[Pebbles82]

Aargh - nightmare. Moth nest in Pickle’s cage. And dealing with it while snowed up. Snow has now melted but we’re due 6” again tonight.

So Saturday night a little moth fluttered around me. I didn’t think anything of it until later I saw it casually crawl into Pickle’s cage. After my last experience I knew there would be more in there!

Stepson was here for the weekend so decided to wait till he’d gone, but Pickle would need to be moved to another cage and his cage and contents disinfected. I half hoped I wouldn’t find much and not need to do it but I knew I’d have to do it really as the eggs can keep hatching out.

Monday I had a supermarket delivery and van got stuck in the snow so took most of the day to get the food up here. Tuesday I started shifting things in downstairs bedroom to fit another cage in. Needs to be in a different room while I clean up. I set up the travel cage (Skyline Ted) thinking it might just be for the day. But this morning I realised it could be for longer and Pickle needs front access so set up his Savic Mickey 2XL this morning. Took ages. Finding things to go in it. He only moved out of it in September!

So although it’s frustrating that it was a new cage and contents in September and now has to be dismantled and disinfected I was more worried about stressing Pickle and having pantry moths in the kitchen cupboards again.

Anyway I’ve done a nice set up for him in the Mickey 2XL - he has his old wheel in there and a couple of familiar toys from the playpen. Got him out in his tube (and a moth crawled out with him so squashed that one. Pretty sure it’s a food moth by the markings but everything was frozen for a week before it went in!

My own fault - I left the heater on all night recently as it’s been minus 8 some nights and then they hatch out.

Anyway Pickle seemed happy enough in the Mickey XL and immediately ran in his old wheel and explored then went in the house. He might freak out in the next few days though. I feel so mean! He loved his labyrinth house and had it all organised inside.

So rest of the day has been dismantling the cage contents and top. Larvae and webbing all inside the cage corner bars ugh.

I hope I haven’t left it too late. A couple of moths on the wall behind the cage. They can lay 200 to 300 eggs a day and last time I spent every day hoovering then off the carpets and curtains. For months!

Anyway all the cage contents are bagged up and in the garden. The base is still full of substrate - I couldn’t face dealing with it! I poured hot water all over outside in the garden (I read you should drown them.

All still out in the garden as I ran out of daylight and we’re due another six inches of snow tonight!

Cleaned round the cage area with vinegar and hoovered. I hope I have caught it in time! I have lots of extra food supplies in another room
Due to pandemic and couldn’t face then getting moth infested. Ever since the last outbreak I’ve kept everything in lock and lock boxes but need an extra larder at the moment.

Anyway Pickle is cosy in the other room in the Savic Mickey 2XL.

Oh yes and last night we had a mouse in the lounge as well. So probably best Pickle is now in a narrow bar cage.

I hope there aren’t any moth eggs stuck to Pickle’s fur. They were in his nest.