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fly strike prevention tips please

B

bundit

Warren Scout
I've only had my rabbits a few months. Just getting to the point where they will let me stroke them so I am dreading trying to pick them up.

I know they need constantly checking for fly-strike.

What is the best way to do this? Do I need to spray them just on their bum and how often?

Which spray is the least toxic? Are there any other ways to control?

Thanks.
 
bundit said:
I've only had my rabbits a few months. Just getting to the point where they will let me stroke them so I am dreading trying to pick them up.

I know they need constantly checking for fly-strike.

What is the best way to do this? Do I need to spray them just on their bum and how often?

Which spray is the least toxic? Are there any other ways to control?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

A rabbit is in minimal danger of getting fly-strike unless it has a mucky bum. So I check to see that they don't have a mucky bum. I have never used any preventative sprays.
 
I think all the sprays are toxic & IMO best avoided. Unnecessary with healthy & mobile buns that are cleaned out regularly. I'd agree to try & get on top of handling to check them but a clean environment is the most important bit. Plants like lemonbalm, rosemary & lavender are meant to be disliked by flies & a natural deterrent. Safe for the bunnies to eat should they have a nibble
 
I live in Turkey. Since Turkey is a hot country, there are a lot of flies. However, as long as I keep my bunny clean, I don't have a fly problem. Also, if you're not comfortable with that, you can put mosquito nets on the windows and door. You can also buy a mosquito net in your rabbit's area.
 
We've got lots of flies around at the moment because the foster boys spray wee everywhere and dig up damp ground, both of which attract flies :roll: Lopsy had sat in wee this morning as well of course but he's OK, a bit damp around the edges but not near his skin. I can't pick my buns up to check them but I can get my hand underneath and have a good feel when their face is in food :thumb:
 
A good diet should prevent your Rabbits from getting a mucky bum. This is the main cause of Flystrike. Also they can get Flystrike if they have an open wound. Normally, if they are kept clean, you shouldn't need to use any sprays.
 
I am so pleased to hear that it is not necessary to use the spray very glad I asked. I hate the idea of spraying them with insecticides. I was led to believe that it was vital at the pet shop and also from googling.

I did manage to have look under one of their tails just now and it looked immaculately clean :) He is the shyest and is slowly getting to trust me (probably won't any more after that indignity)

They have a good diet I think. I give them fresh hay (green stuff which gets delivered), they don't eat much of it at all, perhaps it's because they eat grass all day? They also have loads of very fresh veg (mainly greens, broccoli, Kale, carrot tops, turnip and radish tops and a little bit of carrot, oh and a teeny bit of banana). Once a day they get some kibble, just an egg cup each... they seem good and healthy although a wee bit podgy perhaps.
 
Are they indoor bunnies by any chance? If they are, then one thing you could do is attach fly netting to the windows. You can get the soft fabric type that you can cut down to size. I've got mine from Aldi before but they're also available from Wilko.

Very easy to put up without causing damage to the window frames. More importantly, very effective in keeping flies out. Personally, I've found it a huge weight off my mind knowing the flies can't get in and to the bunnies.
 
bundit said:
I am so pleased to hear that it is not necessary to use the spray very glad I asked. I hate the idea of spraying them with insecticides. I was led to believe that it was vital at the pet shop and also from googling.

I did manage to have look under one of their tails just now and it looked immaculately clean :) He is the shyest and is slowly getting to trust me (probably won't any more after that indignity)

They have a good diet I think. I give them fresh hay (green stuff which gets delivered), they don't eat much of it at all, perhaps it's because they eat grass all day? They also have loads of very fresh veg (mainly greens, broccoli, Kale, carrot tops, turnip and radish tops and a little bit of carrot, oh and a teeny bit of banana). Once a day they get some kibble, just an egg cup each... they seem good and healthy although a wee bit podgy perhaps.
Click to expand...

If they are a little bit podgy, then I would try to tweak their diet a little bit. Maybe leave out the carrot and the banana, which in addition to having lots of calories, can sometimes lead to a mucky bum :) What do you mean by kibble? Do you mean pellets? It's not really good for a rabbit to get podgy, especially as it gets older and liable to develop conditions such as Arthritis.

Yes, the fact that they are eating lots of grass will result in less hay being eaten. In the Winter months this will change as there is less grass to nibble.
 
Hi, I call it kibble, not sure why, it's burgess nuggets, they have just one egg cup each a day. The banana - literally only given them a slice once a week. Probably they have the equivalent to one carrot each a week too. Can too much greens make them podgy?

They do have one treat a night which gets them in! I know they're not very good for them little round "fibre bites".

They are outside rabbits, they do hop in occasionally, they are here right now being mischievous, The door is open but they prefer to be outside definitely.
 
bundit said:
Hi, I call it kibble, not sure why, it's burgess nuggets, they have just one egg cup each a day. The banana - literally only given them a slice once a week. Probably they have the equivalent to one carrot each a week too. Can too much greens make them podgy?

They do have one treat a night which gets them in! I know they're not very good for them little round "fibre bites".

They are outside rabbits, they do hop in occasionally, they are here right now being mischievous, The door is open but they prefer to be outside definitely.
Click to expand...
My buns are on Excel pellets and outdoors too. They're currently on about 10 pellets max. each each day, but sometimes Chibbs doesn't eat hers (she just doesn't want them, it's a Chibbs thing :roll:). I vary how much they get by how fat they feel :lol: We don't feed much veg at all, just our leftovers (ends of carrots, celery, the stalky bits of cabbage Matt doesn't like etc.) but we do feed a lot of forage, so as forage increases in spring, we decrease pellets. As it decreases in autumn/winter, we increase them again, and temperature affects how much they need too, especially as my buns are quite old :)
 
Thanks for that, good idea to cut down when they start getting overweight. When I first got them I did feed them a bit much I think, so now I have cut down hopefully they will get thinner. They look fine until they sit down, then I notice they are a bit podgy, only a little bit :) They have plenty of exercise.

I foraged too, mainly cow parsley, they had tonnes of it and that sticky weed stuff, but they prefer the parsley by far.

How old are yours?
 
bundit said:
Thanks for that, good idea to cut down when they start getting overweight. When I first got them I did feed them a bit much I think, so now I have cut down hopefully they will get thinner. They look fine until they sit down, then I notice they are a bit podgy, only a little bit :) They have plenty of exercise.

I foraged too, mainly cow parsley, they had tonnes of it and that sticky weed stuff, but they prefer the parsley by far.

How old are yours?
Click to expand...
Lopsy was 8 in April and Chibbs will be 7 in November-ish :) Stickyweed 'goes off' once it flowers we found :lol: We've had enough experience now we know when stuff's 'in season' XD Although with cowparsley usually they go off it once it flowers and they're still nomming away this year, I think because it had such a short growing season.
 
Middle aged :) Yes, mine were surprisingly still enjoying the cow parsley after it flowers. I picked the newer leaves.
 
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