A lot of scratching

[Guineapoops2022]

Hi guys I’ve noticed a lot of scratching going on with my girls I can’t see anything obvious but I’m worried it could be mites or something and be making them unhappy it’s been going on months I have been trying to decide whether to treat them as I don’t want to just do it unless necessary but how do I know? One of my girls has been biting her legs a few times recently also… would anything on them get around our house or on our skin? This is also a massive worry to me many thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Pleease have them seen by a vet. They will make a diagnosis and tell you if treatment is necessary. You will not be able to see mites yourself (they are too small) - you can only see their evidence ie excessive scratching.
Please do not use any pet shop treatments as they are not strong enough to be effective.

 

[Guineapoops2022]

I have had them at the vet before for this and the vet didn’t really check their fur much at all but recommended treatment which was 3 pippets each over a 6 week course. This was over £100 and I felt uneasy as there was no actual evidence of anything from the vet I’m concerned it will be the same again and with the cost of £100 it’s difficult but I also feel terrible if they are uncomfortable 24/7 I have checked their fur a few times I can’t see anything obvious. Is it best to just treat them through the vet same treatment if this continues as I’m concerned I will be charged consultation fees repeatedly if this keeps happening I don’t want to use treatments unnecessarily and risk immunity… ahh I dunno what to do here many thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

The human eye cannot see mites - they are too small. A vet can check with a microscope though.

If they are excessively scratching then there is something bothering then, so it is important to see a vet to find out what it might be

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Thank you for your help. If the vet says they can’t see anything but offer treatment like last time do you think I should take the treatment? I’m worried this is going to keep happening also if it was mites would I need to treat them all and wash all thier bedding before putting them in cage again? This is stressful

 

[weepweeps]

The first time I noticed my boys scratching a lot I took them to the vets. They were both prescribed the 6 week course of Xeno450 for mites. 6 months later they were scratching again so I just called up the vets and asked for it without seeing a vet. Yes they can get them again. Yes you have to treat all piggies and yes you have to wash everything and give the cage a thorough clean. I use F10 vet grade cleaner. Throw away any cardboard hides which can’t be cleaned. Good luck.

 

[Piggies&buns]

If the vet thinks they need to be treated, then yes, you take the treatment.
You might also consider getting your hay from somewhere else if they have recurrent mites. It’s not a sure fire way of stopping it (hay mites) though. Along with using a good vet grade disinfectant - F10.

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

 

[Guineapoops2022]

I don’t think I can afford the f10 aswel would Johnson’s disinfectant from pets home be ok? I only can buy from pets at home as it is the only reasonably priced hat near us I have looked in to haybox ext but I’m unable to work at the moment and it’s just not in our budget I hope it will be ok to keep using pets at home brand hay

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Hay**^

 

[Guineapoops2022]

The vet is calling me this afternoon I’m sorry to sound difficult I’m just not in a great place at the moment and under financial strain and I don’t think I could afford £40 consultation fees and £60-£70 treatments every few months as this is the second time thus scratching has kicked up I will see what they say I hope if there is a bug on them it’s not spread to my household as I have 3 young children

 

[Piggies&buns]

I don’t think I can afford the f10 aswel would Johnson’s disinfectant from pets home be ok? I only can buy from pets at home as it is the only reasonably priced hat near us I have looked in to haybox ext but I’m unable to work at the moment and it’s just not in our budget I hope it will be ok to keep using pets at home brand hay

The vet is calling me this afternoon I’m sorry to sound difficult I’m just not in a great place at the moment and under financial strain and I don’t think I could afford £40 consultation fees and £60-£70 treatments every few months as this is the second time thus scratching has kicked up I will see what they say I hope if there is a bug on them it’s not spread to my household as I have 3 young children

Youre not being difficult and we understand, but mites happen and they can reoccur.
Mites will not spread to your children though.

Johnsons is just a general cleaner (fine to use though). Not sure whether it would be strong enough to do anything other than clean and mild disinfection though. F10 is vet grade and kills everything including fungal so is the most effecfive. It actually works out cheaper than Johnson’s because F10 is concentrated (and so concentrated at that) so you use only a small amount to dilute into a spray bottle. The main bottle of concentrate will last a very long time.

Can you see any black specks in the piggies hair? (These are egg casings and are the only thing you will be able to see)
Is there any hair loss at all?

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Thank you for your help I thought I could see tiny specs on marshmallows hair but I wasn’t sure if it was from hay I will have another look shortly and maybe try get the f10 many thanks speak soon

 

[Claire W]

I hope the vet can help. It’s difficult when we’re under financial strain and can’t work as I’m in the same position. My late Edward who had to be pts in the end cost me around £500 but I had a vet fund so it wasn’t too bad. May I suggest you start a vet fund and safe whatever you can afford monthly. You’ll be surprised how much you can save and the money will already be available when and if you need it

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Hi guys I tried really hard to get some pictures and a video I saw this on her months ago but I thought it was dust and hay bits as we have had some really dusty hay but now I’m not so sure

 

[Guineapoops2022]

I hope the vet can help. It’s difficult when we’re under financial strain and can’t work as I’m in the same position. My late Edward who had to be pts in the end cost me around £500 but I had a vet fund so it wasn’t too bad. May I suggest you start a vet fund and safe whatever you can afford monthly. You’ll be surprised how much you can save and the money will already be available when and if you need it

Thank you I’m sorry about Edward

 

[Guineapoops2022]

I tried to upload a video it’s not working if you zoom in you can slightly see the specs?

