Little flies?

[Matt__uk]

Hey all,

we seem to have dozens of little flies hanging about and in our tort table - mostly near the food.

Anyone else have this problem and what do you do about it?

Thought I should get some fly paper perhaps!

[rocio]

At some garden centres you can buy sticky yellow plastic sheets to hang up above the problem area. Yellow because flies seem attracted to the yellow colour. beware though 'cause they are very sticky!!

www.cactusinspain.com

[ibizathetort]

Had this a couple of times only real way to get rid if they are really bad is to change the soil. Sometimes the sterilised soil if you are using it, isn't so

[Pussygalore]

I used the yellow sheets which were double sided so I could stick them to the side of the table, they work very well including on hair, clothes, skin and anything else that happens to touch them.

[Geomyda]

This question has been posed on another forum and though perhaps not suitable for all types of Tortoise/ turtle enclosure; African house Gecko's, and various species of Tree frog do make very effective fly controls. That said, in order to sustain a healthy population of these natural predators it is required that the surroundings are secure and additional commercially bred insect food is given.
In my own tropical house which of course is separate from my home, I have self sustaining colonies of African house Gecko's, frogs and fish. These help create a natural balance and avoids the fly issues that can cause nuisance in enclosures.

[Leah Marie]

Hi, I've had this problem before and after asking the same question on here decided to start using tortoise life subtrate. I know it's more expensive than topsoil but if you spot clean daily you do not have to do a complete subtrate change very often. Also tortoise life never has any nasty bits of glass, etc lurking in it.

[Matt__uk]

Thanks for the advice.

We did a full clean out today, so hopefully that will help!

[Pussygalore]

I used tortoise life and still had the little flies, I assumed they came in with the weeds and food, possibly the plants I had growing in the table not in with the substrate. If top soil is the sterilised type then the sterilisation process should kill of any live bugs and eggs.

[shellonia]

Yes I use Tortoise Life mainly and think it has to be what comes in on the weeds. they are a nuisance but don't do much harm.

[Matt__uk]

Well a few weeks after a complete clean out and they are back, and you can see their little lavas is the soil. Its gross.

Got some fly sheets on order and will do another complete change once they are here I think.