How do i get rid of "static mites"?

[Piggiepotatoes]

Only 2 of my piggies seem to have them but they all live in the same cage.
If the hay is infested with them what do I do? Would freezing it kill the mites? I'm not wasting my new bag of hay. It might not even be that hay that was the source of the mites because I'm not a very observant person and it's only today that i noticed them because there was LOADS on my white Guinea pig. I've heard this type of mites are not that harmful but I still want them dead because I'm not cuddling my piggies until they are gone. Mites are just so disgusting . My mum is allergic to the mites so I need to destroy every single mite.

What do I use to kill the mites on my piggies and cage (if there are any)?

 

[Lady Kelly]

"static" mites as you put it are not visible to the human eye though egg casings can be noticeable on the piggies rear end. Lice can be visible though very small and most noticeable on darker haired piggies. In order to get rid effectively you need to go to a vet who can prescribe an appropriate strength product at regular intervals to ensure that the problem is resolved. Please be aware that shop brought products are not as good, they can often appear to have worked while not getting rid of the whole problem which can both prolong the infestation and help the mites to build up a resistance to the active ingredient making it harder to get rid of them. Mites do not infest humans so you are fine to continue handling your piggies while dealing with this issue but if you have more than one pair/group make sure you handle the non infested ones first so as not to risk transmitting to additional groups

 

[Piggiepotatoes]

Are these the egg casings? They seemed to move though. Or are they a completly different thing?

 

[Lady Kelly]

It's very hard to say from a photo. You need to go to the vet for a proper diagnosis

 

[PigglePuggle]

A vet will get them on a piece of sellotape and straight under the microscope to see what they are, then prescribe the correct treatment, and tell you if the other pigs need treating too.

 

[Wiebke]

Only 2 of my piggies seem to have them but they all live in the same cage.
If the hay is infested with them what do I do? Would freezing it kill the mites? I'm not wasting my new bag of hay. It might not even be that hay that was the source of the mites because I'm not a very observant person and it's only today that i noticed them because there was LOADS on my white Guinea pig. I've heard this type of mites are not that harmful but I still want them dead because I'm not cuddling my piggies until they are gone. Mites are just so disgusting . My mum is allergic to the mites so I need to destroy every single mite.

What do I use to kill the mites on my piggies and cage (if there are any)?

Hi!

Hay mites (chirodiscoides caviae) usually come with the hay, and those look rather like hay mite eggs. Please see a vet for a proper diagnosis. We can only make educated guesses but we cannot replace a hands-on examination (nor are we qualified to).

Hay mites have become a lot more common in recent years due to a change in harvesting methods of mass produced imported chain shop hay that churns up the ground a lot more.
The new strains can be more resistent to treatment. I would recommend to look for a different hay supplier.
A Comprehensive Hay Guide for Guinea Pigs (incl. providers in several countries)

What you see in the picture is the egg cases fixed to the hairs (hence their old UK name 'static lice'). Because they live of the debris in the hair and skin, and do not burrow into skin like mange mites or suck blood like (running) lice, it can be a bit harder to get on top of them.
Hay mites don't jump species and don't bother humans, so you can handle your piggies without problems as long as you wash your hands thoroughly as you should have every handling anyway.

Our information on hay mites are in the guide below.
I would also strongly recommend to get hold of some mini-dog clippers or come scissors and give your piggies a hair trim to remove most eggs and mites-to-be mechanically after you've seen a vet and have a proper diagnosis (they won't thank you for home treating on spec and messing up the crime scene, so to speak!), which means that you have got a lot less mites to get rid of chemically. The hair, even in short-haired guinea pigs, will grow back. You always need to treat all piggies in contact with an affected guinea pig.
By waiting with treatment also means that your vet can step in with good quality products straight away and you can hit the mites hard.
I would also recommend to deep clean the cage once you start full treatment and have got hold of some new hay.
What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)