Gnats how to get rid of those pesky creatures

[SunshineChins]

Well.. we have been having a gnat problem for a few weeks now. Couldn't figure out what was going on until we opened up the hay cubes container. We recently moved it from the a/c to the garage (long story why). Went in this morning to get new cubes , open the container up and gnats gnats everywhere. Needless to say I dumped the cubes but now am wondering how to make sure they don't continue to bother us or the chins.

They are not in the bedding or the food, it was the hay cubes. Will they try to live in the bedding in the cages? Food dishes? Anyone else have this problem? We clean cages every week and have never seen them in the bedding / food.

 

[Olallie]

i have gnats in my office, who knows where they came from... I'd like to know how to get rid of them too, they keep bumping into my face....

 

[aznmexaggie]

If they get to the chin area, they will likely lay eggs in soiled shavings or in wet pellets/hay cubes as it provides a good medium for the larvae to grow. If you see them in your house/chin room, you'll have to make sure to clean shavings regularly, spot-cleaning wet areas a couple times a week. The key is to interfere with the cycle and get rid of them before they hatch or pupate into flying adults.

 

[sheltiefan]

Mixing a half cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of Dawn dish detergent attracts the gnats. They will feed on the mixture and die. Apple cider vinegar and baking soda works also. Be careful with this one. Vinegar and baking soda react and foam up, so make your mixture slowly.

 

[Bostongirl'sChin75]

Pickle juice works too, much as the vinegar and soap does!

 

[SunshineChins]

We just cleaned the cages, so I am going to spot clean to keep them gone. Any good place to put the dish of vinegar/soap or pickle juice? We have cats/dog so I can't leave it on the floor.

 

[aznmexaggie]

The vinegar mixtures work for most gnats and phorid flies (also called vinegar flies) because they like to go after things that are rotting/souring. Some gnats are not attracted to the vinegar traps but a majority of them are.

In the lab, we keep our vinegar traps on the shelves near our insect colony cages.