Are Ear Mites the Same as Neck Mites?

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This topic has 5sd replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 1 month ago by summer.

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- 06/01/2015 at 6:17 AM
  summer
  Participant
  49 posts
  I went to the vet 2 days ago and he noticed the back of the rabbits neck being sparse so he checked for mites and found one mite on one of the bunnies! So he said they both probably have it. He said the mites like the back of rabbits’ necks so it’s probably only concentrated there. He gave them both a shot for it and said to clean everything before putting them back into their home. He was really casual about it and said it wasn’t a big deal. He said to come back in a month to check again.
  
  My rabbits sometimes shake their head and then grab their ear and nibble on it. I thought it was half a binky and grooming but it could mean ear mites, right?
  
  My rabbits also groom their feet a lot but it could just because they step on their hay (their feet are pretty green from the hay) so they like the flavor of their feet… or are there feet mites, too?!
  
  So are ear mites and the mites on the back of rabbits’ necks the same? Will the shot the vet gave them cover all the different mites on their body?
  
  I found some home remedies like giving them mineral oil (I only have Johnson’s Baby Oil with Chamomile, is that ok?) or vinegar (white or apple cider), or tea tree oil as preventive measures. Should I start doing that? If so, how often?
  
  I tried finding Rabbit RX and some other things but I live in Korea and they don’t seem to have those things.
  
  Should I be more or less worried about this? The vet was so cool about it but I’m worried sick. When should I expect them to start scratching less? I have always thought they were grooming themselves but they must have been itchy from the mites
  
  Also, I give them pieces of wood I buy from a store specializing in rabbits and hamsters. Could the mites have come from there? The pieces wood are very clean… The bunnies love nibbling them but I will take it away if it would help. Do mites come from cardboard, too?
- 06/01/2015 at 7:14 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17044 posts
  I don’t know what was in the shot he gave them, but most likely it was sth that will kill all types of mites, like ivermectin or selamectin. You don’t need to put on any mineral oil etc because the shot will kill the mites. Sometimes a repeat injection is given after a few weeks.
  
  Rabbits clean their ears like you describe it. A rabbit cleaning its ear is NOT a sign of mites or anything bad, it’s just part of a normal bunny cleaning routine. It can be very fun to watch though=)
  
  Mites are very common in rabbits, so don’t worry. They often get them from their mum’s as babies. They then start to multiply sometime later for some reasons like when the rabbit is shedding etc. The infestation seems low grade. It may not have been itching.
  
  Both my bunnies had mites when I found them as strays, they got treated and the mites never returned.
- 06/01/2015 at 7:58 AM
  summer
  Participant
  49 posts
  Oh thank goodness. Before I went to the vet I thought they were just grooming. After the vet, every single thing they do I would google and think it was mites.
  
  I noticed the sparseness of fur in the back of their neck when they bend their neck but there wasn’t a bald spot so I assumed all rabbits are like that and I thought it was cute to see the pink of their skin but when the vet saw it he knew it may be mites and checked right away. I felt so bad. I thought it was a cute rabbit trait but it was from mites ='(
  
  If mites are common shouldn’t I do the home remedies to prevent it in the future? My bunnies were so terrified at the vet.. .it was the first time one of them stopped their feet and one peed of fear.
- 06/01/2015 at 8:19 AM
  Bam
  Moderator
  17044 posts
  I doubt you’ll need any home remedies after the vet treated them. I’ve never had to repeat treatment of my bunnies, I’ve had them for 3,5 and 2 ys respectively and no mites have reappeared since that first time. Mineral oil is not a preventive measure, it’s supposed to suffocate the mites. It isn’t very effective and best avoided.
  
  Your rabbits probably had a very small outbreak of cheyletiella mites. They thrive at the nape of neck and on top of the back where the bunny can’t reach. In heavy infestations, the rabbit’s fur starts to fall out in patches and there are dandruff-like skin flakes. Your vet spotted the problem early and I would assume it’s history now.
  
  Bunnies clean themselves a lot, and that’s normal.
- 06/01/2015 at 3:03 PM
  LBJ10
  Moderator
  17259 posts
  I would wait and give the injection time to work. There should be no need for home remedies.
  
  Depending on breed, there can actually be some thinness of fur on the back of their neck. So the mites may or may not have contributed.
- 06/02/2015 at 6:59 PM
  summer
  Participant
  49 posts
  Thank you all for your posts. I will worry less now~
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