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Flystrike - is there a natural prevention?

saz1970

Young Bun
Does anyone know if you can use any natural oils such as tea tree or citronella to ward off flys from your buns?? I am checking bottoms anyway but just wondered as I know these two oils do repell insects but don't want to harm the rabbits of course!
 
Citronella will repel flies, I use a natural citronella based fly reppellent on my lot in the summer. You dilute it and just spray it one. I can't rememeber what it's called though!
 
Citronella will repel flies, I use a natural citronella based fly reppellent on my lot in the summer. You dilute it and just spray it one. I can't rememeber what it's called though!

Is it Dynamite? :? Rings a bell vaguely.

I know alot of Breeders hang 'Konks' in their sheds and apparently they are the best thing for keeping flies at bay - I don't use one as I don't seem to get many flies and I don't like the thought of the rabbits breathing in chemicals all day :? But others swear by them.

You can buy bedding which is lavender scented which helps? Otherwise pots of lavender may do the trick.
 
It's not a natural thing, but you can buy a spray from pet shops that's called 'Fly Free' by Beaphar and if a fly lays it's eggs on your bunny it will kill the eggs....it does work as i've had to use it on a wild hedgehog i found with a wound on it's face and hudreds of fly eggs, i spray this on and after a while they all dropped off!:D
 
I wouldn't use anything with chemicals around the animals. If you've got a shed with electric or indoors then the electric fly zappers are good or you can use the chemical free sticky strips. Some plants are meant to be fly deterants but I'm not sure whether they're buny safe too.

Tam
 
Good old fly screen help, I have them on the shed and they are wonderful ... very cheap when I bought them from Lidl as well :)
 
Electric fly zappers are great as Tamsin suggested, as they kill the bugs without polluting bunnies or their environment.
Vets sell Spot On which is supposed to prevent fly strike (and you can use very dilute citronella in the rabbits hutches- as long as you dont aim the spray right at a rabbits face). However, please remember, NONE OF THESE PREVENTION METHODS can be relied upon 100%, and the only sure way of stopping your bunny succumbing to the terrible affects of fly strike, is to check them all over twice a day in the warm weather.
Remove any white eggs IMMEDIATELY, and if already hatched seek URGENT vet help.
We clean out the rabbits litter trays twice a day here, and any rabbit with a dirty bottom is cleaned up straight away, then flies are not drawn to the rabbits living areas.
If washing your rabbits , please remember to dry them thoroughly with a hair dryer on cool setting, as Flies will lay their eggs on damp bunnies, even if they are clean bunnies.
 
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Adele- I totally agree that there is no replacement for stringent cleaning and close bum checking (both of which I do, Smokey is currently looking at me with her cross face after her bum check).

I must admit though I like the added security of a fly repellent (I'm not a fan of Rearguard). I think WalnutEarth626 you are right, it is Dynamite but I can't seem to find it on the Web.
 
I use sticky fly papers in the shed run and also a rechargeable fly zapper just like the electric ones but they charge up over night :D I also use buzz off and bugs be gone from Pampered Piggies. I also have some mosi netting for the hutch combis. Hope this helps.
 
I use sticky fly papers in the shed run and also a rechargeable fly zapper just like the electric ones but they charge up over night :D I also use buzz off and bugs be gone from Pampered Piggies. I also have some mosi netting for the hutch combis. Hope this helps.

Rechargable fly zappers - good idea - where are they from?
 
There is a flower called Pelargonium fragans, that holds off flies and other insects by its smell. Another one is lemon balm (Pelargonium grandiflorum).
 
Adele- I totally agree that there is no replacement for stringent cleaning and close bum checking (both of which I do, Smokey is currently looking at me with her cross face after her bum check).

I must admit though I like the added security of a fly repellent (I'm not a fan of Rearguard). I think WalnutEarth626 you are right, it is Dynamite but I can't seem to find it on the Web.

These people stock it:
http://animalmad.ltd.uk/acatalog/Ointments_and_First_Aid.html
 
i have flyscreen up at the windows and those sticky sunflower things in the room incase a fly gets in there. i am trying to get some of those sticky roll things but nowhee sells them :(
 
Flies also hate the smell of lavander! We have it in the garden and sometimes I'll move some to beside the run. Its also okay if buns nibbble it.
 
where do you spray dynamite? is it all over the bun or just the botty? I was considering Rearguard but seeing how many of you are against it i don't think i will. thanks for the link on dynamite.

I got some fly screens and put them up this morning. So far they seem really good! :) but obviously need more protection just in case.
 
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