Static mites treatment

[shaysbeautifulboys]

Hi, my guinea pigs have static lice again which is such a pain but i was just wondering about the anti parasite treatment u can get from pets at home is it good? or should i not risk using a low dosage of ivermectin and just take another trip to the vets. i’m only wondering as i don’t have the money to go to the vets again, i am seriously in need of a job lol!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, my guinea pigs have static lice again which is such a pain but i was just wondering about the anti parasite treatment u can get from pets at home is it good? or should i not risk using a low dosage of ivermectin and just take another trip to the vets. i’m only wondering as i don’t have the money to go to the vets again, i am seriously in need of a job lol!

Please don't use the shop stuff; it is too weak.

Cut off any hair with egg cases fixed to them (you can feel tiny beads). That will reduce the impact without costing you anything. Any mite less means lots of less eggs to hatch more mites...

Xeno pipettes are not cheap, but they are vet grade ivermectin. I am only saying this because you have already seen a vet over the same issue, so you have got a proper diagnosis as to the nature of the problem you are dealing with. The pipettes are available online.

If I were you, I would seriously think about switching your hay provider.

 

[shaysbeautifulboys]

Please don't use the shop stuff; it is too weak.

Cut off any hair with egg cases fixed to them (you can feel tiny beads). That will reduce the impact without costing you anything. Any mite less means lots of less eggs to hatch more mites...

Xeno pipettes are not cheap, but they are vet grade ivermectin. I am only saying this because you have already seen a vet over the same issue, so you have got a proper diagnosis as to the nature of the problem you are dealing with. The pipettes are available online.

If I were you, I would seriously think about switching your hay provider.

Thank you so much for this! i’m definitely going to change my hay provider normally i buy meadow hay from b&m but i was on pets at home and they sell a huge bale of timothy hay from selective it’s £7.99, on the front it says for rabbits but i’m just wondering would that be alright for guinea pigs aswell?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for this! i’m definitely going to change my hay provider normally i buy meadow hay from b&m but i was on pets at home and they sell a huge bale of timothy hay from selective it’s £7.99, on the front it says for rabbits but i’m just wondering would that be alright for guinea pigs aswell?

We have seen a surge in hard to treat hay mites (static lice is a misleading and by now obsolete name as it describes the egg cases fixed to hair whereas the mites themselves are invisible) in the last few years in the wake of pet shops importing hay from international brands that is harvested on an industrial scale. The harvesting method is churning up a lot more soil and with it bugs. This cannot be a coincidence.

Would you consider sourcing your hay from online UK providers who still harvest their hay in a less invasive way? We haven't seen any hay mite issues with hay from these providers even though they are rather popular with forum members, who can give you their personal recommendations.
I get my own meadow hay from a local independent pet shop, who uses a local farmer. In all the years I have only ever had a problem with hay mites with a newly arrived emergency adoptee already affected by them, but never with my own hay. But that also means that I am not on in the loop as to which outfit is currently the most recommended one.

You can find a list in our hay guide: A Comprehensive Hay Guide for Guinea Pigs (incl. providers in several countries)