So many bugs - I need a new substrate

[Slbrlb]

I use reptibark and after a month or two there are soo many knats. I’ve frozen and boiled it but they still come back. Is there a better substrate to use?

 

[Tom]

I use reptibark and after a month or two there are soo many knats. I’ve frozen and boiled it but they still come back. Is there a better substrate to use?

The "gnats" are phorid flies. They come from the surrounding environment, not from the substrate. They are harmless detrivores coming to clean your enclosure. Spot cleaning leftover food and feces will help to remove some of their incentive for coming to colonize your warm moist environment.

There is no better substrate to use, and you will have this with any suitable substrate. To reduce there numbers you can boil, bake, freeze, or replace the substrate about every two weeks.

 

[Maro2Bear]

The trick is to break the cycle. All it takes is a few fertile females to wreak havoc

 

[Beanmiester]

I use reptibark and after a month or two there are soo many knats. I’ve frozen and boiled it but they still come back. Is there a better substrate to use?

Hi
I had the same problem with my coco fibre and husk, I froze both in the freezer for at least a week, then straight out of freezer I poured boiling hot water on it left it over night to soak up and expand, and hey presto! Knats no more! Completely gone not even one, been 3 weeks now and still no knats. Worth a try 👍🏻