Mites?

[kendall]

I noticed this scab on my rabbit the other day and I am guessing that it is mites or something similar, she lives with another rabbit but it is so unlikely that it was caused by him. I was going to call the vet tomorrow morning and try and get her an appointment on Friday, but if it’s advised to squeeze in a trip sooner I can try. I was just hoping to get some information about what it might be and how severe this is so I have some background info going into the appointment.

             

[Bam]

This doesn’t look like mites to me, it looks like more like a wound that is healing over and has formed a scab?

Mites can cause a type of scabs, but they tend to be very similar to the rabbit’s skin in color color and are easier to feel than to see. They feel like an uneveness/ thickening of the skin. They’re firmly stuck and can’t be removed without causing the bun pain.

Here is a picture of mites from the RWAF. The dandruff-like flakes are not necessarily this big to begin with, but there will be some skinflakes. (You typically get these big flakes when treatment is starting to take effect -its the scabs that starts to break up as the mites die).

If the scabs on your bun are from a healing wound, it is looking good. The scabs will fall off by themselves.

 

[kendall]

Ok thank you, I will just monitor it to make sure that it continues to heal well! I just don’t know what else could have caused it… hopefully, I am right and it wasn’t her partner.

[Bam]

Monitoring it is wise, if it really is mites, it will get bigger, with more and more dandruff. Revolution (selamectin) is the best and safest remedy for rabbit mites.

(PSA: Never use any compound containing fipronil on a rabbit. Its sold OTC under many different brand names, f ex Frontline. It can be deadly toxic to rabbits. End of PSA!)

[DanaNM]

Is your other bunny a mounter? The location makes me think maybe it was fur chunk pulled from a rough mounting attempt, or possibly even some over-grooming by the other bun.

I think monitoring is the right move.

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[LBJ10]

Yes, it does look like a wound caused by the fur being pulled out. And the location suggests this wasn’t done by her.

[kendall]

Ok…. new developments. I think it is from over-grooming, I just saw her partner mount her (which I had never seen before) but he wasn’t big enough to reach the spot on her neck but since he’s going a bit wild I am confirming that it is from that. Can I do anything to stop the over-grooming? Also, why was he mounting her? They have been together happily for about 7 months and I have seen nothing but peace from them until now. Do I need to do anything? Is this just because it’s spring? They are both fixed but he was buzzing and going crazy trying to mount her and he’s still trying as I type this.

[LBJ10]

Some bunnies suffer from “spring fever”. The changing light and temperature can cause hormonal changes in rabbits, even ones that are spayed/neutered. So it’s possible that spring has triggered the behavior in him. As long as it isn’t causing distress in your other bunny, you probably don’t need to do anything other than redirect him so he isn’t pulling her fur.

[kendall]

Ok, so there was minor fur pulling from the bunny being mounted but nothing serious. he hasn’t tried again since she told him off so I think we’re good for now, but as always I will monitor. Thanks for all of the help!

[DanaNM]

I agree, as long as the mounted bun doesn’t seem stressed, you don’t need to do anything really. Spring can def stir things up (as can other bunnies in the house, but I’m guessing you would have mentioned that?).

If it starts to get really excessive, there could be something going on health-wise with your male bunny. Sometimes bladder issues can trigger mounting. I have also noticed with one of my pairs, if I give them too much parsley or dandelion (both diuretics), my male tries to mount way more. I have never really seen anything about this anywhere, but I was noticing some really excessive mounting in him and the vet couldn’t find any issues. I had been feeding dandelion daily for a while so decided to see if it made a difference. Cut out the dandelion and it got better after a few days (back to his normal level of honking etc.).

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[kendall]

Things have escalated a bit. Calliope (mounted rabbit) has some minor cuts on her face that must have happened while I was at school today. I don’t know where to go from here. Do I need to separate them completely? Partially? Do I need to do a few stress sessions? Start over with bonding completely? They have never had issues like this but they were a very easy bond that hasn’t been together a year yet so I am sure it is just slowly working out the kinks. I am worried though because I have noticed some distance between them recently and I don’t want it to get any wider!!

[kendall]

upon closer inspection, it is definitely a chunk of skin taken off and now this is a serious bonding issue so I will move to that section! I think mites would have been a lot less stressful.

[DanaNM]

Oh yeah, sounds like something has upset their bond. In the case of a real injury it’s best to separate and give things some time to settle down, then resume in neutral territory and see where you stand.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

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