Guinea Pig Mites.

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Our guineas never go outside and never have contact with other animals. They do get their hay and grass...the grass of course comes from the woodlands.

Is it possible for them to get mites without ever going outdoors?
 
Yes I think so. They can catch mites from the hay, and may have already had a small number of mites living on them before you got them.
 
Mine never go outside neither and have caught mites or lice a few times from the hay - touch wood they havent had them now for a few months, but i bet they will now i have said this!
 
Most piggies have mites at one point of their lives. As long as mites are treated early on, they are more in the way of a nuisance.

Mites can come from hay, but from other sources as well.
 
From what I understand, pigs can also have a few mites living in their skin that cause no problem. It becomes a problem with the pig is stressed or run-down and the mites 'take over' which is when we see symptoms. It wouldn't be wise to never let a pig go outside, as the best thing for them in the summer is fresh air, excercise and grass.
 
My vet said that sunlight kills mites. Anyone else heard that? If it is so then outside in the summer should be good.
 
I would hope they'd not get mites.......but you do always wonder when you buy in their hay :{
I asked the other day should i do a preventative course of revolution and got told no at this stage!
 
Mine have just got mites for the first time while they are are indoors! I think they came from the hay but really they can come from anywhere as in, on your clothing, your dog or cat, just about anything/anyone that comes from outdoors to indoors! They are a pain.
But as Alcester Pigs told me the only way to stop pigs from ever getting mites would be to keep them in a sterile laboratory and only feed packaged food!
 
My pair kept on getting mites - they are indoors and cleaned out regularly. I've now started putting all the hay in the hayracks, as they used to have the hay in the trays and they'd dive in, so I thought keeping the hay out of the way.
One way I have found to get rid of them is through the piggy potions book (very useful if you can get it). It advises to give them a wash then dry them and give them a massage of essential oils (1lavender oil1lemongrass oil to 8 measures of almond oil). keep that on for 7 days, give them another wash, another massge with the essential oils then wash off after 3 days.
Originally I took Winston to the vets and they kept giving him injections every fortnight, which didn't do anything. Personally at least this is a natural way to try to prevent this.
I do this routine every 3 months or so to prevent the return of them.

Hope this helps

xx
 
Tracyxx said:
From what I understand, pigs can also have a few mites living in their skin that cause no problem. It becomes a problem with the pig is stressed or run-down and the mites 'take over' which is when we see symptoms. It wouldn't be wise to never let a pig go outside, as the best thing for them in the summer is fresh air, excercise and grass.
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This is spot on. My pigs live inside and had mites, nothing to do with 'catching' them. They have a few naturally on their skin but stress aggravates it and they multiply.

When I introduced a new fiesty sow to my group a few had slight mite problems but one was chewing her hair out in irritation, she was the lowest in the ranking and was bullied temporarily hence the mites were on overdrive. rolleyes
 
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