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Dry skin or something else?

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Lisajazz

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Gypsy, Mork and Bessie are all scratching a bit more than normal at the moment.

I have examined Mork and Gypsy as they have dark fur looking for lice. Didn't find any.

Then while looking though Gypsy's white hair that is on a black bit of her body she has black dots of what look like the black skin in it - quite alot on her back but not anywhere else.

Mork seems to have dry ears which super soufle cream has helped.

What do you think it could be? They are scratching more but not massively.

Their cage is by a radiator could it be dry from this? It isn't right against it and they aren't overheating but still.

Thanks!
 
I would suspect that the radiator is the cause of their dry skin, Lisajazz. Therefore, may I suggest that you place Gypsy's, Mork's and Bessie's cage in another area of the room in which they are kept?:)
 
If you stand her up on her back legs and rub her hair do you get "black bits" dropping from the hair?
If so this would indicate a possible problem with mites.
 
Yes i do get the black bits from her - HMMM I have ordered some Xeno for them so fingers crossed that helps. Going to wash them with that coconeem stuff tonight too I think see if that helps.
 
If you suspect mites I wouldn't wash them as could cause the mites to burrow further.

Alcester I didn't know that about the black bits being a symptom of mites - what causes that, does it matter where on the coat you rub and do you rub in opposite direction of hair growth or just back and forth?
 
Yes, the black bits are mite "dirt".
You get a better result if you rub the coat against the direction of hair growth. It is a very simple, but very effective, test.

"I wouldn't wash them as could cause the mites to burrow further"
Is this your own thought or is it taken from another source?
I have never come across that comment until now.
 
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If you suspect mites I wouldn't wash them as could cause the mites to burrow further.

Really? I thought the stuff was for mites. You live and learn, maybe I'll wait for the Xeno
 
Hers looks like that but then it could just be flakes of her black skin?

They're all getting Xeno tomorrow - it's expensive for 9 I can tell you!
 
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