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Blurred but you can see them here…

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi guys I tried really hard to get some pictures and a video I saw this on her months ago but I thought it was dust and hay bits as we have had some really dusty hay but now I’m not so sure

I know it’s an old picture but they do look likely to have been mite egg casings to me. A vet should have been able to tell if they saw those specks.
If you run your fingers over the specks then if they are eggs, they won’t come off but you would feel bumps under your fingers (very similar to nits in human hair). If it is dust then it would just move down the hair shaft as you rub

Videos need to be uploaded to YouTube first and then a link to it posted here. We cannot host video directly

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Ok so the vet has advised xeno mini on Amazon to save me some money? She is also saying to be careful the mites aren’t spreading around the home? Ie if trhey are being held or if they have been on the couch etc how often should I wash thier liners during treatment please ? I’m really worried this is making me feel very anxious sorry about this

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Hi guys just looking for advice on whether to go ahead and order xeno mini? Is this the best mites treatment?

 

[weepweeps]

How heavy are your piggies as it’s done on their weight.

Also I’d wash the bedding a couple of days after each treatment. But then you probably wash it weekly anyway?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Both Xeno Mini and Xeno 450 are dosed for the piggy’s weight. Consequently, Xeno mini may not be appropriate if your piggies are adult and over the weight cut for the Mini.
Xeno mini is used for young or small (in weight) piggies as it’s concentration is lower so is not good enough for adult piggies. If your piggies are adult and over the weight cut off for mini, then you will end up using more pipettes of the xeno mini per piggy to get the dosage right (thereby needing to buy more than you would if you used Xeno 450).
If your piggies are adult or over the weight cut off, then you need the Xeno 450 (and if they are between the Xeno 50 and xeno 450 weight recommendations, then you can use part of a pipette of the Xeno 450)

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ok so the vet has advised xeno mini on Amazon to save me some money? She is also saying to be careful the mites aren’t spreading around the home? Ie if trhey are being held or if they have been on the couch etc how often should I wash thier liners during treatment please ? I’m really worried this is making me feel very anxious sorry about this

Hi guys just looking for advice on whether to go ahead and order xeno mini? Is this the best mites treatment?

To answer this directly though - yes Xeno it is the best treatment (ensuring it is the mini and not the 450 you need). Ensure you get enough for three treatments per piggy (it’s a box of 9 pipettes on Amazon)

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Thank you very much guys the xeno mini says you to 800g and the xeno 450 is for 1.2kg but my 4 piggies range from 700-over 1kg so now I’m lost and xeno mini has 9 pippets compared with xeno 450 which is 6 pippets I really don’t want to under dose and fail treatment I’m also not sure how to get the egg castings off am I meant to fine comb throughout once the xeno is applied sorry I’m really panicking here

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you very much guys the xeno mini says you to 800g and the xeno 450 is for 1.2kg but my 4 piggies range from 700-over 1kg so now I’m lost and xeno mini has 9 pippets compared with xeno 450 which is 6 pippets I really don’t want to under dose and fail treatment I’m also not sure how to get the egg castings off am I meant to fine comb throughout once the xeno is applied sorry I’m really panicking here

You don’t need to panic. As long as it is hay mites, then they are annoying but they are not terribly parasitic and aren’t a huge huge risk like mange mites are.

Yes there is a gap in the weight ranges of both products. Some vets will still prefer to use the Xeno 450 for piggies in between those ranges because it is the stronger product - simply doing the calculation of how many drops are needed for the piggy’s weight and therefore only using part of a pipette of the 450 product.
Using the Xeno 50 mini may well mean it isn’t strong enough for the piggies who are over 1kg so it risks the mites not being fully eradicated. Your vet needs to guide you though.

The guide I linked in earlier explains how to deal with mites.

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Thank you so much for your help I will get this sorted x thank you

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Hey guys sorry to bother you again I washed the piggy’s fleecy items on a 40 degree wash I’m worried it wouldn’t have killed anything but if I do a higher wash o risk shrinking or ruining the items

 

[Guineapoops2022]

I also have a wooden house in thier cage I don’t really want to part with I’m not sure how to go about that or any other wooden bits like tunnels and wooden logs for stuffing with hay I will end up throwing everything out there cuddle sacks and liners cost too much to destroy on a wash higher than 40

 

[Guineapoops2022]

Sorry keep forgetting to add on things in one message we have weighed the girls weights ranging from 750-1140g so I am now very confused on with xeno to use and how much I hope the vet can suss things out

 

[Piggies&buns]

I also have a wooden house in thier cage I don’t really want to part with I’m not sure how to go about that or any other wooden bits like tunnels and wooden logs for stuffing with hay I will end up throwing everything out there cuddle sacks and liners cost too much to destroy on a wash higher than 40

60 degrees is the recommended temperature to ensure bugs are killed.

Wooden items need to be soaked in F10 which will kill anything lurking on them.

Sorry keep forgetting to add on things in one message we have weighed the girls weights ranging from 750-1140g so I am now very confused on with xeno to use and how much I hope the vet can suss things out

The vet needs to guide you but, the concentration of the 50 mini is lower so less effective in adult piggies. Because it goes on their weight you will need to use multiple tubes of the 50 on even one of your heavier piggies for one dose so it would cost you so much more. One pack of the 50 mini would not treat all your piggies even one time, so you would need to buy multiple packs of the 50 if that is what you are being told to use.
Whereas you can use part of a pipette of the 450 on your heavier piggies so it is weight adjusted.

Is your vet cavy savvy or one on our recommended list?

i am sure there is an old thread where this was explained in much more detail and why the 50 isn’t effecfive for heavier piggies. Ill see if I can find it