Advice on using fly strike spray.

[Mummybean]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone uses the product below? Or any other fly strike preventative spray. I’m getting really anxious about fly strike after hearing lots of horror stories. We have an outside hutch with a good cover (but up during the day) and kept clean. But the other day when cleaning out I noticed two tiny little flys inside the hutch on the wood in the bedding area. I’m super anxious and wondering if a spray is a good idea to be in the safe side?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I wouldn’t recommend using a preventative of any sort. I’ve not used any kind of flystrike spray in 30 odd years. Best way to prevent fly strike is to keep the hutch clean, use a fly screen on the hutch and ensure you check your piggies at least twice a day.
It’s only certain types of flies which cause fly strike - bottle flies - so they ‘tiny’ ones you saw outside wouldn’t pose a risk

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Flystrike is very rare in guinea pigs. As @Piggies&buns says it is only certain flies, the worst being the green bottles (blow flies) and sometimes blue bottles too. Many other flies are attracted to animals and where they live but don't lay eggs on them.

I can understand your anxiety. Before moving where I am now I spent 7 years working at a vets and every summer we would have several rabbits come in with flystrike most of which couldn't be saved. It is horrific. However, rabbits are usually victims because they have been fed an inappropriate, rich diet and stopped eating their ceacotrophs, which then stick to their fur in a smelly, sticky mass and attract flies. Such rabbits are usually over weight and not very active too. Very elderly and poorly buns can be at risk also.

In those 7 years we saw just two piggies with fly strike, both mild cases with very few maggots and both survived.

Although rare in pigs, elderly piggies can be at increased risk especially if something such as arthritis makes them less mobile and less able to groom properly and keep themselves clean, even tho they might look clean to us, or if they have other health issues. Also old boars with impaction.

I have used the above product before on a very elderly pig of mine with mobility issues. I just sprayed it on his rear end while covering his front end with a towel so none got in his eyes or nose. I think most people on here will advise against using it but my past working experiences have made me a little paranoid. Also I checked with my vet about it and would only use it on a "high risk" pig.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Most healthy piggies who live in a hutch or enclosure that is cleaned regularly are not really at risk from flystrike- I would not recommend using the spray except on the vets advice for a piggy who cannot keep themselves clean as @Pound Shilling & Pig mentions. A clean cage and a clean bottom area, keeping long haired piggies trimmed around the bum area with the occasional bum bath during the summer for oldies or any particularly mucky pigs, should be enough in most cases.

 

[VickiA]

I agree with these posts above. With a good diet and good husbandry, regular cage cleaning and daily health checks then piggies would be at low risk of fly strike so I would not use any product unless the vet advised that it should be used for any particular reason.

 

[David Piggie Lover]

I hate flys with a passion.. .
I have several fly strips around some on the light fittings and I catch the blighters young . . . Lucky I'm bald so when a strip sticks to me napper . . I can wipe it off.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I was wondering if anyone uses the product below? Or any other fly strike preventative spray. I’m getting really anxious about fly strike after hearing lots of horror stories. We have an outside hutch with a good cover (but up during the day) and kept clean. But the other day when cleaning out I noticed two tiny little flys inside the hutch on the wood in the bedding area. I’m super anxious and wondering if a spray is a good idea to be in the safe side

Hi!

Please do not use broad spectrum products on guinea pigs on spec. They usually do more harm than good and are often a waste of money.

Here is more information on fly strike and what you can do/need to look out for. Fly Strike

At risk are usually only piggies living in their own filth or those that are unable to clean themselves regularly (in well kept piggies, this is generally the elderly and very frail that struggle to cleam themselves). Simply checking at risk piggies regularly, especially during hot weather, wiping their bum clean before you put them on the lawn and checking them upon their return will go a long way.

 

[Mummybean]

Thank you all so much. I will forget about the spray and try not to stress so much! We are still quite new to owning guinea pigs and trying to make sure we don’t make any mistakes. Thankfully they are both young and healthy so should be low risk.