• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Please help....Maggot advice YUK!

S

Sarah_Jane

Alpha Buck
I gave Honey a cuddle this morning and put her in the hutch and then i brought Charlie in. I noticed that on his back near to his tail he had a few light brown things in his fur. As i looked closely at one i'm very sure it was moving. They look like little splinters i guess.

Also i notice some of his fur was comming out, and he had already gone thru the change of coat a few weeks back.

Do you think these might be maggots??
 
Have you turned him over and looked underneath? Also run the fur backwards over the area you found them and check for breaks in the skin or a wound.

Do you have a comb? If so comb them out otherwise tweasers should work. Stick them on a piece of paper and you should be able to get a closer look.

If they are maggots then it needs sorting asap - flystrike can be very serious.

If they are maggots you can try removing them all yourself but if there are any wounds or you're not confident to get them all he needs to go to the vet now - best to get the vet to double check anyway.

Tam
 
I don't know what they look like before maggots are fully grown but by what you've said it does sound like flystrike, check them both ALL over and pick off what you can find and take them to the vets. I wouldn't leave them in the hutch, give it a good clean out.
 
Yes i turned Charlie and checked his bum area and it all seemed fine but he was struggling alittle. I havent seen any broken skin yet, but i need to have a good look really.

Thing is i am at work now, so i can't do anything, but i might have to go home sick so i can sort it out.

Just that i am thinking it might be maggots, but i'm not too sure what they look like?

Thanks x
 
Some one on here has previoulsy posted some pictures, it may be worth doing a search to put your mind at ease or so you know that you must suddenly become sick.

I am just off on the school run, otherwise I would have done it for you.

Janice
 
hi

gross photo alert but these are maggots - larger than in real life - they will be half a cm long at first and grow very fast - If you see maggots on the surface then it is likely that some have burrowed into your rabbit too - so vets ASAP!! The vet can shave the fur off (important not to get it wet) and give drugs to stop the maggots developing whilst finding any that remain - Hope your bunnies are OK :?

http://www.deathonline.net/decomposition/corpse_fauna/flies/maggots.htm
 
Thanks for the pics guys, and advice- it's been really helpful. My boss is due in at 11 so i'll go home ill and sort it out. I guess it would be harder to check Honey as shes got dark fur.

Thanks everyone xx
 
/

Please don't postpone taking your rabbits to the vets..if you think it may be flystrike then go home and take them both to be checked NOW..it's a horrible way for an animal to die and maggots grow and eat extremely quickly....an hour can make a big difference to your rabbits.
Please let us know how you get on...hope it's a false alarm but better safe than sorry!
 
Thanks Jill, i'll let U know how it all goes, thanks everyone.

Just another question can these maggots live in the house? I'm now worried incase they can?
 
/

Flies lay their eggs in warm damp places..so if you have places in your house that fit that decription then yes..Usually we clean our houses enough to stop this happening..but if you have ridges or small crevices somewhere that gathers dirt and is damp, and can be missed when cleaning, it can happen. Sometimes maggots can be found just under the edges of a carpet..if there is damp in that area :(
I've seen several people with small animals who think they clean the cages thoroughly but have found maggots in the ridges between wire and frame..or wall and floor..that why thorough cleaning and disinfecting is so important. And of course checking animals bottoms daily!
Fingers and toes still crossed!
 
Yuck thanks for that...that just got me thinking about something...2 nights ago i poured a drink and i noticed this was something on the outside of the cup, and yes...it was a maggot OH MY GOD!

I was thinking about getting charlie in the kitchen and if he has them get them out, but i'm worried there be in the house. I'll go stright to the vet!
 
hi

different types of flies lay their eggs in different places - the flies that cause flystrike lay their eggs actually on an animal, or on a piece of meat if that's lying around, or a dead body etc - The maggots you find around your home (not that I've ever found any - eww!) are probably house fly maggots or fruit fly maggots - House flies feed on poo, and on any liquified food, sewage etc that may not have been cleaned up - Fruit flies obviously feed on fruit - So don't worry about maggots you find around the house, apart from being disgusting to look at they will not hurt your rabbit - It's the maggots on the animal that are deadly :?
 
Thanks everyone, just got home and checked Charlie he doesnt have any skin wounds of any sort at the moment thank god. I checked Honey and she smelt stright away so i knew she would have a messy but. I cleaned her up and luckily enough i couldnt see anything around her bum. It looks like she might have a few aswell!!

I have rang the vets and i cant be seen till 2.30..think they will be ok?

You have proberly already read my post about Honey suffering from a sticky bum...i have had her on hay for a few days now, seems to be okay until today. I think its her thats attracting bad things :(

Do you think i'm selfish by having a fav bun? This is going to sound nasty but Charlie is my number one, hes such a lovely bunny but i dont want Honey making him have problems. Already Charlie is suffering by having to have hay and no pellets :(
 
hi

Charlie is bound to be your fav at the mo - he's your firstborn! :lol:
As time goes by I'm sure you'll get just as attached to Honey - I wouldn't deprive Charlie of pellets just because of her though - why not just take him out for 10 mins and give him his pellets in the kitchen say? If he doesn't eat it all in 10mins then he's getting too many anyway - I bet he'll eat them straight up after a few days of them vanishing after 10mins! :D

Is Honey overweight? Often they can't eat their caecals if they are too fat to reach around there - In which case she will improve on her hay diet, especially if she gets a couple of hours run time a day too - For now maybe you should ask the vet to put Rearguard on them, assuming he gives them the all clear with maggots?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

T
Please help. Poor rabbit is desperately ill
Replies
9
Views
559
dex179
dex179
H
GI stasis advice please
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Helen1981
H
T
Advice needed - worried I poisoned my bunny…
Replies
4
Views
308
theothelionhead
T
Back
Top