need help with turtle

hi, i have had my turtle for a few months now, its just a baby so i dont even know what gender it is yet but its the cutest thing in the world ^.^ ! i keep my turtle indoors in a nice big non-toxic plastic box with this store bought mulch dirt typed stuff which my turtle really seems to like. i have every thing int here he could possibly need and iv read like every book i could find! (its my first turtle can you tell?) lately iv been noticing some little flies in his home. i looked in my books to see stuff about it, but the book said stuff about bot flies and mites ut i cant see any signs of infestation on him. they jump around my fak plant and hide in the dark places liek the little shelter he crawls in and they can fly from what i can tell, they are tiny anly a little bigger than a fruit fly. i dont know what they are. my turtle doesnt seem to be hurting hes eating like he usualy does and he basks and does all his happy turtle things but iv been bothered by the flies and need to know if they will hurt him.
i tried to get a picture of them but my digital camera is being stupid and wont take the picture be fore it flies away. but i think it might have to do with th the hollowed out half log thing that i have for him to hid in. ithitnk the moisture thats being trapped undder it it makin git start to decompose abit. i took the wood out yesterday but the flies havent gone yet, they probably will in time, but its really really been bugging me and i just had to see what every one else had to say.
(by the way, yes i am taking him to se a vet, im not that horribly heartless and cheap. it took me forever to find a vet even remotly close to where i live that will actually treat turtles and know what they are doing.)
well.. thank to who ever posts! i'd really welcome any advice you all have!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../turtle007.jpg
^this is my evil cute turtle of world domonation! ^ i think its a 3 toed turtle or something. im not completely positive, i found him on my back door step all injured and kinda beat up he's doing a lot better now though

I don't really know a thing about turtles, other than what they look like, but I have had experience with what I imagine are the same flies. Mine came from the substrate (coco-fibre). Apparently at the places that the mulch/substrate comes from, flies can lay their eggs in the substrate, and then the eggs stay in hibernation until you create the right conditions by moistening the substrate, and provide warmth.

I havne't really tried to get rid of mine, there aren't too many, and they don't seem to harm anything.

oh thanks, i thitnk that mgiht be it. the substrate i had cam all condenced then yuo add water and it loosens and becons more like regular earth,a nd ya it does have coconut skins and stuff in it. thanks that helps put my mind at ease a little more.

What you have as substrate sounds exactly like Coco-fibre...it has many different names depending on the company you buy it from.

Good luck with that turtle.

Originally Posted by -DarkArrow-

hi, i have had my turtle for a few months now, its just a baby so i dont even know what gender it is yet but its the cutest thing in the world ^.^ ! i keep my turtle indoors in a nice big non-toxic plastic box with this store bought mulch dirt typed stuff which my turtle really seems to like. i have every thing int here he could possibly need and iv read like every book i could find! (its my first turtle can you tell?) lately iv been noticing some little flies in his home. i looked in my books to see stuff about it, but the book said stuff about bot flies and mites ut i cant see any signs of infestation on him. they jump around my fak plant and hide in the dark places liek the little shelter he crawls in and they can fly from what i can tell, they are tiny anly a little bigger than a fruit fly. i dont know what they are. my turtle doesnt seem to be hurting hes eating like he usualy does and he basks and does all his happy turtle things but iv been bothered by the flies and need to know if they will hurt him.
i tried to get a picture of them but my digital camera is being stupid and wont take the picture be fore it flies away. but i think it might have to do with th the hollowed out half log thing that i have for him to hid in. ithitnk the moisture thats being trapped undder it it makin git start to decompose abit. i took the wood out yesterday but the flies havent gone yet, they probably will in time, but its really really been bugging me and i just had to see what every one else had to say.
(by the way, yes i am taking him to se a vet, im not that horribly heartless and cheap. it took me forever to find a vet even remotly close to where i live that will actually treat turtles and know what they are doing.)
well.. thank to who ever posts! i'd really welcome any advice you all have!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6.../turtle007.jpg
^this is my evil cute turtle of world domonation! ^ i think its a 3 toed turtle or something. im not completely positive, i found him on my back door step all injured and kinda beat up he's doing a lot better now though

You should put the substrate in your freezer for at least 1 hour prior to use. This helps kill any bugs it might contain.