Please help, moth problem

**Cinnamon Bear** · 12-07-2016, 03:07 PM

I just bought a rescue Syrian hamster from the SPCA from Pet-Co. The cage has moths in it. One flew out and thankfully I was able to kill it before it went to one of my other hamsters cages.

The cage she came in is ridiculously small and she needs a bigger cage ASAP, which I'm willing to set up for her right now. But I'm afraid that the hamster might have moth eggs on her fur.

What should I do? Should I just take her from the cage and put her in the new bin cage or take her back to Pet-Co to prevent a moth problem in this apartment. Thanks so much! Please respond ASAP as I need to make a decision quickly.

Coco61 · 12-07-2016, 03:23 PM

Serendipity is the one who has had moth problems and so have others. My instinct is that the moths will not have laid eggs in her fur. They lay in food stuffs in particular. You need to throw away everything in her cage asap to prevent escape in your home. Don't take a risk by keeping anything except your lovely new little one -congratulations by the way. You could take her back to the store and leave everything there except for her and ask for something clean to transport her back home again.

Pebbles82 · 12-07-2016, 03:34 PM

Try not to panic

The hamster will be fine - they groom themselves and anything will get licked off and eaten. With all the problem I had (and it was quite big!) there was no issue at all with moth eggs being on the hamster. Once I had cleaned and disinfected the cage and contents and put Charlie back I didn't get any in the cage again.

I would just pop your hammy in another cage and either disinfect the cage she came in, or bin it if it's really tiny and awful. Or disinfect it and then bin it! So your bin doesn't get moths

It'll be from the food or bedding.

Coco61 · 12-07-2016, 03:45 PM

There you are CB. I knew Serendipity would be able to reassure you and I am sure she is right. You can set up your new girl in her new home and throw away everything that came with her as soon as you can.

Fluffagrams · 12-07-2016, 03:53 PM

I had grain weevils in my hamster food a month or two ago and my understanding is that insects like these are not harmful to hamsters themselves and lay their eggs in dry goods like food and bedding rather than on living creatures.

You'll need to throw away everything that could have been contaminated so that's things like food and bedding with the exception of anything that has been stored in an airtight container and then you'll need to clean the affected areas with disinfectant. It may be best to discard the cage anyway if it's going to be unsuitable in the long run and let her get used to the new one instead of having to adjust to the changes to her existing one and then have to adjust to another change later on.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 12-07-2016, 03:58 PM

Thanks so much for responding quickly all! I ended up making up Koala's old bin cage. Put fresh betting and house a toy and a 9in Silent Runner, fits her well as she's not a big hamster. The moth cage is in the hallway of my apartment and I'll take it outside soon and empty it out and then put it in my car and take it back to the pet store tomorrow for a refund. The cage was $10 and the hamster was $10.

I'll start a thread for her and post a pic soon.

Thanks again for your help!, you put my mind at ease

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluffagrams

It may be best to discard the cage anyway if it's going to be unsuitable in the long run and let her get used to the new one instead of having to adjust to the changes to her existing one and then have to adjust to another change later on.

I think I will just put it in the dumpster, so the moths don't get on my clothes or something? It's dark outside right now. I could get $10 back from the pet store but not worth it. Make my life easier by just dumping it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Try not to panic

The hamster will be fine - they groom themselves and anything will get licked off and eaten. With all the problem I had (and it was quite big!) there was no issue at all with moth eggs being on the hamster. Once I had cleaned and disinfected the cage and contents and put Charlie back I didn't get any in the cage again.

I would just pop your hammy in another cage and either disinfect the cage she came in, or bin it if it's really tiny and awful. Or disinfect it and then bin it! So your bin doesn't get moths

It'll be from the food or bedding.

Thanks Serendipity for replying as I know that you have had a moth problem in Charlie's cage. Appreciate your help

Pebbles82 · 12-07-2016, 04:39 PM

I would put the cage and anything else you're throwing, in a big plastic bin bag and tie a knot in it. Then inside another plastic bin bag and knot it again - and leave it outside until you can take it somewhere

Just to make sure no critters come out.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 12-07-2016, 05:12 PM

I put a garbage bag over it and threw in in the dumpster. It is still in easy reach if somebody goes garbage picking. In my apartment complex, things get taken but I tried to separate the base from the bars and I couldn't open up the cage to dump the bedding out. It had an old towel draped over the cage too so I threw the towel out with the cage also. Hopefully nobody will garbage pick it. I could put the whole cage in big black garbage bad like you suggested and that way nobody would be able to garbage pick it that way. Good idea! I'm going out in the cold now to do that.

**Cinnamon Bear** · 12-07-2016, 05:22 PM

It's gone now, no chance of garbage picking to protect future rodents

Thin Lizzy · 12-08-2016, 05:52 AM

God I hate moths!
What a nightmare for you but, You've sorted it. What annoys me is how come Pet-Co didn't spot this.