I just got Joanie and...Mites! HELP!!

[kirste5]

Poor Joanie, as if moving into a new home would be stressful enough without mites!! I figured from the beginning Joanie had mites because of her dry skin and bald patches but today I saw a tiny little mite moving between her quills!! Since my Internet is down I rushed to the library to ask the professionals at Chins and Quills.

I can't get Joanie a vet appointment until Monday, but what do I do until then? Can I still handle her? How will the mites affect my other pets? (Cats and Dogs) Should I take her off of the shaving and put her with linings and take away her wooden house? The thing is, I'm worried that moving cages will stress Joanie out A LOT. The only thing familiar she'd have would be the water dishes, and when I put her in the cage I made she pooped about 3 times in 15-20 minutes and all of them were runny. the first runny poop she has had since I brought her home.

If I do move her will the little mites go into the liners and stay there? What about hedgiebags. What should I do or not do? I put some Flax oil in her food this morning, will this help her dry skin at least? I only put in 3 tiny drops.

Sorry about the legnth, I am kind of stressing out here :O . Also the library keyboard is sticky so some words might be wrong, I will run it through spell-check, but it might miss some.

Thanks.

By the way: I've only had Joanie a short time and I'm already attached to her. Crazy.

[Nancy]

Oh no. Poor Joanie.

Taking her off shavings is a good idea. The mites will get into the liners and hedgie bags but a wash and hot dryer dry and they will be gone. I'd change and wash her liners daily. Her wooden hidey house will have to go for good as the mites could stay in it.

You can still handle her but to be safe, keep her away from other animals. The chances of the mites going to the dog and cat are slim but why risk it.

When she goes to the vet, make sure she is treated with Revolution.
Don't allow Ivermectin as it has been the cause of numerous hedgehog deaths and I personally would never allow a hedgehog of mine to be treated with Ivermectin. :)

[HamorHollow]

Mites are microscopic. I think you may be seeing fleas. I'm not saying that she doesn't have mites as well.

Give her a warm bath with some olive oil in the water. That will help smother some of the mites and sooth itching. I don't know how it will affect a skin scraping done on Tuesday. My recommendation is to treat her with Revolution weather the vet finds mites or not. It's cheep, and it won't hurt.

-K

[hularious]

yes, like i mentioned in the other post, prevention can be a critical element in preventing mites, so getting rid of that wooden house is priority #1. Get rid of the shavings, and yes, use the liners. You should also disinfect the cage or whatever your hedgehog is in, and isolate everything from your other pets. Try not to handle becaues you might provide an outlet for the mites to go to another host.

here's a good article on mites and what kinda care:
http://www.hedgehogworld.com/content/view/95/42/

good luck!

[hedgehog69]

the vitamin-E capsuals that you can buy at the drug store work well to help with the dry skin and itching, just poke a small hole in the end and drip a few drips on the hedgie's back.

[Shimmer]

Mites are microscopic. I think you may be seeing fleas. I'm not saying that she doesn't have mites as well.
-K

Abbie has had mites and I was able to see them. They were very easy to see if I looked at her under a lamp. You can see little white specks moving around.

[kirste5]

Yes! That is exactly what they look like! I thought it would be a dry skin flake or something until it moved.

[HamorHollow]

Yes! That is exactly what they look like! I thought it would be a dry skin flake or something until it moved.

I still recommend using Revolution. It's a one time treatment and lasts for a month. Your vet can give you the dosage.

-K

[hedgehog69]

I can see the mites but you have to look very close, revoulution works very well and it is safe to use with no side effects I use the kinds for cats and it only takes a couple drops of it so you will have left overs for the next time if there is any or if you need to re-treat

[hemi_mygirl]

Instead of liners, try buying some recycled paper, so you can just throw it away everyday. Throw away all wood stuff, and wash everything else in HOT HOT HOT water.