Little Flies

[Wolfus_305]

Hi there,
Just recently (the past week or so) when I've been changing my BP's water I've noticed several tiny, tiny flies in it. I looked closer and every now and then I see a little fly zipping around his habitat. I checked him out and didn't notice any on him. He's not acting any differently and I still see him moving around almost any night. Does anybody know what these little flies are?
Kenny

[mykee]

If you have any type of flies in your ball pythons habitat, you need to clean that habitat FAR more often than you do currently. Simple.

[Wolfus_305]

I change the entire thing (all the substate, wash the interior/exterior, clean dishes, hides and accesories.) every two weeks. I immediatly clean any excretions and I change his water daily. His temps are normal and so is his humidity.

[citysnakes]

what type of substrate are you using??

[Wolfus_305]

I'm using a bark substrate that his previous owner gave me a huge bag of (still sealed) when I bought him recently.

[citysnakes]

maybe the little flies came with the bag. some people get little wood mites within bags of substrate. not harmful to your snake but annoying to have in the enclosure. you can try buying a new bag or switching to a different type of substrate. are they tiny white mites that crawl around the substrate or tiny black flies that fly around the enclosure?

[Wolfus_305]

I don't see them in the substrate ( I just checked). They look to me like really, really tiny brown flies. They look a bit smaller than fruit flies. I can only see the occasional one flying around his habitat, and in the morning when I change his water there is usually one in there.

[mykee]

If it's a wood mite, they happen in almost any substrate, just buy a new bag. If it's a fly of any type, your habitat is either too humid or too dirty.

[Wolfus_305]

They are flies for sure. They fly around...
His humidity is usually between 45-50% and I just changed the substate this past weekend. I'll buy a new bag anyways though. I'm assuming since nobody has said anything yet that they are not harmful to the snake in any way.
Thank so much
Kenny

[mykee]

Maybe not harmful, but still dirty and gross....
I wouldn't want flies in MY environment, so I would do something to ensure that they're not in my ball pythons environment either.

[Wolfus_305]

I am for sure going to change/wash everything tomorrow.
Thanks for all your help!
Kenny

[Chu'Wuti]

I'm using a bark substrate that his previous owner gave me

What kind of bark?

[Wolfus_305]

She said it was a mix. She has a friend at a PJ's that I go to and she just said to ask him when I need more. I'm going Friday (no school!) to buy more so that I can clean and change everything in his habitat. I don't have the bag she gave me because when I opened it I put the leftover substrate in other bags so that I could reseal it. I'll be able to let you know Friday.
Kenny

[mykee]

Kenny, try paper towel for a few weeks and see if the flies come back. The problem may be that under the top layer of your barked substrate it's wet and you don't know it. Mold and other crap can grow rampant in that environment. Paper towel may eliminate the issues your having until you can find a more suitable bedding.

[Chu'Wuti]

She said it was a mix.

Kenny, if that mix contains cedar or pine, it is toxic--there are phenols in those woods that are bad for snakes. That's why I asked what kind of wood. I don't have PJs in my area, so I don't know what it is. But you need to be sure the bark substrate has been sterilized so that no critters are alive in it before you put it in with your snake.

Follow Mykee's suggestion for awhile to ensure you've gotten rid of all the fly eggs, as some may adhere to your enclosure and hatch out. If so, clean thoroughly again and repeat with paper towel. After you've been fly-free for a month or so, then try aspen bark if you want a wood substrate. Aspen is much safer for your snake.

Good luck!

[mykee]

Aspen shavings are much easier to find than aspen bark.

[citysnakes]

sometimes if youre substrate is overly wet you get those flies. i used to get them when i kept live planted tanks for uroplatus geckos. i never got those flies using the bark from a pet store though but it is possible if youre substrate it too wet.

as was said, aspen is a good way to go and when you use it long enough you wont even remember that you had a fly problem.

and if youre going to the pet store to buy it stay away from the reptile section and go to the small animal department and get it there. you'll get much more aspen for much less the cost. also be sure that it is only aspen in the bag because there are mixes out there as well.

[Chu'Wuti]

Aspen shavings are much easier to find than aspen bark.

ooops; that's what I meant. Thanks for the correction, Mykee!:)

[Wolfus_305]

Thanks so much for all your help!!
I'll do the paper towel until my flies are gone and then I'll try some
of the aspen shavings from the small animal section.
Kenny