The best way to get rid of fruit flies in a guinea pig cage is to dispose of all old fruits and vegetables. You can then trap the flies using chemical-free sticky fly tape or an electronic fly trap.
What You'll Learn
Are fruit flies wreaking havoc in your guinea pig’s cage? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Here are some tips and tricks to get rid of fruit flies and prevent them from coming back in the future.
Do Fruit Flies Hurt Guinea Pigs?
Before we get into the details on how to get rid of fruit flies, let’s briefly go over whether or not fruit flies are dangerous for guinea pigs.
Fruit flies are not harmful to Guinea Pigs, but there are other species of flies that are. Preventing fruit flies can also help prevent these other types of flies. Prevention must be taken to avoid flystrike.
What is Flystrike?
Flystrike is a condition caused by green bottle flies. These flies lay eggs in the guinea pig’s skin. The eggs then hatch and feed off of the flesh of the guinea pig. The backside of the guinea pig is often targeted, but they can lay the eggs anywhere.
Flystrike is potentially deadly, and the risk of infection increases during the warmer months. Just as fruit flies are attracted to moisture, so are green bottle flies. Prevention against fruit flies is also prevention against flystrike.
Do I Have Fruit Flies or Ones That Cause Flystrike?
Fruit flies are small, only growing to reach 1/8th of an inch. They usually have red eyes with a tan body. Their wings are translucent.
Green bottle flies look just like they sound. They’re green and much bigger than fruit flies. They grow to 10-14 mm in length. They have a metallic color to them with black markings. Their wings are translucent with brown veins.
What Attracts Fruit Flies?
Before going over how to get rid of fruit flies, it’s good to know what attracts them in the first place.
Expired Fruits and Vegetables
We all love to give our guinea pigs fresh fruit and vegetables. In fact, they’re necessary for their health. But leaving out raw food for more than a couple of hours is bound to attract fruit flies.
Moisture
Fruit flies love anything that holds moisture. This could include damp bedding, hay, or an open-mouth water dish.
How to Get Rid of Fruit Flies
Do a Deep Clean of Your Guinea Pig’s Cage
Weekly cage cleanings are necessary for the health of your guinea pig, but if you notice fruit flies, you may want to clean it as soon as possible. Replace shavings, spray the cage with a guinea pig safe cleaner and wipe everything down. Make sure you also clean their food/water containers.
- Dispose of All the Old Food in Their Food Bowl
- Disposing of any old food is an easy way to get rid of the source attracting them.
- Place a Bowl of Dish Soap and Apple Cider Vinegar Near the Cage
- Place a glass or bowl of dish soap and apple cider vinegar near your guinea pig cage. You can cover it with plastic wrap and poke a hole in it to make a trap. The flies will be attracted to the smell of apple cider vinegar. Once inside, they won’t be able to get out.
- Use Chemical Free Sticky Fly Traps
Fruit flies can easily be eradicated with sticky fly traps. Place them on the outside of your guinea pig cage, where your guinea pig won’t come into contact with them. As the fruit flies fly by, the sticky traps will catch them.
Get an Electronic Fly Catcher
There are many makes and models you can choose from. These devices use UV lighting to attract the flies. Once they get close enough, a fan sucks them inside the machine. There is no zapper involved. The only downside is that electronic flycatchers can be expensive, but they’ll be a lasting investment.
Locate Other Potential Sources That Could Attract Fruit Flies Nearby
Ensure that the environment surrounding your guinea pig is clean as well and free of trash and spills.
How to Prevent Fruit Flies
Remove Old Food
You must remove all expired fruits and vegetables from your guinea pig cage. This is the number one way you can prevent fruit flies. A good rule is to only leave fresh produce in their cage for no more than two hours.
Maintain Cage Hygiene
Cage hygiene is of the utmost importance. Keeping your guinea pig’s cage clean not only prevents fruit flies, but green bottle flies as well.
Ensure you are replacing shavings or bedding weekly. If you’re using fleece, make sure you keep it washed and clean. Begin practicing regular spot cleaning in between total cage cleanings.
In addition, if the bedding is getting wet in between cleanings and spot cleanings, check to ensure that their water bottle isn’t leaking.
Keep the Area Near Your Guinea Pig’s Cage Clean
Not only does the hygiene of the cage matter, but also the environment the cage is in. It’s imperative to keep surfaces clean and free of spills or dirt. Also, make sure that no food is left out, that there’s adequate airflow, and that it’s dry and free of leaks.
Place the Traps
Take an offensive stance to fruit flies and set out fly traps around your guinea pig cage. This will catch any flies that try to get close.
Bring Your Guinea Pig Cage Inside
One of the best prevention methods for fruit flies is to bring your guinea pig cage inside. This allows a climate-controlled environment and creates a barrier for the flies.
Prevention is Key
Fruit flies are a nuisance. They are mainly attracted to moisture and old fruits/vegetables. There are many methods to get rid of them. The number one way is to discard old food from the cage. Prevention of fruit flies can be imperative to also prevent green bottle flies.
Maintain proper cage hygiene by deep cleaning your guinea pig cage once a week to be proactive about prevention. You can also invest in a flycatcher or sticky traps to help control and prevent fruit flies.
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