Questions on Prevention of Mold/Mildew/Flies

[CopperNightShade]

Hey all! I am happy to say that I am soon getting my first rhac very soon now, and have been enjoying creating his set up.

I do have a concerns, though, about mold, mildew and fruit flies. I realize that I run a higher risk of dealing with these things with the higher humidity that cresties like. Is there any good way to PREVENT such issues? Of course, I have every intention of wiping down the cage on a regular basis anyway - I just didn't want to get into a situation of a constant mold problem.

Thanks!

[mlededee]

To prevent mold and mildew you just need to make sure to allow your cage to dry out each day in between mistings. If it is wet all the time then you will have issues, but if you let it dry out completely between each misting then you won't have a problem. If you live in a dry climate, then this could mean misting once in the morning and then once in the evening after the enclosure has dried out. If you live somewhere more humid, you might only need to mist once per day in order to allow for it to dry before misting again. It also depends on what type of caging you use and how well it holds in the humidity.

Fruit flies do love the crested gecko diet, but if you remove uneaten food after 48 hours you should have minimal problems. In the summer months you might find it helpful to remove uneaten food after 24 hours if necessary.

[CopperNightShade]

Oh thank you! That all seems simple enough, and it is so nice to be prepared. I appreciate it.