hey all. I'm really looking for s very simple fix here. When we got Miguel, we were given a few bags of mulch from my friend who neglected to tell me that fruit flies start appearing. I cannot have this. They are everywhere in my house. Can someone suggest a better kind, healthier? She got this from Home Depot. He's not big on moisture and I heard the flies are due to moisture. HELP! I need something that won't have BUGS!
Mulch and fruit flies
- Thread starter Kris0322
- Start date
Those are not fruit flies. There are at least two common species of "substrate flies" that we all get. They are harmless detrivores and they won't harm you or your tortoise. They don't come from the substrate. They come to the warm damp substate from the surrounding area because it makes for a perfect place to live and breed for them. You also get them if you have any potted plants in your home, but you'll get more in your tortoise enclosure because of the warmth.
To get rid of them, you will need to boil, bake, freeze, or replace your substrate every two weeks or so. But you will never completely get rid of them, because they will keep coming from the surrounding environment.
Also, I don't know what kind of mulch you are using, but the HD near me does not sell anything that is suitable as a tortoise substrate. I buy fine grade orchid bark from a local plant nursery/gardening center. About $10 for a giant 2.0 cubic foot bag.
To get rid of them, you will need to boil, bake, freeze, or replace your substrate every two weeks or so. But you will never completely get rid of them, because they will keep coming from the surrounding environment.
Also, I don't know what kind of mulch you are using, but the HD near me does not sell anything that is suitable as a tortoise substrate. I buy fine grade orchid bark from a local plant nursery/gardening center. About $10 for a giant 2.0 cubic foot bag.
Some people just add a few roly-polies to the enclosure to control the flies.
Otherwise clear out poop and old food carefully.
Otherwise clear out poop and old food carefully.
Boil or bake? Oh my! Not gonna happen LOL. I will gladly replace it I just need to know the best kind to buy. We do not have any live plants in our house. I get they won't hurt anything BUT they are everywhere and becoming a nusance. I was thinking of going to petco to look for one. My friend who does not have tortoises but other creatures said to maybe try this one, I have attached a pic but we don't know if it's safe for him. Thank you for your help.
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Personally, I'd get coco coir or fine grade orchid bark from a hardware or garden store... or even from Amazon.
It's cheaper than the reptile branded stuff.
It's cheaper than the reptile branded stuff.
Yuck! I'll def change as long as I get the right kind. The kind she gave us was a brown bag of "mulch" from HD. That's what she used. I'm beginnging to think I am paying more attention to him than they did and noticing things that have gone unnoticed, hence the incorrect mulch. He likes to dig and hide under it.
Boil or bake? Oh my! Not gonna happen LOL. I will gladly replace it I just need to know the best kind to buy. We do not have any live plants in our house. I get they won't hurt anything BUT they are everywhere and becoming a nusance. I was thinking of going to petco to look for one. My friend who does not have tortoises but other creatures said to maybe try this one, I have attached a pic but we don't know if it's safe for him. Thank you for your help.
This is safe to use and works well, but you need a very thick layer and you need to hand pack it down. It will be messy for a week or two until it "settles in". But like Joe's Mum said, you can buy MUCH cheaper in bulk from a gardening center.
I prefer fine grade orchid bark. Less messy, less hassle. Also purchased inexpensively in bulk from the garden center.
None of these substrates we've been talking about have bugs in them. All of these substrates will make an ideal environment for your tortoise and for these substrate flies, and all of these substrates will eventually be colonized by your local substrate flies.
Orchid bark = fir bark. In the pet store they call it "Repti-Bark" and charge 10 times the price. It can be packed and sold under a variety of brand names. Here is one brand that I've been using for a couple of years:
Correct. A gardening store. Not a hardware store with a garden section, but a store that is all plants and nursery stuff.
