Little flying bugs

brian.le02

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I have noticed today that there are small flying bugs in my enclosure they are small and may be fruit flies but I’m worried they will harm my little tortoise or lay eggs inside his enclosure what can I do about this? They randomly came all at once
 

Pure Tortoise Power

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I have noticed today that there are small flying bugs in my enclosure they are small and may be fruit flies but I’m worried they will harm my little tortoise or lay eggs inside his enclosure what can I do about this? They randomly came all at once
Here's what I did. I removed the substrate, cleaned its enclosure with boiling water, let it cool down a bit, placed in new substrate. I also learned to remove any food remains and wash the food dish whenever my tort goes to sleep.
A closed enclosure can deal with this better and in a long term. With small ventilation holes, the flies will have no chance of entering the enclosure unless they're lucky enough to enter when you open the enclosure cover. Closed enclosure can also help maintain temperature and humidity a lot better than open top ones.
 

JoesMum

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The little flying bugs will not harm you or your tortoise. They are detrivores that feed on decaying plant matter. In the warm, humid environment of a tortoise enclosure it is pretty much impossible to avoid them.

You can help matters by cleaning up left over food and any poop quickly. Some people introduce a few roly polies (woodlice, pill bugs or whatever your local word for them is) as natural control. You will find the roly polies under rocks or logs in your garden.
 

brian.le02

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They seem to be attracted to the lights but I’ll be sure to wash the substrate I also tried putting a bowl of apple cider vinegar and it caught some bugs
 

Reptilony

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They seem to be attracted to the lights but I’ll be sure to wash the substrate I also tried putting a bowl of apple cider vinegar and it caught some bugs

Why try to kill them? I think they are usefull, they eat all the bad leftover food that I can’t see, some people put bugs themselves in the enclosures.
 

Scott350

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Try putting apple cider vinegar in a clear jar. Cover the top with plastic wrap. Use a fork a poke some holes in it. Place by your enclosure not in it.
 

Mweigel

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The little flying bugs will not harm you or your tortoise. They are detrivores that feed on decaying plant matter. In the warm, humid environment of a tortoise enclosure it is pretty much impossible to avoid them.

You can help matters by cleaning up left over food and any poop quickly. Some people introduce a few roly polies (woodlice, pill bugs or whatever your local word for them is) as natural control. You will find the roly polies under rocks or logs in your garden.
So you can have pill bugs in your enclosure with the tortoise and it will be fine?
 

Tom

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So you can have pill bugs in your enclosure with the tortoise and it will be fine?
Yes. Springtails, phorid flies and roaches too. All are harmless detrivores that "clean" the enclosure.
 

method89

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I have a Hermman's so I wasn't sure, thank you for the response!
My Hermann's just realized that he can eat isopods... I have isopods, worms, and I think there is a slug running around somewhere. They all have jobs and the isopods, in particular, are a pleasure to watch go about their business. They all can be eaten by the tort as well.
 

Yvonne G

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My sister used to have a Hermanni that would dig through the substrate and eat the ants that came in for left over food.
 

nicoleann2214

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I have noticed today that there are small flying bugs in my enclosure they are small and may be fruit flies but I’m worried they will harm my little tortoise or lay eggs inside his enclosure what can I do about this? They randomly came all at once
I have the same issue sometimes
 

solidsounds17

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I read online that leaving some peppermint oil and letting the scent around the enclosure will kill them off. I haven't tried as I don't know how safe that is for your tortoise.
 

waretrop

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@Scott350 has the cure...r gnats.jpg

A little red cider vinegar in a small glass with plastic wrap and rubber band. Poke holes in top with tooth pic..make them good size. The flying bugs will go to the liquid and get trapped in glass. eventually fall in the liquid and die. Change it every week. All you have to do is put it near the spot and be patient. As they hatch and rehatch they will do their thing... It takes a little longer but it is not harmful to animals...like pesticides.
 

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