Tiny black flies in guinea pig cages—well, I wouldn’t assume that the hay was the source because they are likely simply residing in the filthy substrate of the cage, and this should give you a little clue as to what attracts them. They found a home in rotting plant waste or fungus, and that’s why they don’t hesitate to multiply extraordinarily quickly, especially in warm, humid conditions.
Have you seen any tiny black flies in the guinea pig cage? If yes, then they must be mites, gnats, or lice, and they are up for no good and must be eliminated right away since they could seriously endanger the health of our guinea pig. Inquiring as to how I’ll explain all you need to know if you just keep reading.
Why Does My Guinea Pig Cage Have Flies?
They can never come uninvited; there must be a means of attraction before they show up. Leftover fruits and vegetables are the main draw for fruit flies to your guinea pig’s cage. When there is a cleaning issue and the place is left unkept, people notice this more often.
Forming the habit of spot-cleaning your guinea pig’s cage each day and totally replacing their bedding and litter box once a week can help prevent the spread of black flies entirely. While fruits and vegetables that are uneaten and older than 12 to 24 hours attract them, daily removal of excessively filthy bedding and litter followed by replacement with a small amount of new material will be enough to chase them away.
If their cages have very little to no smell, they will have no business with these tiny black flies. There are numerous other ways to keep these flies away, and one of them is by handling your guinea pig every day, so perhaps you’ll be able to tell if they’ve somehow hurt themselves and have a wound, or if they have diarrhea and are contributing to the mess in the cage. If yes, then you must administer treatment right away. Don’t give room for fruits and vegetables that have been left over because they are good breeding grounds for flies. So in order to remedy this, you can throw away any leftover hay, fruits, or vegetables that your guinea pig has consumed immediately after they finish eating.
Do Guinea Pigs Attract Small Flies?
No they don’t. It must be our top responsibility, and something that will always yield positive results to get rid of flies from the cage area as well as our home itself because they may be both bothersome and harmful to our pets. Contrarily, unless our guinea pigs are filthy, they do not draw flies. Flies are drawn to food remains, animal excrement because it contains places for them to lay their eggs and breed. Flies can only be particularly drawn to guinea pigs with moist bottoms or skin breaks and not to sound and healthy ones.
Following are five explanations for why your guinea pigs have been attracting flies:
• Wet Conditions inside their cage
• Unhygienic Situations, filthy house
• General poor Hygiene
• Overcrowding especially in communal house
• Illness like skin break or wet anus
How Do I Get Rid Of Little Flies In My Guinea Pig Cage?
Here are all the actions you need to take to get rid of the little flies that are making you and your pigs nervous.
1. Dispose Of Leftover Fruits And Vegetables:
Guinea pigs can be finicky eaters, they are fond of not finishing their food at once, and as a result they will frequently refuse to consume fruits or vegetables that they suspect are about to go bad since it could upset their stomachs, this usually results in food waste. Although there are a number of reasons why your piggies might be leaving food behind, but regardless of the cause don’t leave it there to decay, the best thing we can do is throw out every bit of food that is still inside as soon as they are finished eating because this attracts flies, which may harm our animals.
2. Always Keep Your Cavies Indoors:
A guinea pig raised in a cage is often clean, happier and lives a longer, healthier life. Normally they are intended to be indoor pets and are sensitive to variations in temperature around them. It is extremely possible for a guinea pig kept outside to develop an upper respiratory infection, mostly as a result of unfavorable temperature which frequently results in death in cavies. If guinea pigs are housed outside, it is nearly hard to keep gnats and other insects out of their cages because these animals are also prone to flystrike, so housing them inside is the best option if possible.
3. Venus Flytrap:
Venus flytraps as the name implies are insect-eating plants that are carnivorous in nature. They will naturally devour flies if you grow them outside your premises. The plant trap wraps around a fly after it enters it and that’s how it works. And in order disintegrate the insect’s fragile inside, it subsequently secretes it’s digesting fluid and within 5–12 days, the insect is digested, and finally the exoskeleton is vomited out.
4. Secure Entry Point:
Very important but difficult to achieve. First you have to make sure that your windows and doors’ screens are in good condition and that they are properly caulked always. But like I said earlier, no matter what you do, some gnats may inevitably get through, but reducing access sites can be a good start, an excellent method to prevent a gnat infestation around your guinea pig cage.
Gnats are these little insects that could sneak into your house in unexpected ways either through the doors, windows or every other openings. So, if coming in through an open door is their preferred method, try to hurry up and close it as soon as possible, and also try not to be opening very often.
5. Apply Apple Cider Vinegar And Dish Soap:
This formula is also effective but to apply this technique, you should combine a little amount of apple cider vinegar and some dish soap in a tall glass. Then put a plastic wrap over the glass. Also, puncturing a few holes in the top of the plastic wrap before securing it with a rubber band would be perfect. Flies will be drawn to it and fly through the holes as a result of the vinegar in the glass. And finally instead of being able to land on the vinegar, the dish soap makes the flies sink, and the end result is achieved.
Eggs On Guinea Pigs?
A flystrike is the exact word for this. Flystrike is when blowflies lay their eggs on guinea pigs, typically near the bottom and it remains there. These eggs develop into larvae, which start to consume the flesh of the animal after they hatch. A dirty or unclean hutch is the major reason for fly strikes and this should not be condoned. Mostly the smell of urine and feces has become the center of attraction as they attracts flies in large numbers. You’ll need to take action to get rid of the flies while also taking your pet to the veterinarian right away to get any potential injuries or health risks treated carefully.
What Kills Guinea Pig Lice?
Many things can but crude oil in dipping vats and hand-applied kerosene-oil emulsion are two of the most straightforward treatments preferred. Both are reported to be successful at eliminating hog lice and their eggs. Ovalis are very unique to guinea pigs and are quite contagious among them as well. So when adding new pigs to an established herd, it’s crucial to quarantine them and check them for lice to avoid contaminating other free ones. Lice are biting, not sucking pests, thus topical treatments with ivermectin or imidacloprid can quickly eliminate them once done right and regularly.
What Can I Spray To Get Rid Of Little Flies?
As disturbing as they are, you only need a basic spray bottle and a few inexpensive supplies for this fruit fly craft. Then follow these steps, to begin, fill a tiny spray bottle with hot water. Add drops of lemongrass essential oil while the water is still hot. When you detect fruit flies, spritz them with this solution of water and lemongrass oil then watch out for the result. However, be careful not to spray this solution straight onto fruit or other foods as the essential oil may not be suitable for human consumption.
Final Thought
Have you seen any little black flies in guinea pig cage? They must be mites, gnats, or lice, and they must be eliminated right once since they could seriously endanger the health of the guinea pig.
