Larvae or maggots?

LollyJJ

LollyJJ

Adult Guinea Pig
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I found a little maggot, -doesn't look like a housefly maggot- on the side of my piggie's hay box and just now I've put another handful of hay in their cage and found another on the floor outside the cage, so both could have been in the hay. Hope that's where they're from. The larvae are about 1cm in length, with a creamy coloured body and dark head.

Any ideas? I will search through the hay and see if I notice anymore.....
 
It's difficult to tell from your description. Can you post a photo? Gross I know:vom:.

I found a huge slug (about 4" long) in the garage yesterday morning. It was just sliming off the fleece in the run. I can only think it got there by sliming itself under the garage door. Well it soon found itself outside again with the aid of rubber gloves and a large piece of kitchen roll!
 
Was trying to attach a photo of the disgusting little critter but my computer says no😤will keep trying...
 
These are they🤢
 

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Hard to say, but I'm wondering if they're a small caterpillar, and perhaps come in to their run via vegetables? Kale perhaps?
 
It looks like they have legs? 🤔 They may be caterpillars of some sort but I'm really not sure. They are certainly gross! :vom:
 
Betsy said:
It looks like they have legs? 🤔 They may be caterpillars of some sort but I'm really not sure. They are certainly gross! :vom:
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Ewe, legs too! I didn't have my glasses on last night so didn't spot those, you put me right off my breakfast🤮. As long as they're not done sort of piggy parasite.....
 
These are beetle larvae I believe, harmless to piggies but there must be something in the hay or the room they have been eating and it probably isnt hay...!
I would ditch the hay to be on the safe side, and have a check around the hay storage area in case there is anything there that there shouldnt be...
 
Qualcast&Flymo said:
Thought you'd be the best person to identify the critters, @PigglePuggle ! Glad they are unlikely to be harmful :tu:
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Yes as far as I'm aware there are no beetles of veterinary or medical importance but beetle larvae do tend feed on things you wouldnt want in your hay or under your sofa- other insects, rotting fruit, animal dung, dead mice...! So no need to panic but there might be something in the hay you wouldnt want to serve up for dinner!
 
LollyJJ said:
These are they🤢
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These are caterpillars, they are exactly the same as what we experienced about 6 weeks ago. They come out of the hay. Our piggies room was full of them, they were climbing up the walls and along the skirting boards 🤢 We had to dump a whole bale of hay to be rid of them. YUK
🤢
 
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