Springtails Stressing Me Out!!

[dmarshall1991]

Ahhhh. I'm getting really tired of the annoying bugs that come along with humid tortoise environments!! Not only do I have tons of gnats, but I've got springtails in numbers that I am NOT ok with.. they have moved from being just in the enclosures to being everywhere.. I just inspected my bed and squished at least 20 springtails on my pillow alone. They were all over the sheets as well. They were fresh out of the laundry this morning so it's not like they were dirty and attracting them or anything. I HATE bugs. And the thought that I'm Sharing my bed with hundreds of them is really stressing me out. I know people add these to their enclosures on purpose so I dont mind them if they would stay in the enclosures. How do you deal with them?? And am I the only one who has issues with them invading MY own space?

 

[leigti]

Will D EE kill them?

 

[gingerbee]

Yikes!! That sounds terrible!! I wouldn't do well with that either!! Only thing that has worked for me is apple cider vinegar in a small jar with a funnel in it they go down the funnel to the cider and get caught.the funnel needs to be a tight fit.
Hope someone knows a good solution for you.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Just get some sliders for your enclosure.

 

[dmarshall1991]

Will D EE kill them?

What is D EE ??

 

[dmarshall1991]

Just get some sliders for your enclosure.

What are sliders??

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Doh! spiders.

 

[dmarshall1991]

Yikes!! That sounds terrible!! I wouldn't do well with that either!! Only thing that has worked for me is apple cider vinegar in a small jar with a funnel in it they go down the funnel to the cider and get caught.the funnel needs to be a tight fit.
Hope someone knows a good solution for you.

Thanks! Yea it's not very fun haha grosses me out. I just imagine how many crawl into my mouth because it's nice and humid while I'm asleep... eeew!!! Gives me goosebumps lol

 

[leigti]

What is D EE ??

Diatenacious earth, I don't know how to spell it. It is food grade DE. Very important that you use food grade, the other kind is poisonous. I use it to kill bugs in my tortoise enclosures indoors and outdoors. I don't know if it kills the kind of bugs you were having a problem with though.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Thanks! Yea it's not very fun haha grosses me out. I just imagine how many crawl into my mouth because it's nice and humid while I'm asleep... eeew!!! Gives me goosebumps lol

Yet think of the hight quality protein you are receiving for free.

 

[dmarshall1991]

Yet think of the hight quality protein you are receiving for free.

Haha I'd much rather skip out on free protein and just pay for my protein intake

 

[ascott]

Add some pill bugs and some stink bugs...they will help to balance out the population of the springtails...also, daddy long leg spiders are a harmless (to people) friend to set up in the enclosure as well.....the trick is to outlast the annoyance and add some "gatekeepers" top the mix....the springtails really are annoying but not harmful....

 

[pepsiandjac]

I put my torts in the greenhouse and go over the enclosure with a steamer,,while not eradicating the entirely it keeps the number well down