- Messages
- 20,414
- Reaction score
- 37,463
- Points
- 1,373
It has occurred t o me it could have come from Raffy’s cage. This happened when I moved Pickle to a lovely new set up 2 or 3 years ago. I suspected the hemp mats which hasn’t been in the freezer.
I shall have a poke around in his cage and hoard later.
Pip has a lot less to do in the smaller cage but plenty of bedding. Hope he’s ok. He showed no interest in anything except sitting in the sand box and chewing the cardboard/hay edges. Then went in the shoebox. Haven’t seen him since.
I shall have a poke around in his cage and hoard later.
Pip has a lot less to do in the smaller cage but plenty of bedding. Hope he’s ok. He showed no interest in anything except sitting in the sand box and chewing the cardboard/hay edges. Then went in the shoebox. Haven’t seen him since.
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 30
- Points
- 553
Hope both cages are moth free and it was just a random moth that had flown into your home late in the evening. I squashed one a couple of weeks ago near Hams cage and had a good look round after but fingers crossed no more.
M
Member ID2
I was chasing a small moth the other night and couldn't catch it. They usually end up sitting somewhere like the ceiling or walls.
Maybe the moth in Pip's cage wasn't a pantry moth. I think that you would have found some evidence in his cage and seen more moths.
Maybe the moth in Pip's cage wasn't a pantry moth. I think that you would have found some evidence in his cage and seen more moths.
- Messages
- 20,414
- Reaction score
- 37,463
- Points
- 1,373
I spoke too soon. A moth fluttered by me and landed on the wall. I am sure it was the one that went in Pip's cage, still hanging around! I went to squash it but it had disappeared behind the curtains. Shook the curtains and no sign of it. Might get the moth traps out! I want to get that blooming moth! I don't want it going in Raffy's cage .............. Pip's is in the other room now. Couldn't quite tell what type it was but I'm suspicious.
M
Member ID2
Great. Glad your OH got them.
I'm at work and a moth just landed on the desk but it's a cream coloured one.
I left it alone because there are no hamsters here. Lucky for the moth.
I'm at work and a moth just landed on the desk but it's a cream coloured one.
I left it alone because there are no hamsters here. Lucky for the moth.
- Messages
- 16
- Reaction score
- 30
- Points
- 553
Ha ha, yes, lucky moth. I'm like you and it's only if I see the small brownish looking ones that I give them a swat.
I moved a plant pot in the garden and found a real beauty today, my daughter came for a look and then we thought best put the pot back and leave it to rest in the dark again. There really are some beautiful moths around, just not the small brownish pantry looking ones
I moved a plant pot in the garden and found a real beauty today, my daughter came for a look and then we thought best put the pot back and leave it to rest in the dark again. There really are some beautiful moths around, just not the small brownish pantry looking ones
- Messages
- 20,414
- Reaction score
- 37,463
- Points
- 1,373
I was looking something up today to check if vinegar actually killed moth eggs (I thought it did but wanted to check) rather than just using soap to wash things. It does by the way. But I also came across an article about freezing for killing moths and eggs and larvae. I did all this research years ago but this article said freezing for a week only kills most of the moth eggs (this was for clothes moths but assume it’s the same) and to make sure they’re all gone you need to take things out of the freezer - let them get to room temperature and freeze them again for another week. How they know this I don’t know - but it might explain why I got a minor outbreak in Pickle’s cage a couple of years ago - everything had been in the freezer.
That would be a real palaver having to freeze everything twice for two weeks!
That would be a real palaver having to freeze everything twice for two weeks!
R
RainbowBrite
I too have heard things need to be frozen twice. It would be a huge hassle especially with a small freezer!
- Messages
- 20,414
- Reaction score
- 37,463
- Points
- 1,373
I can't work that out either! With eggs. I could understand it with larvae or actual moths, as they may just go dormant with the first freezing, then come out of dormancy when back at room temperature, and the second freezing finally kill them off due to being weak coming out of dormancy? Eggs I think are permanently dormant, unless the right conditions are there for them to hatch - ie very warm temperatures. The article I read said something about having things at 70 degrees f after the first freezing. Which is just over 21 degrees C. Slightly warmer than you'd have central heating. So maybe the idea is to bring the eggs out of dormancy and then kill them off.
- Messages
- 20,414
- Reaction score
- 37,463
- Points
- 1,373
Take the point about bacteria but that would be mainly on raw food stuffs like meat wouldn't it? As I have just had to refreeze all my previously frozen dried hamster food and treats that were in the vicinity of the cage and not in sealed boxes, I would think it's ok with dried stuff.
It may be that eggs are resistant to freezing so you’re only killing any that have begun to hatch out not the eggs themselves & thawing to a warm temperature will cause the eggs to hatch & then be vulnerable to freezing. I just wondered if thee was any inof confirming that.