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Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Fly Strike Scare! What To Do?

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    • mocha200
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        The flies here are CRAZY! I walked outside today and this is what I saw on the house!

         
        Yes that is a real photo of our house! Gross right? YUCK! I walked up the deck to go look at our house that’s being built, and when I stepped down flies from on the deck flew up and swarmed me! It has been like this for about 2-3 days now and I have been pretty worried about fly strike. A few days ago I walked into where the bunnies are and i don’t remember what I was doing but something by the litter box and I fly flew out of the litter box! I freaked out and cleaned the cage but in the past few days their have been flies every where! We sit in the living room and we here flies frantically flying into the windows trying to get out (which is extremely annoying). Flies crawling on the TV when you try and watch, and when you sleep at night all you here is that annoying “BUUUZZZZZZZ” Ahhh! I just want to strangle them! We also had one fly into our pot of chicken noodle soup. All those things I just listed are the LEAST of my concerns! I am SO worried about fly strike with my rabbits! If you don’t know what that is, (or even if you do) I encourage you to read this link quickly: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/2-12/fly-strike.html
        As you read it only takes 1 fly to start this deadly disease! When ever I flip Mocha over I always see his fur on his tail and around his butt has hardened on pee because of his long fluffy fur. As you read, They are attracted to urine on rabbits and even just water, which brings me to another point. When I give them their veggies they make the BIGGEST water mess! Their is a big puddle when they are done that they always step and sit in while they are eating or after. Not to mention mocha has the biggest water beard after eating or drinking. It only takes 1 fly to lay maggots and that would be it! What should I do? Should I clean their cage every day or even twice a day try and dry up all the water messes ASAP? What about the urine that stays on Mocha’s butt after he pees? I am clueless and frightened. You may tell me not to worry but that 1 fly could have already laid maggots and I don’t know yet! It doesn’t take much for this deadly disease!


      • jerseygirl
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          Weird how theyre on the wall like that. maybe theyre attracted to the paint?

          If the buns had messy poo stuck on the butt I’d be more worried about fly strike. Rumball and Jersey get a bit if urine in the fur like Mocha gets and it hasn’t been a concern with flies. I get those small house flies. Drives me nuts!
          I believe it’s the big blowflies that one need be more worried about. (I’ll have to re-read that article!).

          To reduce flies in their area, i think frequent litter box cleans should help. And some natural fly traps about perhaps?


        • mocha200
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            I think the flies liked the sun, because they where on the garage and on the deck.
            Not sure the difference between flies but I know we have seen some pretty big ones (like the one on my bedroom ceiling right now.).

            I have been a little lazy lately and not been cleaning out the litter box every other day and let it go for 4 days once. :-\


          • mocha200
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              I also didn’t see anything in the article that said anything about a specific kind of fly. Unless I missed it.


            • jerseygirl
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                You probably haven’t. I’m guessing you’ve recently read it, whereas I haven’t. Lol. Time for a refresher as we are heading into summer here.
                I had something in my mind about blue bottle flies???


              • Deleted User
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                  What exactly do they look like? We get these pesky little bugs called Love Bugs in Florida. They’re not harmful but they love to stick together in packs and swarm. Especially near cars since the exhaust in the cars simulates the effects of the sex pheromone they give off. We have noticed that they are also attracted to light colors.


                • jerseygirl
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                    Re the wet fur, what about cutting out the longish fur that soaks up the pee? And for the “water beard” try keep it dry if he’ll allow it. Paper towel or even some cornstarch?


                  • mocha200
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                      Other websites mentioned that Blow Flies cause Fly Strike but a different article on the HRS said it can be from a ordinary house fly to any other fly species.


                    • mocha200
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                        Did you mean drying it with paper towel when its wet and then putting cornstarch on it? Is cornstarch safe? I am not sure If he would let me or not. He isn’t a fan of being picked up but one I do pick him up he sits pretty good.


