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Old 04-04-2016, 03:02 PM   #1
Pebbles82
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Default Erm - unwanted critters

I am going to stay calm but I think a moth is living in Charlie's house! Just recently I saw a moth come out out of his cage, so I caught it and squashed it. We've had a moth appear about once every 2 or 3 days in the room and squashed them. Not very big and not out of the ordinary. But tonight, when I got Charlie out I saw one crawl into his food hoard aargh! So looks like his food hoard will have to go and I have ordered some pheromone traps.

What I want to know is - why hasn't Charlie eaten the little blighter. The only change of food I have had is I would give him the occasional ring of Oxbow essentials in the last couple of months. Ordered from Amazon and sent from the US so I guess it could be old stock. Or just one of those things.

I'm itching thinking about it lol.
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Old 04-04-2016, 03:42 PM   #2
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Eurgh! I hate the blooming things. I had a panic about the same problem a week ago. Saw one in Cleo's cage, pathetically crawling and fluttering but not flying off. Squished it and spent the last week looking for antihero but seen nothing since so pretty sure it was a one off that had flown into the wrong cage. I hope som anyway! Hope you get to the bottom of it. Poor old Charlie he won't like you stealing his hoard - you'll just have to give him a lovely big fresh stash in it's place
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Old 04-04-2016, 03:52 PM   #3
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

I had an outbreak of pantry moths in my bedroom last year thanks to some porridge oats I bought for the hamsters. Was horrible and took forever to get rid of them. Threw out so much hamster food just in case they'd laid eggs in there.
I hope your mothy problem is sorted soon
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Old 04-04-2016, 04:03 PM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Glad I'm not the only one then! It's strange because he has only been in his new cage about 2 months and although I moved his nest and most of his hoard across, he chucked most of his hoard out shortly after he was in the new cage. Just wondering if I've had a bad bag of Harry Hamster (just finished it and started a new one) or if it's the bag of Oxbow. Anyway I'm chucking the rest of the bag of Oxbow.

Ugh fancy finding them in porridge oats! We eat porridge all the time - I wouldn't fancy finding them in our oats lol. Someone in our local supermarket found a dead mouse in a packet of cereals a couple of years ago though.
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Old 04-04-2016, 04:53 PM   #5
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

I hate bugs & including flying bugs. I dread the warmer weather cause I have such a fear of bugs! You might already do or know this but freezing food for 3 days kills bugs/eggs. Hope you never see that moth again!
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Old 04-04-2016, 10:57 PM   #6
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

I had bugs in a bag of ham food once years ago & it was pretty gross but also pretty obvious, kind of web like stuff appearing in the bag.
I would have thought your oxbow would be about the last place for them to be lurking, they're usually in grains, seeds or plant material, less likely in processed pellets although possible I guess.
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Old 04-04-2016, 11:50 PM   #7
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Actually and as you all call them Pantry Moths in any seed food is a sign the food is fresh. You need not waste the hoard food though. Just zip lock bag it and stash in a freezer for 2-4 days as the eggs freeze and die in the seed never to emerge as a moth. The eggs that are frozen are extra protein for Charlie. Pantry Moths if they are the same as what we call Indian Meal moths can't hatch on kibble type food so I doubt they were in the Oxbow food but again all you need do is freeze the bag for 2-4 days and if any larva or eggs is somehow in the Oxbow bag they are dead. Chances are thought they are coming from the FRESH Harry Hamster food and in the Sunflower hulls after having fed on the sunflower kernel.
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Old 04-05-2016, 12:51 AM   #8
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Moths. Too bad cedar is so bad for hammies. Good Luck with your moths. Maybe Charlie was keeping him as a pet? It could happen right?
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Old 04-05-2016, 01:06 AM   #9
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Nancy is right - freeze the food and kill the eggs. If you have moths though they must be hatching and there may be grubs in the food so check that really well as they make a webbing stuff when they pupate and it isn't pleasant. They are often right at the bottom. You need to stop them as they can get in your own food and start breeding. It is because it is getting warmer and they are hatching out. Make sure everything is in sealed tubs and bags - even your treats and things like dog biscuits are risky!
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Old 04-05-2016, 02:15 AM   #10
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Erm - unwanted critters

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy's Hamsters View Post
Actually and as you all call them Pantry Moths in any seed food is a sign the food is fresh. You need not waste the hoard food though. Just zip lock bag it and stash in a freezer for 2-4 days as the eggs freeze and die in the seed never to emerge as a moth. The eggs that are frozen are extra protein for Charlie. Pantry Moths if they are the same as what we call Indian Meal moths can't hatch on kibble type food so I doubt they were in the Oxbow food but again all you need do is freeze the bag for 2-4 days and if any larva or eggs is somehow in the Oxbow bag they are dead. Chances are thought they are coming from the FRESH Harry Hamster food and in the Sunflower hulls after having fed on the sunflower kernel.
Hmm - just got to the bottom of a bag of Harry Hamster recently and it is mainly itty bits and grains at the bottom. I'm still binning it lol! But freezing is a good idea, thanks. From now on I am freezing all my hamster food.
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