Itching more than normal?

[CoolBeans]

Im a new bunny owner of a 12 week old male nethie. He is very active and energetic, but in just 2 minutes, he will shake his head like something is bothering him and scratch his ear and then lick or bite his foot 5 times. Im going to call around to find a vet that will see him.

Until then are there any suggestions on what can be causing him to itch, and what i can use in the room he is in to get rid of any bugs that can be bothering him. Any safe products to use on the carpet while he is in the room during treatment??

Im worried that even if the vet finds what is causing the itch and prescribes treatment for his fur that mites can be burrowing in the carpet and come back after he is treated.
Please help!

Also, this kindof goes off the topic of itching, but ive only had him for 2 weeks and he doesnt like being held, and runs away if its attempted. Will this make it hard for the vet to see him for a checkup? Im also worried he might jump off a table if he is put on one. How do bunny checkups usually go? Will visiting the vet ruin the little trust that ive gained from him. He will let me pet him and come around.

Sorry for such a long post, i just have so many questions.

[Bam]

Sometimes young animals scratch themselves a lot. It’s one of those things like hiccups, you see it a lot on young animals, not in adults.

Anyway, you can treat the carpet with diatomaceous earth for 48 hours, then vacuum it up. It can be a lot of work to get it out but it killers mites and other bugs by desiccating them, and it’s non-toxic. The bun should not be let on the carpet while the earth is on it, just to be safe. It’s a fine mineral powder and not good for the tiny bun lungs to breathe in. As for treatment, you do a repeat treatment after a couple of weeks so any mites that hadnt hatched at the first round of treatment will be killed. I had to treat my bun Bam for mites, we did two rounds and they never came back. I just did normal cleaning of his area, but the room wasn’t carpeted. I washed everything that could be washed. Toys and stuffies can be put in plastic bags in the freezer for 48 hours.

You want a vet that’s used to handling bunnies. Bunnies are notorious for being skittish at the vets, and all reasonably rabbit savvy vets know this. Bring a fleece blabkie or a towel to wrap him in or to put on the table, vets tables tend to be slippery for bacteriostatic reasons. A carrier with a top that can be removed can be good, because that way the bun can remain in the carrier when the vet listens to the heart etc.

You’re very welcome to ask any other questions that might crop up

[ThorBunny]

Do you see dandruff in his skin? Or can you see gunk in his ears? If the answer is no to both, then he is probably just an itchy bunny.

Our rabbit got treated for fur mites soon after she came home to live with us. Most vets will prescribe a repeated treatment of revolution every 6 weeks or so. What this does is make the rabbit an inhospitable place for mites, so they will abandon ship. Since they have a shorter lifespan than 6 weeks, almost all will die off without food. When Thor had mites we just vacuumed and cleaned her area more than normal (the area is carpeted) and they never came back. We did three rounds of treatment. However if you are worried, the floor treatment Bam suggested should make sure they are taken care of

Our rabbit savvy vet is the only one who can easily pick my rabbit up. I think they are a bit off balance in a new vet environment and this makes them slightly easier to handle. Definitely shop around and find a vet who sees rabbits regularly. In my experience, vet trips earn me the bunny butt for a few hours or until I provide a suitable treat! She is not good at holding a grudge, haha.

[CoolBeans]

There isnt anything in hisbears that resemble wax or scabs. He itches outside the ear. Theres less fur around his ears but the skin doesnt look irritated. As far as i can see, no dandruff.

Maybe he is just an itchy bunny, ill treat the area just in case. Thank you!

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