Fleas on young kits??

[frogsrprettyrad]

Hello! I have some new babies and unfortunately they have fleas. Does anyone know the best way to get rid of them? The kits are like 1-2 weeks old (2 litters) (different moms) and are otherwise healthy. I've seen some places say that apple cider vinegar helps or I saw a video of a squirrel with fleas and they just used dish soap and water (I know bathing buns is bad but could it be necessary in a situation like this?) Or should I just treat the adult buns and wait until they're old enough? If you have any experience with this please let me know!

(also they're all indoor, free roam rabbits, so I'm not sure how they got fleas. Could've been mice, could've been me or my mom carrying them on our clothes idk)

 

[InspectorMorse]

You can’t use any chemical flea treatments on kits that young.

Do NOT bathe them in anything. All you can do is treat the adults BUT check with a vet first as some flea treatments cannot be used on Does feeding kits.

i hope the Buck was not with either of the mother Does when they delivered their kits. If he was then the Does are very likely to be pregnant again

 

[William]

Yeah, definitely don't bathe them. You can (very carefully) flea comb baby cats, but it's probably not a good idea to handle baby rabbits very much.

I would follow Jane's advice and talk with a vet to find out which flea treatments can be used on the adults.

I would start cleaning the house now as fleas breed in the carpet, bed, laundry, around baseboards, etc. The larvae eat organic matter (including the adult flea's poop). The less food, the less fleas. So by clean I mean vacuum, mop, wash and put away any laundry/bedding, etc. Make sure to dispose of the vacuum contents or they can come back out of the vacuum possibly.

 

[frogsrprettyrad]

Thank you so much. The buck is very much in another room these days lol. I'll Def check with our vet too. Thank you

You can’t use any chemical flea treatments on kits that young.

Do NOT bathe them in anything. All you can do is treat the adults BUT check with a vet first as some flea treatments cannot be used on Does feeding kits.

i hope the Buck was not with either of the mother Does when they delivered their kits. If he was then the Does are very likely to be pregnant again

 

[frogsrprettyrad]

Yeah, definitely don't bathe them. You can (very carefully) flea comb baby cats, but it's probably not a good idea to handle baby rabbits very much.

I would follow Jane's advice and talk with a vet to find out which flea treatments can be used on the adults.

I would start cleaning the house now as fleas breed in the carpet, bed, laundry, around baseboards, etc. The larvae eat organic matter (including the adult flea's poop). The less food, the less fleas. So by clean I mean vacuum, mop, wash and put away any laundry/bedding, etc. Make sure to dispose of the vacuum contents or they can come back out of the vacuum possibly.

Thank you so much for the tips. That is very helpful.

 

[InspectorMorse]

Thank you so much. The buck is very much in another room these days lol. I'll Def check with our vet too. Thank you

I would arrange to get him neutered ASAP. He will remain fertile for up to 6 weeks AFTER neutering.

Once the Does have had time to recover from raising their kits then the best thing for their longterm health and welfare is to have them spayed. Unspayed Does have a very high risk, about 80%, of developing Uterine Cancer by the age of 5.

Neutering – Castration and Spaying

Discover the importance of neutering, castration, and spaying for your rabbit's health and welfare with RWAF's expert guide.

rabbitwelfare.co.uk

 

[Shimmer]

Fleas happen. Definitely get advice from your vet about treating mums and babies as they are particularly vulnerable. I would also ask about suitable sprays to treat the house (it's a once a year job - but check what sprays are OK to use around rabbits) - that and regular (ie daily) vacuuming are the best ways to get rid of fleas. Be especially vigilant around room edges and under / behind furniture and beds. Fleas can bite people as well - so watch out for itchy red marks on exposed skin eg around ankles.