My bunny has a thinning patch & dandruff?! Help please

Please help I've just noticed this morning my rabbit has a small thinning patch of fur and when I looked closer and moved the remaining fur apart there was lots of what looked like dandruff? Then I moved some normal fur on a different part of her body and the dandruff stuff was there also. Does anyone know what this is I'm worrying! She doesn't seem to be in any discomfort, she's 5 months old. Thank you in advance!

This really sounds like mites.Im sure it is actually!! Excuse the spelling but its little fellas called Citaedella.....Nip to the vets and get some Xeno450.You may even get a chance to see them under a microscope.Walking dandruff they get called.
They can happen when bunny is low.Has he been poorly lately??
Do give the cage a good clean out.
I learnt also these little suckers can bite humans and leave a small red dot...nothing worth mentioning really.
I have heard they come in hay too...how true that is I dont know.
Dont worry..a few weeks of spray and bun will be fine.xx

Yes, it sounds very like mites, although id get her checked at the vets prior to treatment.

The vet will give you Xeno spot on, you put the tubes on the back of her neck. You need to do this every two weeks for three weeks.

My Herbie had mites quite recently. It took him more than three weeks to get rid, but generally the three weeks is fine.

You will also have to clean out the hutch / cage / wherever you keep bun.
Throw out the hay and bedding straw etc that is in the bedding areas. Wash any blankets at 60degrees. Thoroughly clean & disinfect the area.

Then i used johnsons mites spray (you get this in PAH) and you spray it in the cage / hutch. You need to leave the bun out of the area for an hour or so after spraying.

I also brushed herbie every few days, i found that this brushed out the dead hair and some mites.....make sure you do this in an area that you can clean well, i brushed herbie in my shower!

I feel for you =/

My male Holland lop, Nemesis is only a year old and has really bad dandruff.
Our other bunny doesn't have it, and it doesn't move. So I don't know if its mites or not. He doesn't "lose" fur. Only when we brush him does any really come out. This dandruff, assuming its dandruff, is on his lower back, near his tail, and kinda near his upper back. More so by the base of his tail.

My fiance and I have been trying everything to get rid of it because we just
don't have the money to take him to an exotic vet. We usually take both our
buns to Pender Eastern Exotics, but its SUPER expensive.

It makes ya worry, I know, but if you've got the money, I highly suggest
taking em to a vet that knows what they're doing. =] Goodluck!

echitt said:

I feel for you =/

My male Holland lop, Nemesis is only a year old and has really bad dandruff.
Our other bunny doesn't have it, and it doesn't move. So I don't know if its mites or not. He doesn't "lose" fur. Only when we brush him does any really come out. This dandruff, assuming its dandruff, is on his lower back, near his tail, and kinda near his upper back. More so by the base of his tail.

My fiance and I have been trying everything to get rid of it because we just
don't have the money to take him to an exotic vet. We usually take both our
buns to Pender Eastern Exotics, but its SUPER expensive.

It makes ya worry, I know, but if you've got the money, I highly suggest
taking em to a vet that knows what they're doing. =] Goodluck!

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It sounds like your fella has mites too.:wave:

Argh! Mites?! How could she have got them as we have no other animals & she lives indoors? From her hay? Also her bed is cleaned out very very thoroughly twice a week, oh no this is horrible poor bun. I'll make sure I make an appoimtment with the vets ASAP. I didn't notice any of it moving..argh it's making my skin crawl thinking about it

JessicaCait said:

Argh! Mites?! How could she have got them as we have no other animals & she lives indoors? From her hay? Also her bed is cleaned out very very thoroughly twice a week, oh no this is horrible poor bun. I'll make sure I make an appoimtment with the vets ASAP. I didn't notice any of it moving..argh it's making my skin crawl thinking about it

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dont worry.....they really arent much....you cant really see them that well.Its better under a microscope....pop to the vets.
Be over in a jiffy.Most of us have had mites on here.
Just check with your vet that Bun doesnt have an underlying reason.Ive heard mites attack when Bun is low.

I have no other pets and mine are indoors and Herbie just got them from nowhere!

People say that Rabbits always have a small amount of mites on them, but usual grooming keeps them at bay. Then if they are run down or stressed then they can get a bit out of control.

dont worry about it,Daisy had mites after her first husbun died-probably as a result of stress.The vet will probably give invermectin,you can buy mite treatments but make sure they are for rabbits-dont give any that are designed for cats or dogs.Best bet is the vet.[sounds like an advertising slogan]

Got an appointment for tomorrow phew, I feel so sorry for her Is there anything I should do tonight regarding her bed area? They won't have got into our carpet will they? :shock: Thanks for the help everyone!

I'm going to chuck out her things (that can't be disinfected properly) and get rid of the hay I have at the moment and buy new stuff.

Should I do anything for her? Like brush or bathe? Just feel like I should be doing something to help

Will I be okay to handle her (only minimal for transporting to vets) without gloves or something? The thought of creepy little bugs on my hands is freaking me out

Also is there any way to check future batches of hay incase that's what has brought them in?

I'm probably over reacting but I just feel bad!

No need to be so very drastic.........Of course you can handle her.Dont make any changes.Perhaps just a small groom but she may get sore else.A clean out.
The vets will sort it.xxx:wave:

Lol thank you for the help, I turn into a nervous wreck when it comes to illness with her, I'm scared of her being sick and something bad happening! God help me when I have kids :roll:

Fur mites can cause a lot of distress to rabbits if left untreated. The most common mites are Cheyletiella parasitovorax and Listrophorus gibbus, which respond well to treatment with Ivermectin applied topically or by subcutaneous injection three times 10-12 days apart. The three treatments are necessary as the life cycle of the mite is: egg, larva and adult so the cycle has to be broken to prevent fertile egg laying. Cheyletiella parasitovorax may be zoonotic i.e can be transmitted from animals to people.

To be certain that it is the Cheyletiella and not burrowing mites vets will usually do a scraping and pick up with sticking tape for examination under a microscope. Ask to have a look, they are gruesome little arachnids.

I believe they mostly arrive in hay or straw bought in bales, so my method is to store it well away from the buns and take a goodly batch in a sealed heavy plastic bag and place in the freezer for at least 24 hours. The cold should kill any mites at all life stages. I know this is not practical for those who care for many buns, but those of us with only a few can do it. Spring and Summer are usually the peak seasons for infestations.

Good luck with clearing them up.