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Little bugs on Romano

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Julesie

Julesie

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Hey everyone, I cleaned my boys out today and after giving Romano a check over I noticed on his coronet he has an infestation of tiny little bugs. They are easily noticable, some being at least three times the size of others. They don't seem to be bothered about his hair but rather they are located on the small area where his coronet shows his skin.

I checked my other three guinea pigs over, including his cage mate Arthur and none of the others seem to have these tiny bugs.

I was wondering if they are only after Romano because he is a long haired guinea pig, a coronet but my other three are Abys? I checked the areas behind their ears and inside their ears but still nothing, only on Romano.

Does anyone have an idea what they are? I've seperated Arthur and Romano in the mean time and I am going to book a visit with the vet tomorrow.
 
Hmm. They look a bit similar but I think mine are darker than that.

I'll try to get a photo of them.
 
Either way a trip to the vets is best, to decide what is wrong and how to treat. :) Hope you get on well.
 
Here's three photos I managed to get.

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They look just like when my boys had running lice. I was advised to treat with ivermectin, this cleared it up for me but I'm sure the shampoo is equally as good.

Still best to consult with a vet in my opinion, but nice to know what your dealing with.
 
By looking at the photo's, it does look like running lice. They can be passed from pig to pig so if the vet does confirm that it is lice, you may be better to bathe all the piggies that have been in contact.
 
Thank you very much. I am definitely going to the vets tomorrow. I think they are causing him some annoyance as he bit me and he's never done that before. He's usually a very laid back guinea pig.

Should I order the shampoo? I'm a bit worried the vets might try to make me spend £50 on something that I can cure him with for cheaper.
 
Also, can they do anything to humans or am I okay?

I also cannot figure out how he got them? I've recently switched to using hay for bedding so is that a posibility? I can't think of anything else that would cause it.
 
I've never experienced lice but I know people on here who have and they have always recommended this shampoo. I have ordered shampoos from gorgeous guineas myself and have never been disappointed. If you are unsure, you could contact Chrissie through the gorgeous guineas website who will reassure you. I did this when one of my girls had dry skin and she recommended the perfect shampoo for me :)
 
defo running lice, one of those things that pigs can get, bit like children catching head lice, go to the local pet store and buy beaphar spot on for rabbits & guineas(£4.50 ish), contains ivomec which is what the vet would use and charge you big bucks for.
 
Julesie said:
Also, can they do anything to humans or am I okay?

I also cannot figure out how he got them? I've recently switched to using hay for bedding so is that a posibility? I can't think of anything else that would cause it.
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I don't *think* the lice can be transferred to humans although don't quote me on that. The lice could easily have came from the new bedding.
 
I believe they could bite a human, same as a cat flea could, but they wont live on us so nothing to worry about. :)

I would see what the vet says, if he trys to sell you an expensive fix all, tell him about gorgeous guineaas shampoo and how you would feel more comfortable using that.

My vet (although not especially guinea pig savvy- dw i have aback up exotics vet if they ever get ill) Is always looking out for us, and has often advised on cheaper alternatives for our dog.
 
Thank you everyone.

I will look for the stuff Fluff mentioned tomorrow in a pet shop and if I cannot find it I'll buy from the gorgeous guineas website.

Thank you all.
 
Connie said:
I believe they could bite a human, same as a cat flea could, but they wont live on us so nothing to worry about. :)

I would see what the vet says, if he trys to sell you an expensive fix all, tell him about gorgeous guineaas shampoo and how you would feel more comfortable using that.

My vet (although not especially guinea pig savvy- dw i have aback up exotics vet if they ever get ill) Is always looking out for us, and has often advised on cheaper alternatives for our dog.
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Thats very awesome of him. I'm planning to take my boys to a vet I saw reccomended for guinea pigs near me so hopefully they will rather look after the boys than only care about money.

Thank you.
 
do not be tempted to not provide hay, try a heat treated one maybe, such as haydown
 
fluff said:
do not be tempted to not provide hay, try a heat treated one maybe, such as haydown
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I might just switch bedding. I used hay because my parents got annoyed with fleece and I was trying other bedding.

Any reccomendations?
 
Depends, what was it about fleece your parents didnt like? :)
 
Connie said:
Depends, what was it about fleece your parents didnt like? :)
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Sorry for late reply, busy day taking Romano to the vet and other things.

Well my mum didn't like the hay and mess getting in the washing machine. We tried also cleaning it with water in the bath but despite poo picking daily when I'd go to bed and wake up the next day it was all trood in and the little grains from the hay was getting stuck in the fleece (and I couldn't pick it out). After a few days the build up of both things in the fleece was hard to get out and I kept having to buy new fleeces.
The price was costing too much.
 
Julesie said:
Sorry for late reply, busy day taking Romano to the vet and other things.

Well my mum didn't like the hay and mess getting in the washing machine. We tried also cleaning it with water in the bath but despite poo picking daily when I'd go to bed and wake up the next day it was all trood in and the little grains from the hay was getting stuck in the fleece (and I couldn't pick it out). After a few days the build up of both things in the fleece was hard to get out and I kept having to buy new fleeces.
The price was costing too much.
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I have a few fleeces in rotation, and a fairly new, quite expensive washing machine so am quite precious about not getting hay etc in it! What I do is sweep the fleece up then hang them out on the line for a good couple of days, I find this helps any stubborn bits to blow off and I'll also give it a good shake every time I pass, I then put it in a king size duvet cover to wash and knot the top, I use the liquid washing stuff and place the ball inside the cover so it's close to the stuff I actually want washing rather than needing to get through the duvet cover.

I also use a large tray for my piggies hay as find this contained it best.
 
Thank you HellsBells.

My parents didn't like them going in the washing machine but maybe I can show her your post and see if she will be willing to try it that way. :)

I got told from teh vet to use shredded paper as bedding instead so I was thinking I might try that too.

I too used a large tray for the hay but isntead they peed and pooped in the tray so their hay wasn't edible. xD;; I've tried many different ways for their hay and now I use a bird feeder and they seem to love it.
 
My Maisie had running lice. She wasn't particularly itchy, but had a few little scabs so I took her to the vet and he shone a light through her fur and you could see them all. Urgh, makes me itch just thinking about it.

To be honest I can't remember how I treated her, but I know I didn't have to bath her. He either put some drops on her or injected her. Maurice didn't get them which was strange. We think she got them from the squirrels as apparently they carry lice.
 
I took Romano to the vet yesterday. He plucked some hair out and put it under a microscope. He then gave me gel to put on Romano. One vial every 2 weeks. He did it yesterday and I bought another vial, £5.4p to put on Romano when the two weeks are over.

Arthur and Romano are both seperated as Arthur doesn't have them and I don't want him catching them.

My vet thinks they came from the hay I was using as bedding as they are indoor piggies and I'd recently switched to hay from fleece.
 
My Ziggy had running lice when i got him (from a breeder), i just gave him a good bath and used the spot on for small animals that cleared them up.
It would be worth bathing your other piggy and treating with a spot on (or something like) just so he doesnt pick anything up.

The breeder told me my boy got them through stress, but i highly doubt that! He had to pick them up from somewere.
 
Yeah I'm planning to get some shampoo to wash all four of them in just to be safe. :)
 
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