Me again worrying

[Annette22]

Hi everyone.
So a few weeks ago there was a small cream moth in Mindys enclosure. I wasn’t able to get it try as I might. I didn’t see anymore and tried not to do my usual panic mode worry. Got over it and didn’t panic. But tonight found one again-possible it’s same one. I’ve never seen any other signs. We had clothes moths in our cupboard and just thinking one may have just found its way to her cage as no sign of infestation. My mind runs away and I panic she needs quarantine and deep cleaning of cage. Of course I don’t want to stress her. I have found the odd moth in the house since we treated our hall cupboards so I’m just hoping it’s a strays I’m finding? Like I say I’ve only found one or 2 around the house and 1 in her cage a few months ago and then another over 2 weeks ago and another tonight in enclosure. They must be attracted to paper bedding? They came from hall cupboard. Her bedding was kept there but it was in a sealed container and not found any in bedding.

 

[Annette22]

I’ve only treated my cupboard as that was where they where and there isn’t any signs they where/are in enclosure as I find a stray or 2 in house at times.

 

[Annette22]

Caught tonight’s one

 

[Socks' Mum]

Treating the cupboard should be OK, but it's best to use stuff that isn't poisonous to small pets, although I'm sure you have thought of this. Although creepy to us, hamsters in the wild would live with insects, so a few months shouldn't worry them. But obviously you don't want your house to have moths fluttering around everywhere. I don't think the paper bedding would be that appetising to clothes moths as it doesn't have much food value. Best just to keep an eye on things and carry out the usual spot cleaning.

 

[Annette22]

Thank you yep il just keep eye out. She is a wee soul just now she has gotten very shy after fireworks season and has taken to running into her burrows more. Hoping she will settle again now it’s December but dreading new years as she seems to get worried. I’ve got white noise machine which I may put on new years night just to try and help.

 

[Rescued One]

Hi everyone.
So a few weeks ago there was a small cream moth in Mindys enclosure. I wasn’t able to get it try as I might. I didn’t see anymore and tried not to do my usual panic mode worry. Got over it and didn’t panic. But tonight found one again-possible it’s same one. I’ve never seen any other signs. We had clothes moths in our cupboard and just thinking one may have just found its way to her cage as no sign of infestation. My mind runs away and I panic she needs quarantine and deep cleaning of cage. Of course I don’t want to stress her. I have found the odd moth in the house since we treated our hall cupboards so I’m just hoping it’s a strays I’m finding? Like I say I’ve only found one or 2 around the house and 1 in her cage a few months ago and then another over 2 weeks ago and another tonight in enclosure. They must be attracted to paper bedding? They came from hall cupboard. Her bedding was kept there but it was in a sealed container and not found any in bedding.

Hi Annette, I wouldn't worry overmuch, although I might change her food supply. They are most likely pantry moths, that can hatch out of seed or grain products. I had one batch of food that produced a couple, changed food brands and never saw another.

 

[Annette22]

She decided she was feeling a bit more social this evening might be the treat of some boiled egg I gave her though that helped

 

[Maz]

If it was cream it probably wasn’t a pantry moth . They tend to darker and sort of long and narrow. It was probably just a normal house moth.

But yes it is always concerning to find a moth in the hamster cage.

Do you freeze the hamster food, sprays and treats?

I would just keep an eye and if you don’t see another one then it’s probably fine. A tell tale sign with food/pantry moths is seeing one or two on the wall behind the cage.

 

[Maz]

She decided she was feeling a bit more social this evening might be the treat of some boiled egg I gave her though that helped

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She’s adorable!

 

[Maz]

Having said all the above , I would have a poke around in her hoard and nesting area just to check. Not a full cage clean but maybe check through that area and a partial clean there. Ideally when she’s out of the cage. If anything has hatched from hamster food there are usually little grubs and webby stuff in the cage in that area.

 

[Tulsi]

Talking of freezing I noticed on a hamster group online that they advocate freezing for 48 hours, thawing for 24 hours and refreezing for 48 hours. Once thawed for the second time then the hamster can have the food, sprays, etc.

 

[Maz]

There are various things suggested now. Research showed freezing for a week was needed to kill moth eggs. However, there is also a theory that the odd one or two eggs may still survive this, and by letting it defrost, warm up and then refreezing again, it allows any remaining eggs to start becoming active and then kills them off.

Personally I think that's too much palaver - freezing, defrosting, warming up and freezing again. So I just freeze for a week and that seems to do the job. Only once did I then have a minor outbreak (very minor) and nipped it in the bud straight away. Bearing in mind the moth eggs are completely dormant unless they get very warm. So it is only in particularly hot temperatures that they are anything other than dormant and not an issue.

Mixerama food is apparently pressure treated to kill anything off (although I wouldn't rely on that and still freeze their food when I've had it!), and Hamster Helper food says all ingredients are pre-frozen. So if freezing that, it would be a second freezing anyway

 

[Tulsi]

I agree it does seem somewhat faffy. I have been doing the freeze for a week method so will continue.