MITES!?!?!

[Bambi]

Ok, we have an ant problem. And an earwig problem. And now, we may have a mite problem? I swear I saw a mite in my kitchen, which is right next to where my bun stays! I didn’t have a chance to kill it, but it is there anyway. Can I prevent this guy from getting to her? Also, are mites deadly to bunnies? Like can it kill them? I’m really freaking out over this, also since I don’t have a vet. Please reply!!

[Bambi]

Got the little bugger! He didn’t seem to go into the area of my bun, so that’s a good sign. (I think.) Anyways, 1 down, hopefully no more to go! Can someone please still help with this problem in case I see more?

[Q8bunny]

Ok… first off, both humans and rabbits (as well as their homes) are always crawling with a variety of mites. It’s normal.
Second, mites can’t kill a rabbit, per se. But if the bun’s immune system is weak due to stress, for example, they can cause problems. Some of the most common problem mites for buns cause itchiness and flaky or crusty skin, especially in the ears and on feet – you might know this as mange.
Third, you can’t really see mites around the house. Mites are mostly microscopic. So whatever you saw in your kitchen was probably something else.
Finally, buns can get spot on treatments once a month etc. according to their body weight that take care of fleas, mites, and other parasites. A good one for buns is Revolution/Stronghold (ask your vet for a kitten/puppy strength script). DO NOT use Frontline as it’s lethal to bunnies.

Hope this helps a bit.

[Bambi]

Ok thank you it just looked a lot like a mite..
Anyways thanks for the reply it helped and I guess I don’t have a lot to worry about?

[Bam]

As Q8 says, you can’t see one mite, so what you saw was some other kind of bug. Bunnies can get cat-fleas, if they live near a cat. You can use treatment for cats, Advantage (imidaclopride) if you see fleas on your bun. Fleas are pretty big, so those you can see.

As for other insects: House flies present a real danger to bunnies because they can lay egg on the bunny’s behind esp if the bunny isn’t cleaning himself down there, and then the eggs hatch and larvae starts eating their way into the bunny. This is extremely gross but it’s a risk every bunny owner should be aware of. Do your best not to get flies inside the house.

If a bunny gets mites you’ll see crusty skin and dandruff and some hair loss, perhaps the bunny starts scratching himself a lot.

And again: Fipronil (Frontline, Effipro etc) must NEVER be used on a bun. It is deadly toxic to them.

[Bambi]

Ok thanks everyone for the replies : )

[Author]

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