# First Mite problem



## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

hello fellow hedgie lovers.

I have had my hedgehog for about 6 weeks now and found some mites on him last night. I had heard him scratching before this, but never saw anything so thought it was just dry skin and gave him a bath....I seemed to have been mistaken. Sniffles (my hedgie) does not seem too bothered by them... so hopefully I have caught them early. I saw them on his ears and face. He hasn't seem to have lost any quills either.

SO.. I did some looking last night and it looks like these should be treated much how you would treat fleas on cats and dogs. I have had cats and dogs... and we never went to the vet for the fleas... and I am hoping that is the case here as well.

I bought some Zodiac Spot on Flea Control for cats and kittens....is this safe to use on my hedgie?? And if so... I would think that I wouldn't have to use the whole tube per treatment... am I right in that assumption? This stiuff is safe for kittens after 12 weeks.. and my hedgie is almost 14 weeks so I figured that would be ok.

I have also heard that a bath with oil in it can be effective as well... is this true?

My thinking is that I would give him a bath with the oil and then apply some of the flea control. Please help... i want to get rid of these bugs! lol Oh... I gave the cage a good clean last night... and will do it again tonight to get rid of any that may be trying to hide.

Thanks for all your help... I hope I have given sufficient info. 

Thanks again!


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

I believe you will have to go to the vet for mites...You have to use kitten Revolution to get rid of them (this is the safest means of doing so) and it is only available by prescription.


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## hedgieluver (Feb 18, 2009)

i only have 1 thing i can say: 
_*sniffles is adorable   !!!!!! *_

P.S srry i can thelp wit mite prob :roll:


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

Thank you!! I completely agree with you! LOL

Oh... and I would also like to say that the major reason I am trying to deal with this mite problem without going to the vet is $$$.... the less I have to spend the better.


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## shetland (Sep 2, 2008)

Sniffles is an angel! Hedgies are such small animals that medications are easily quite toxic to them. It is therefore very important for a vet visit in order to check Sniffle's skin and prescribe the proper medication. If it is mites it will be Revolution as has been said.


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

ok.. so until I can get him there... would the oil bath help?

or is there anything else I can to that would help?

Even though he doesn't seem too bothered... i definitely do not want things getting worse. I have removed his litter for now... i don't want them breeding... His little is cardboard box based so I would be very surprised if it is harbouring mites.


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

you have to come up with the money somehow....it is a must that he get to the vet to get rid of the mites before they start causing hair and quill loss...


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

just waiting for payday

i am now most interested in stopping it all from getting worse...while i wait for payday. i see that the vet visit is very important.... i just can't run out tomorrow to the vet...


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

some vets, like ours, will let you post date a check until you get paid...have you tried calling the vet to see if arrangements can be made? as far as i know the only way to stop them from getting worse is treatment


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

i will do that tomorrow

so there is nothing that i can do for him now to help relieve him and maybe get rid of some?


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

i have heard that you can give an oatmeal bath to help relieve the itching...but the little buggers are going to keep multiplying until you get him some revolution


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

well... i cleaned the cage again and am washing his blankets. I have taken away his litter and will shred some newspaper for litter as well as for in his igloo. I just want to do all i can to keep it from going from where it is now to a full blown huge out of control matter. 

I will get to the vet as soon as I can.


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## dorasdaddy (Dec 23, 2008)

The thing is, those things are not the source...He is now the source of the mites and until they are treated then they are going to continue to infest.


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

i understand that they are not the source...and if i could go out right now at 10 pm and get something to help then i would...
but i can't

if I could take off work tomorrow and go to the vet i would... but i can't.

so you can see why i wanted other ways thay may help... and if i could have done it without the vet then that would have been great... but i am more than willing to get what i need from the vet.

i am just looking for a way i can help him now until i can get the proper things that he needs.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

I'm sorry to say but there reallly aren't any home remedies for mites. Oatmeal baths with help keep him more comfortable but won't control the mites. Some vets will sell revolution without seeing the hedgie, I know in Alberta Canada you can buy revolution from the vet without a prescription or actually seeing the vet. Try phoning a vet tomorrow and see if that's possible in your area. That's about all you can do till you are able to get some.


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

thanks. 

I found a vet that will take hedgies and I will contact them tomorrow.


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## zoologist (Sep 2, 2008)

as a very last resort you could try bathing your hedgehog in olive oil. it will smother the mites and kill them. the only problem is that you can't bathe your hedgehog's face, so all of the mites tend to gather there  plus it's really messy!

good call putting your hedgie on paper. make sure to change it daily, it will cut down on any mites trying to hide in the bedding!


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

make sure to thoroughly clean the cage again after he is treated with medicine before you put him back in it so that you know the cage is clean and the only mites left are on him and dying.


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

zoologist said:


> bathing your hedgehog in olive oil


you know... I had read that and I did it not too long ago. The poor guy is still not sure about baths so he got scared and put his face underwater for a sec to go into a ball... only to realise that there was water... lol

So... I did notice that helped... but I still saw some a while after. At least it will help kill a good chunk of them (hopefully) until I get what Sniffles needs

I'll leave the oil on till tomorrow night and see if that helps.

It will help not only the mite problem... but any dry skin issues too


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## sarahbella (Mar 6, 2009)

After the oil bath I have yet to see a bug... but still... Sniffles and I are making a trip on the bus and then the streetcar to the vet today.


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## azyrios (Feb 2, 2009)

good luck on your adventure!


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