Fly-strike Sprays

I know the best one is Rearguard, but its very expensive. I was just wondering if any of the others on the market are actually effective and safe, such as the Beapher ones.

I have used one of them in the past, as a precaution but never had an issue with flies anyway. The new bunny setup is going to be a hutch in an aviary, and im probably being paranoid, but its more open to flies than my playhouse was. Just thinking about something more affordable, that i can use on the buns as often as i need to.

Thanks in advance

I prefer not to use nasty chemicals on a Rabbit unless absolutely essential. Good hygiene procedures-daily thorough clean outs, 3-4 times daily bum checks etc. Also using fly netting/fly deterrents over and around their accommodation.

I am not saying I would never use a Fly-Strike protection spray, but in the 16 years in which I have kept Rabbits I have never yet used one.

So I cant answer your question re a cheaper alternative to Rearguard, sorry xx

F10 is a very good product. 3-4 sprays around the bottom once a week

Jack's-Jane said:

I prefer not to use nasty chemicals on a Rabbit unless absolutely essential. Good hygiene procedures-daily thorough clean outs, 3-4 times daily bum checks etc. Also using fly netting/fly deterrents over and around their accommodation.

I am not saying I would never use a Fly-Strike protection spray, but in the 16 years in which I have kept Rabbits I have never yet used one.

So I cant answer your question re a cheaper alternative to Rearguard, sorry xx

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Agree, should be no need for chemicals which will possibly be ingested and we know how sensitive bunnies' tummies are.

As long as they are cleaned and checked frequently there should be no need to use fly strike preventatives :thumb:

I agree with the others, a healthy rabbit shouldn't have unnecessary chemicals.
However I have an old bunny with a few problems so I need to be very careful with her. I asked a very good rabbit vet about F10 and he said it doesn't work.

Not using chemicals has always been my stand on it too, but I just worry that I dont do enough. They were always spot cleaned daily and fully cleaned 1-2 times a week before, but there seems to be loads of flies in our new garden. Their setup will also be between the apple and hawthorne as its south facing and this is the coolest area of the garden, but also where i seem to find most flies.

Ive never had a problem with flystrike, but Marley used to get a dirty bottom from time to time. I worry that i may not clean him up in time, like if Im at work, and the flies get to him before I do.

Sorry if this doesnt make much sense. Marley and Dolly have been fostered by Maysie and Mike for the last 12 months due to me starting uni and my parents being unable to look after them for me. Then my parents split and weve moved around a lot, so im only just preparing to have them back home with me. As I havent had bunnies for almost a year now, I seem to have become paranoid over everything. I feel like ive forgotten everything i used to know :lol: Ive even found myself worrying a few times over whether they will like my hay :lol: :lol: :lol:

The Sunny Bunnies said:

I agree with the others, a healthy rabbit shouldn't have unnecessary chemicals.
However I have an old bunny with a few problems so I need to be very careful with her. I asked a very good rabbit vet about F10 and he said it doesn't work.

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the exotics specialist vet i used to work with swears by it, and it kills maggots very quickly and prevents fly strike. I have witnessed it on numerous occasions and it is very safe.

I do agree with not using products unless essential or at risk patients

Rearguard is cyromazine where as F10 is Cypermethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide. From googling, rearguard acts by inhibiting the growth of maggots where as F10 is a straight insecticide. So not exactly the same thing, though I imagine they do roughly the same job. The instructions on F10 imply you have to apply it much more frequently so that might effect the savings i.e. if you end up needing more of it.

I had a recent conversation with a vet nurse about F10. She had read an article in a vet nursing magazine about the use of F10 as an insecticide in larger animals and wondered if it could be useful to me.

I have a rabbit with an unusual jaw ?abscess which has had extensive treatment from the best vets around Her condition is not 'curable' but is managed with daily medication and surgery as required. She has exposed jaw bone in her mouth, and sometimes a surgical incision through her cheek. She lives outside (free-ranging most of the time) and is very unhappy indoors. Basically, her mouth smells and she is attracting flies due to the unusually hot weather. We have had to resort to using Rearguard as the risk of flystrike is too great - but found it very difficult to use, very expensive, makes a mess of the fur and will need redoing if she gets wet. Much as I hate using chemicals, I do not want to lose her to flystrike after everything else she has been through - and there is a limit to other measures we can take to be 100% certain that it will not happen.

I have been reading this thread with interest as we need something that we can use to protect her whilst maintaining her quality of life. I will look into getting some F10 to try as there seems to be little alternative.

Reading the datasheet on F10, it does seem orginally designed for treating wounds that maybe at risk from flystrike so it might be a good match for your rabbit

Info here: http://www.meadowsanimalhealthcare.co.uk/new f10/new f10/ws.html

Thank you, Tamsin.

Rearguard lasts 6 weeks and so 1-2 doses should cover you for the whole summer. It stops the maggots developing so effectively protects from flystrike. Yes, it's chemicals, but IMO it's better to use rearguard just once than to apply other chemicals more frequently. It only needs reapplying if you bathe them. I get one bottle free with Annabella's 'Healthy Pet Club'.

I use it on Annabella because she has a fluffy bum, so more at risk even though she's healthy, and she hates being picked up so I don't want to subject her to bum checks. It was a call I made based on her quality of life.

I use it on Barney because he has arthritis and so can't groom his bum properly and his fur is white, so there's no way I could see fly eggs on white fur.

I normally just do one dose during the hottest part of the summer. But this year I will be doing 2, as I get a lot of flies in my garden.

Flyguard is an alternative but it does nothing to damage the eggs/flies/maggots, it is only a fly repellent.

I've been extremely fortunate to never having a single case of fly strike in 35 years of owning rabbits. Good housekeeping and scrupulous hygiene are all you need to keep flies at bay.