Fly strike!?

[Guinea_Lover]

So far i have been checking my guinea pigs bottoms twice a day to see if there is anything there but to be honest i dont know if I'm doing the right thing! Basically i remove their droppings everynight and give them fresh bedding, as theyre out in their run in the afternoon at night i check their bottoms and then i use special cleaning wipes to wipe off any dirt(poo.) I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing though as i have no clue what to look for? In the week I'm buying them some fly repellent but obviously thats not gonna cure for the anal part is it?

Thanks x

 

[Emiley]

So far i have been checking my guinea pigs bottoms twice a day to see if there is anything there but to be honest i dont know if I'm doing the right thing! Basically i remove their droppings everynight and give them fresh bedding, as theyre out in their run in the afternoon at night i check their bottoms and then i use special cleaning wipes to wipe off any dirt(poo.) I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing though as i have no clue what to look for? In the week I'm buying them some fly repellent but obviously thats not gonna cure for the anal part is it?

Thanks x

Your doing the right thing. I've started checking my boys on a daily basis, I also got some 'cage n hutch spray' - which you can also use ON the piggies. You spray it directly on their coat and inbetween their legs.. or just spray it on their brush and brush it through their coat. Just make sure their hutch is nice and clean, chucking the soiled bedding out daily is the best thing to do.

 

[Pepperdog]

flies will lay their eggs in warm damp areas so any wet patches in the hutch or house needs to be kept as clean and dry as possible and also the guinea pigs too.

As long as the home is dry and clean they wont be interested, as long as the piggies have no open sores or wet patches on their fur they also wont bother laying eggs.

Basically from my vast experience (had to treat this condition far too many times for my liking) you are looking at the guinea pigs fur, checking for any soiled areas around their bums (as in poo or wee) and for long haired piggies the warmth and dampness that can be trapped in any matted hair is a haven for flies so brushing or trimming is essential on a regular basis.

For anyone who hasnt done this the next stage to knowing you have fly strike is seeing the maggots themselves - I could go further into depth but its not nice (and I am too polite to post the sordid details). If you see maggots then you must seek vet attention right away - and I mean right away.

 

[Guinea_Lover]

flies will lay their eggs in warm damp areas so any wet patches in the hutch or house needs to be kept as clean and dry as possible and also the guinea pigs too.

As long as the home is dry and clean they wont be interested, as long as the piggies have no open sores or wet patches on their fur they also wont bother laying eggs.

Basically from my vast experience (had to treat this condition far too many times for my liking) you are looking at the guinea pigs fur, checking for any soiled areas around their bums (as in poo or wee) and for long haired piggies the warmth and dampness that can be trapped in any matted hair is a haven for flies so brushing or trimming is essential on a regular basis.

For anyone who hasnt done this the next stage to knowing you have fly strike is seeing the maggots themselves - I could go further into depth but its not nice (and I am too polite to post the sordid details). If you see maggots then you must seek vet attention right away - and I mean right away.

Ahh okay thank you, one of my guineas has quite long fur near the rear end, so i must cut that, also she seems to hate her bottom being toutched, could it be to do with that? :S

 

[Ilovemypigs]

We lost one of our bunnies last year to this. Horrid horrid horrid! And it can happen sooooo quickly!
We checked him in the morning, everything fine and by the afternoon it was too late, the flies and maggots had taken over. Rushed him to the vet of course who said it was in Perdies best interest to end his suffering as they just get eaten alive basically. Have had buns and pigs for many years and it has never happened. My pigs are inside but they are checked daily. Not a nice thing at all 8...

 

[Guinea_Lover]

I have this special disenfectend called "clean 'n' safe" would that be okay to spary onto a brush and groom them over with it for now until i get the fly repellent? x

 

[CPHill]

Thanks for this thread. I'm getting a tad paranoid about this. Just had what turned into graphic chat about this over our family tea and chasing any fly I see like a loony! OH has said he'll look into electric fly zapped thing but I got some beaphar fly spray today. It says not to spray on their bits but to do between their legs - gonna be a knack to this!

Anyone got any idea what age I can use it on? Doesn't say onbox. My babies are 10 weeks.

 

[Pepperdog]

I have this special disenfectend called "clean 'n' safe" would that be okay to spary onto a brush and groom them over with it for now until i get the fly repellent? x

I would avoid getting them wet unless its necessary, this is prime weather for fly strike. Just be vigulant as you are being.

One of my last group of piggies had a semi long coat and I only trimmed it back every 6 months but I did check on the state of her bum regularily, she never had fly strike nor did any of the others or the two pet rabbits we had as kids.

I havent got any fly repellent yet so dont panic, there are not too many flys about my area, havent seen a big amount so I think just keeping an eye on the piggies and getting a repellant as soon as you can will be fine.

 

[mstori]

I use the flystirke spray on mine weekly atm as its been so hot. I cut all the long haired ones right down in the summer too

I also hang those sticky fly catcher strips on the outside of my hutches.

It is a worry, as there seem to be so many flies in the hutches atm, but as long as their bums are kept clean, you have something to catch the flies, and you use the flyguard, then thats all you can really do.

There is a thread on here about flystrike x