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Possible mites?

Sianalexandra1

New Born Pup
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Sep 24, 2019
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I was wondering how guinea pigs get mites and could mine possibly have them? I was just cleaning out my pigs bedding when I noticed in the corner where all the bits or left over hay are there was these tiny little things crawling about, I’m thinking they are possibly mites or fleas? I’m just worried because I used a different hay from Tuesday as an emergency, I normally use the HayBox but there was an issue and my delivery was 4 days late meaning I had to buy some from pets at home which I hate because it’s awful stuff! They’re not itching themselves or anything I’m just really worried what might happen if they do have them
 
Hay mites themselves are not visible. They are very tiny, all you normally see are the egg casings the mites leave which are usually found stuck to the fur at the back end of the piggy. Piggies don’t have a species specific flea so they aren’t an issue

If you can see insects in the bag of hay itself, then I’d get rid of the hay.

New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
 
Yes if you can see things crawling either they came in the hay, or it could be fruit flies attracted to the poops or any left over veg- probably not harmful to the piggies but worth starting a fresh bag of hay and being a bit more diligent with the spot cleans and cage disinfecting.
My giant snails had fruit flies in the tank this week, so they all had a bath and a thorough tank clean, seems to have fixed things!
 
Hay mites themselves are not visible. They are very tiny, all you normally see are the egg casings the mites leave which are usually found stuck to the fur at the back end of the piggy. Piggies don’t have a species specific flea so they aren’t an issue

If you can see insects in the bag of hay itself, then I’d get rid of the hay.

New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

thank you, I threw the hay out as soon as I saw them because I figured that’s where it was coming from as it was the only thing in their routine that has changed recently. Luckily the hay box delivery came today! I gave the cage a thorough clean so fingers crossed that’s the end of it
 
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