Criket gnat problem.

[wendymileon]

I noticed that I have a gnat problem in my enclosure with my chameleon. I wanted to know if any one may have any idea on a natural way to keep them out of my chameleon enclosure. I know that they are coming from my crikets that are in a tank that is near but I tried to put them out side and they got ate up with ants. So if anyone has any suggestion please post.

 

[kinyonga]

Do they move with a jerky motion when walking?

 

[Kansascity]

I noticed that I have a gnat problem in my enclosure with my chameleon. I wanted to know if any one may have any idea on a natural way to keep them out of my chameleon enclosure. I know that they are coming from my crikets that are in a tank that is near but I tried to put them out side and they got ate up with ants. So if anyone has any suggestion please post.

I would take everything out IMO! Re was all plants and enclosure, u have already taken the crickets out of the area (so hopefully that stops that) place those fly catching ugly fly traps on your ceiling to nab what you can’t catch. I had this issue but it was being created by my freaking plants (so I think) Hope this helped you out a bit. I know its a pain in the rear but so what you have to do. Gd luck.

 

[kinyonga]

Could be fungus gnats...but it could also be phorid flies (which is why I asked how they move when then walk).

 

[Ekaj13]

My fully planted enclosures get them, but my chameleons eat them so it works perfectly!

 

[jdog1027]

Could be fungus gnats...but it could also be phorid flies (which is why I asked how they move when then walk).

Which moves with the herky-jerky motion? I have always had a problem with these in my cricket room for years. Aluminum screen is useless to stop them- they simply walk right through it. I finally got an idea to stop them. I keep the aluminum screen openings, but over the outside of the screen, I hotglue a piece of my secret weapon- window sheer! You can get a large single sheer at Wal-Mart for about $4. It is nothing more than an ultra fine mesh, and it eliminates the gnats being able to walk through the screen. You just have to be sure and glue it to the outside of the openings over the screen-not inside. Putting it inside will allow the crickets to chew right through it. I had a concern that it is such a fine weave, that it might hamper air flow. I just made sure that I cut the openings on the front and back very large to allow for more open surface area. Ventilation seems to be O.K. I'm sure it does impair the ventilation to a certain degree, but it's a trade-off I was willing to take because the gnats were using my cricket egg laying bins to lay their eggs in as well. I was hatching more maggots than I was crickets. The OP here is having a problem with them in the chameleons enclosure, and I don't think that window sheer on a chameleons cage is a practical solution. But they also stated that they suspect the problem to be related to their cricket enclosures. Maybe if window sheer was used on the crickets cage, it could eliminate the problem at the source.

 

[Texas Ranger]

I would clean everthing first. Then you could get some "fly paper". But if its the FF type gnats. I use a shot glass. Fill it to the absolute top with Apple cider vingar. And 2 drops of Dawn dishwashing soap. Then set it somewhere in the room where it cant get knocked over or drank by something. The gnats are attracted to it. Drink and fall in. Of course with any "all natural" way. Results may not be typical. lol

 

[kinyonga]

Phorid flies move with a jerky walk....
http://www.usaflies.com/phorid_flies.html

 

[wendymileon]

jdog1027 your idea sounds like it will be prefect for me to do. You said that you got the window sheer at Walmart in what department did you find it? Also I was doing some more research and people said that the gnats might be also living in the dirt in my plant that is in my chameleons cage. When I bought it I replanted it with organic dirt and I would hate to have to do that all over again. So I was wondering what you thought about putting swran wrap and then rocks on top of the soil and spraying it with soapy water to keep the gnats out of the soil.

 

[jdog1027]

jdog1027 your idea sounds like it will be prefect for me to do. You said that you got the window sheer at Walmart in what department did you find it? Also I was doing some more research and people said that the gnats might be also living in the dirt in my plant that is in my chameleons cage. When I bought it I replanted it with organic dirt and I would hate to have to do that all over again. So I was wondering what you thought about putting swran wrap and then rocks on top of the soil and spraying it with soapy water to keep the gnats out of the soil.

In the housewares section. Ask an employee where the curtains and drapes are. I guess the suran wrap is a possibility, but you'd have to make sure it is ultra tight- those flies can get into anything. Also, you'd have to find a way to supply water to your plant, though I don't think that would be a big issue. You might consider just taking the plant out of the chameleons cage temporarily and letting it 'air out'. Those flies seem to like dampness, so if you were to cautiously set it in direct sunlight (some plants don't like a whole lot of direct sun, so be careful) and let it dry out on the surface. Keep in mind you'll still have fly eggs in the soil for a couple of days resulting in their disgusting little maggots.