# mosquito dunks



## Kapidolo Farms

In the enclosures I have for species that live in high humidity parts of the world I give them two hides.

One more or less 'dry' with no added water, it is shelter without 'extra' humidity perhaps like under some tree bark in the wild.

Then I have another hide that is filled with coco chunks or cypress mulch, and then filled with water, so that it is a hide swamp with standing water. I change the water out periodically, but not so often that I avoid sewer flies.

The tortoises value the swamp hide so much they leave it to defecate in their water bowl.

So here is the problem, sooner or later sewer flies 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychodidae
get in every swamp, and they then move to other swamps, without washing their feet, that concerns me a great deal.

I am considering using mosquito dunks http://www.summitchemical.com/mosquito/mosquito-dunks/

Have you used them with aquatic turtles?

Do you know if they will kill sewer flies too?

The product is not an insecticide but rather a biological control utilizing bacteria. It can be used in farming situations that are certified organic.

I'd like to hear a pro active voice, if it is here, saying "yeah, I use them, no apparent harm." Or perhaps like other strange freak things, tortoises are the one group of vertebrates that don't co-exists well with that bacteria - ala Teflon and birds.

Will


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## sibi

Will, I have an aquatic turtle for 25 years now. Her tank is 55 gallons and years ago, I used them in her tank because mosquitoes would lay their eggs in the water next to the filter tube, and soon after i had a swam of baby mosquitoes. While her tank would sometimes get filthy with feces at the bottom of her tank, i never had sewage flies from it. I just could not stand having her in foul water for that long. But, the mosquito dunks worked great! Personally, i would trust the product with my torts, although I really wouldn't know if it would kill sewage flies


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## Jacqui

I use them in all my pools and ponds, with both turtles and tortoises. I love them! They work so well against the 'skeeters, but I can't say about anything else. I was a bit wary of them at first, but once Joe H. (from Carolina Pet supply and the Russian forum, ect..) said they were safe, I felt better. They don't bother the frogs or fish either. I use the donuts on larger bodies of water and the little baggie ones on the smaller places. I have been using them for ten years maybe?


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## Kapidolo Farms

I got a bottle of the bits and will try it out in one swamp hide placed inside a bigger plastic box, just to see if it will kill the sewer flies.

I'll let you all know what comes of it.

Will


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## Team Gomberg

Thanks for posing the link to the product you were asking about. I've never heard of any of this and was glad to check it out and be in the know. 
I'm curious now to see if it works for you! Good luck!

Sent from my TFOapp


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## Baoh

Interesting product, Will. I had not been aware of its existence and have a great number of use instances it would really help me out with. I hope it works for your desired tangential application.


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## Kapidolo Farms

Well, the label claim "kills within hours" has stood up. I applied it to a swamp hide held over night in another larger plastic box since Sunday morning. I looked this morning (monday) and the larve are dead, the adults are dead too.

I have put that swamp box back in with the tortoises now. My next comments will be if something does not seem right with the tortoises. Otherwise an absence of further comments is good news.

Will


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## Jacqui

Then you won't be back, because of the years I have used this product I have had no animal issues be it turtle, tortoise, dog, cats, or poultry. I have always enjoyed seeing how quickly it does work.


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## sibi

I, too, concur.


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