Fruit Flies

[Steph16]

So my Jacob, he loves to eat his veggies, until fruit flies inhabit them. And it doesn't take very long for that to happen. It is so annoying, beyond all reason.

I have read online that Basil supposedly deters them from flying around. So I have placed basil in with his food. But the only problem is once he eats the basil, out comes the fruit flies.

I also know about sticky fly paper, but I just don't want Jacob to hurt himself or eat it... I can just see it now, I come home and Jacob has the sticky fly paper stuck to his foot or his forehead. :rollseyes

Does any one have any suggestions as to what I can do to get rid of them? I just have to say, I can't wait until it gets cool out and they all die. :X

 

[Nancy McClelland]

most of our solution to bug problems involve chemicals. What is the source they are coming from--is your bunny kept outdors? Really need more info.

 

[Steph16]

He is an indoor bunny.

They are fruit flies (like a little gnat)... they just appear. It's their season now.

I did buy this trap designed for fruit flies from Kent. So hopefully it works. If it doesn't I will have to just use some red wine vinegar. My brother told me he has that in his kitchen and all the fruit flies are attracted to it.

 

[akane]

We have sugar gliders which require fresh fruits and vegetables every night and it's not removed until we wake up the next day so fruit flies are constant. You can make a fruit fly trap with a cup, some plastic, and apple cider vinegar. Pour in some of the vinegar, cover in plastic, and hold it down with a rubberband or some glue. Then poke little holes in the top with something no bigger than a fork. You can also use red wine as bait but ACV is actually beneficial if animals eat it so locating the trap near animal cages is less of a concern. There are also other variations to the trap such as using paper funnels on the top and all sorts of recipes for bait if you go search the net. The ACV and plastic is just the simplest and safest way to do it.

To lessen the number of flies that reproduce remove all sources of moisture possible. Make sure no faucets leak, the dishes in the sink are kept dry, potted plants are not too moist, etc.. Even the tiniest bit of moisture will attract them and allow them to reproduce. Adding lemongrass oil (or a few other herbs and essential oils) to cleaning products or a spray bottle to mist the air can help deter them, make things smell better, and unless overly concentrated is harmless to animals.

 

[snap]

Oh fruit flies...how I hate them. We have a whole bunch in the kitchen and sometimes they get bad in the rabbit room.

Use Windex if you find a big cluster of them, like in the sink((test spray somewhere else so you don't just sptriz a tiny amount and scare them off)) and wipe it down. Not only have you killed flies, but now you're cleaning! ;D

And we have cups of white wine sitting about. I have one or two in the bunny room as close to problem spots as possible but away from the rabbits. The flies drink it, get drunk, and die. It doesn't have to be expensive, just buy something cheap. Red wine works too.

And, kool-aid. Seriously. My mother ran out of wine for the flies and just set some kool-aid out and the next morning it was filled with dead flies. Probably the cheapest, and really effective.

 

[tonyshuman]

I used a sticky strip near my indoor plants when I was having flies. It was hung up high enough that the bunnies didn't get near it, plus I think the flies are supposed to be more attracted to the sticky stuff than the actual food or plants so you could hang it out of his reach.

 

[AquaticRex]

are you sure they're fruit flies and not scuttle flies? they look similar but the way i tell is a fruit fly will fly away if you try to smack it (when its resting) and a scuttle fly will sort of run away instead of flying. of course scuttle flies are pretty harmless but they gave me a scare when they decided to go ahead and lay eggs in Dante's poop and i thought he had worms >.< was changing the litter 3 times a day and still finding their babies in there yuck>.