                      • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                          I think fly strike (But I could be wrong) can only really happen if the skin is already broken . So I googled it (hint, don’t look at images) from wikipedia there is a specific fly that can cause strike in rabbits. It doesn’t mention others. So I think you would not only need open skin but the correct type of fly. Again I’m not 100%, maybe give the vet a call and see if just exposure to flies is enough.
                          http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myiasis
                          This is the fly they listed as causing strike in rabbits http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuterebra


                        • mocha200
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                            Fly strike can happen anywhere and anytime when the weather is warm enough to hatch fly eggs. Even the cleanest household can have a fly slip in when someone comes through the door. If that household also happens to have a rabbit with an open cut, a newly removed tooth, a messy bottom, or food gunked to him, he can become a victim of the ordinary house fly or other fly species. The more restricted a rabbit is in movement, the more likely he is to be a target.

                            This quote was from this article from the HRS: http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-3/maggots.html


                          • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                              Yeh exactly

                              open cut, a newly removed tooth, a messy bottom, or food gunked to him,

                              So I think really that the bunnies should be ok if they aren’t sick or have open sores.


                            • mocha200
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                                Yeah your probably right. I just took a look at both of their butts (which they disapproved of very much, so of coarse they had to get tons of treats and pets after wards) And mocha has some crusty fur from pee. I think I will just trim it down a little bit tomorrow. I will try not to worry but its so hard!


                              • Kokaneeandkahlua
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                                  I know how you feel! It’s so easy to worry I’m sure they are too clean for this to happen

                                  You could get some fly sticky trap things-they are like a spiral gluey thing and work well. That could catch most of the flies anyways.


                                • Bones
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                                    I would not worry to much about it. Someone told me that dryer sheets repel flies so you could try hanging up some of those around your rabbit’s area.


                                  • LittlePuffyTail
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                                      If you are really worried, you could just go to Walmart and buy a puppy trimmer (electric trimmer, Wahl makes them, they are like $10.00) to trim off any dirty fur. And, obviously, try to clean the litter boxes more often. Fly traps are a good idea too. Sticky type, like K&K mentioned or disposable traps:

                                      Just take some precautions if it will make you feel better. All those flies must be annoying to your family too. I can’t stand flies. I’m so glad all our flies are frozen now.


                                    • Monkeybun
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                                        Ick! You may want to look around the house and yard, and see if there’s any dead critter around that is spawning these flies.


                                      • Beka27
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                                          If they’re larger flies (I can’t really tell from the picture) can you try some kind of netting over the bunnies? They’re in an xpen right? I know stores have baby “Pack-n-play” netting that has elastic on it. Just a thought.


                                        • mocha200
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                                            Monkeybun: Haha! With 4 cats we ALWAYS have dead animals outside. Just two days ago I saw two dead shrews within 5 feet of each other that our cats have killed.

                                            I might end up getting some sort of sticky fly trap today if its cheap enough.

                                            Beka: Yes they are in a pen and a condo but its a 10×4 pen! That would be a lot of mesh!


                                          • buffybunlover98
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                                              i had a fly strike the past summer and I bought those sticky fly traps, and they work like a charm ! just hand em’ up on the ceiling right in front of the bunnies’ area and the trap will catch the flies easily; plus they’re super cheap, like 2 $! ( just make sure to change it every 3 days or so…)

                                              just make sure that you dry their little butts every now and then and make sure there isn’t any poopy-butt.


                                            • buffybunlover98
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                                                i had a fly strike the past summer and I bought those sticky fly traps, and they work like a charm ! just hand em’ up on the ceiling right in front of the bunnies’ area and the trap will catch the flies easily; plus they’re super cheap, like 2 $! ( just make sure to change it every 3 days or so…)

                                                just make sure that you dry their little butts every now and then and make sure there isn’t any poopy-butt.

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                                            Forum HOUSE RABBIT Q & A Fly Strike Scare! What To Do?