Mites / lice in hutch

[rachelsharp]

I've just been cleaning out the hutch and noticed some minute little brown / gray bugs, tiny little roundish things. I'm wondering what these are? After taking out all of the newspaper, bedding, hay etc, there were a few crawling across the tiles. The pigs don't seem to be itching, no bald patches etc. They're out on the grass at the moment so I will check their fur later on when I get them back in. I don't preventatively treat mites or lice. Should I be? xx

 

[dylansmummy]

Sorry i cant really help but i just thought i would bump it up as interested myself.

 

[rachelsharp]

Anyone? After looking online I think these are hay mites, but I'm still wondering if I should be preventatively treating the pigs xx

 

[4piggiepigs]

I got most of my piggie's from a breeder (sorry) and she did treat them for mange mites the day i picked them up, but i think it's just personal choice really I've had them for nearly two years now and i only treat them when necessary

 

[lily 74]

Hi,

It could be lice, I don't think it would hurt to give your piggies a bath in lice shampoo, I use gorgeous guineas lice n easy and it works well, you can tell if they have lice when you bath the because you will often see little black specks in the water when they have been shampooed and rinsed in the sink

 

[rachelsharp]

lovely, thank you, i'll order some and give that a go. x

 

[NatalieMT]

It's probably lice, given you can't see mites crawling - I had a similar problem recently and was told by my vet it was probably harvest lice brought in with hay or something similar.

Anyway after bathing in a shampoo for lice all piggies are fine. They didn't all enjoy being dunked but oh well had to be done!