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Pebbles82 · 01-15-2021, 07:46 AM

It is possible. I have just had this issue of you look at my thread about moths! The moth larvae are about the size of a fat grain of long rice and to me look a bit like a mini wood louse or mealworm. They could be a different maggot though or you could have two things going on. It is the heat that makes them hatch out from grains in hamster food. Which is why I freeze all hamster food for a week before use as this kills moth eggs (which are too small to see). But seems I may have missed a bag. Assume you have central heating on like me.

If you suspect moths I would hoover them wall
And floor near where you saw them. As well as the cage cleans you might need to disinfect some cage items (eg wood bark type things or grass things) - items that can’t be washed in soap and water. I would bin the current bag of food (outside, not in the kitchen bin) and get a new bag and freeze it first. If you don’t have a bag that’s been frozen just stick the new bag in the freezer for a week but take out what you need daily - that should be fine.

Gross isn’t it. I did find a few tiny little “proper maggots “ near a rotting blueberry on a hamster cage once but just removed the area of bedding they were on and all was fine. So maggots easily dealt with. Moths can take more effort as they then lay more eggs.

01-15-2021, 07:46 AM
Pebbles82 Hamster Antics Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 23,533	Re: Maggots! It is possible. I have just had this issue of you look at my thread about moths! The moth larvae are about the size of a fat grain of long rice and to me look a bit like a mini wood louse or mealworm. They could be a different maggot though or you could have two things going on. It is the heat that makes them hatch out from grains in hamster food. Which is why I freeze all hamster food for a week before use as this kills moth eggs (which are too small to see). But seems I may have missed a bag. Assume you have central heating on like me. If you suspect moths I would hoover them wall And floor near where you saw them. As well as the cage cleans you might need to disinfect some cage items (eg wood bark type things or grass things) - items that can’t be washed in soap and water. I would bin the current bag of food (outside, not in the kitchen bin) and get a new bag and freeze it first. If you don’t have a bag that’s been frozen just stick the new bag in the freezer for a week but take out what you need daily - that should be fine. Gross isn’t it. I did find a few tiny little “proper maggots “ near a rotting blueberry on a hamster cage once but just removed the area of bedding they were on and all was fine. So maggots easily dealt with. Moths can take more effort as they then lay more eggs.