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Gnats?

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PepperPig

PepperPig

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Hello everyone,
I have an issue with gnats in my guinea pig cage. There are gnats in my house, and they will soon be killed because once the first frost comes, their time is up. But these gnats have worked their way into my room and up into my guinea pig cage, where they are living in the guinea pig dung. :)>>>, I know! Anyway, I have heard that if flies (cousins of the gnat) lay their eggs on guinea pigs, the maggots will hatch, burrow into the pig, and literally eat the pig alive. I don't think gnats lay eggs, because my brother and I once saw one giving birth (we think it was giving birth) on our trampoline, and basically there was a big gnat, then there was a little body stuck to her, and then there was one smaller gnat, and then the big gnat flew away and the small gnat took a moment to prepare its wings, and then flew off as well.
So, just to be sure, these gnats are just pesky, right? They're not going to hurt my piggies, are they?
Thanks!
PepperPig
 
I don't know exactly what kind of gnats they are, but I found an article that is probably what they are.

Do a google search for "Fungus Gnats as Houseplant and Indoor Pests"
and there is an article be Colorado State University about them.

Basically it says they live their life cycle on damp soil, and lay their eggs in damp soil (like houseplants) and only eat vegetable matter...your basic fruit fly.

I don't think they would be a major concern for the piggies, except that they might be attracted to the veggies. Unless you use paper bedding that stays wet, then they might be attracted to that. They say they are attracted to moisture.

Anyway, at least it is some information to start you out on in your research.
 
Okay, thanks! I think that they won't be a big problem for much longer, as my new cage will be easier to spot clean. Also, as I spot clean more often, the gnat population inside the cage diminishes.
 
Hi pepperpig,
There are very few flies in the world that can reproduce Ovoviviparously (live birth from the female body but not connected to the mother via a placenta). But there are the tachinids (in North America), the sarcophids (flesh eating flies) and tetse flies(a disease carier in Africa). The gnats do not belong to this as their life span is quite short with a very short gestation period. The gnats you are probably experiencing are called the fungus gnat and they're in my home right now as we speak too! They fly about when you're in the shower and die all over your soap! And they chomp away at the mould and roots around your favourite house plants. But they do NO harm to animals, the adults don't bite.. but their larvae do enjoy mould and roots! The gnats are probably just stopping for a drink. (Gross I know) but they wont be laying eggs in the poop. Either you will tidy it away or it will dry out too fast so the eggs will be very unhappy. The type of flies that do lay eggs in poop and around animals bums usually have very big maggots relatively, that have strong mouthparts. Fungus gnats a puney and the larvae are translucent! Just do your usual daily poop scoop and you should be fine :)
 
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