potting soil was it?) for too much organic components.

i typically shoot it with Black Knight, and the bugs are dead, if changing it out is a pain in the butt, a square inch of No-Pest strip for a couple of hours should do the trick...

and watch that your moisture content isn't way too high, that is when they thrive and multiply...
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Youre right on the money Robyn, the last the cooler side is a little too moist.

If I buy this black knight can I spray it in the cage and dirt and not have to change the dirt???

Also where can I get this or the no pest strip, do Petland or Petcos have them???

Thanks
Jack
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0.1 Hypo-Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Tremper Albino Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Crested Geckos
0.0.1 CB Baby Saharan Uromastyx

you can't buy Black Knight anymore, but no pest strips are at Ace Hardware, Home Depot, etc.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

How is that for toxicity to the uro? Should lizard inhabitants be moved to temporary quarters for the de-bugging? I've just read about this stuff on a houseplant forum this week (the No-Pest strips).
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Torey
Salem, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
1.1 Uromastyx Maliensis (Tank and Turtle)
1.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser and Leeloo)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.0 Sunset Dwarf Gourami (Sideshow)
0.0.1 False Spotted Corydoras (Spot)
0.0.2 Metae Corydoras (Frank and Jesse)
0.0.2 Dwarf Sucking Oto (Tootsie and Dum-Dum)
0.0.1 Apple Snail
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

no pest strips are no joke, and they can definitely spin an animal out, so you want to use them sparingly, and not forget them in the cage for a couple of days : (

also use a small piece, we used to cut them up into 1 inch squares, and you only need to use them for a couple of hours...
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

np
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0.1 Hypo-Tang Leopard Gecko
0.1 Tremper Albino Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Hypo Tang Leopard Gecko
1.0 Crested Geckos
0.0.1 CB Baby Saharan Uromastyx