A Mitey Small Question

[kajazy]

How do you check a guinea pig for mites? Is there some way of telling? I've seen one of mine scratch a couple of times - which could of course just be perfectly normal! - but I want to be sure

 

[Poppy'sMum]

If you mean static lice (hay lice) then if you look on their rumps, usually above their grease gland you will see tiny black specks close to the hair shaft, they look like little pieces of dirt really you won't be able to see them moving

Running lice are literally running rolleyes

 

[kajazy]

Thank you and..... yuck! Ho hum.. will check in the morning, armed with a piece of parsley...

 

[BonBon2010]

Little white flecks that move, but you've got to be patient when looking, i.e groom the piggie then use a dark piece of cloth or paper to look for flecks and a magnifying glass, that'd work if the piggie is a light colour, darker piggies, they're
easy to see with just a magnifying glass.. mites tend to be a lot smaller than lice

 

[Connie]

Lice can be seen by the naked eye, as described above however mites (which also cause the same symptoms) cannot, so if they are itching its best to pop them to the vets as you wont be able to tell if they infact have mites.

 

[MissAqua]

My vet taught me a that if you find black flakes or dirt in the hair, put it on white paper/surface and then add a drop of water. If it goes red, its flea dirt. Not sure if that helds with mites/lice. But Lice are visable to the naked eye, so you just have to look close to find the wiggly blighters!