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Post by elizabeth on Jul 17, 2013 16:00:35 GMT
Hi, I've recently been getting some help in another thread regarding my aging guinea pigs double chins however this morning I found Bessie (one of my two girl piggies) laying down covered in flies and fly eggs and she after cleaning her up and taking her to the vet she had a prolapse and subsequently had to be put down as the vet felt that it would be hard to fix and if he did then it could easily happen again, also because of the fly eggs and that we didnt know if any had got inside her. Now this was sad and tragic enough for one day! however later i found her mother, Clover, had also got fly eggs on her. She was completely fine when i took Bessie to the vet and had no eggs. I have bathed her and got the eggs off to the best of my ability and cannot see any more. However i am extremely worried i have missed some and wondered how you would make sure the eggs were gone/dead and how to prevent them being laid any more.
My guinea pigs have always lived outside and nothing like this has ever happened in six years of me owning them and now i am scared to let them back outside but it isnt practical to have them live inside.
I don't know what to do and i am very grateful for any suggestions, thank you.
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Post by Orlaith on Jul 17, 2013 18:16:40 GMT
You poor thing, that must have been so scary.
The hot weather is making flies much more common, but here are some things you can do to help:
1. Keep the cage as clean as you can. Scoop up the poops at least once a day.
2. Hang some fly strips around the cage.
3. Soak some tissues in citronella oil and put them around the cage (where the pigs can't get them). Flies don't like the smell and it repels them.
4. Keep the butt hair of any long-haired guinea pig trimmed up short.
5. Hang netting over the cage to keep flies out.
6. Check your pigs every day all over their bodies.
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Post by wiggypiggys on Jul 17, 2013 18:41:52 GMT
It must have been horrible I have had my bad run ins with flies...My cat who passed away a few years ago had a cut on her leg and was laying out side maybe half the day, I went to check on her and to my shock she was being eaten inside out of the cut and I mean there was hundreds of them in a matter of half a day and probably my worst fear are maggots and no one was home...The first thing I fault of was I got to do something, picked her up run to the bath with the big pot of salt and filled the bath and must have used half a bottle of salt in the bath. I then even though it hurt her proceeded to poor salt in the cut and so many came out...Even know I feel sick thinking about it; I kept doing it for a good hour until there was no sign of anymore and continued to do it for a week and not let her out. Later it healed and she was fine from then on and lived for 7 years more. Even the vet was impressed and took a look at it and said I done the right thing and my mum and dad was shocked I had that much knowledge ha-ha. Orlaith has given some amazing and very good options there and hanging netting over the cage will stop a lot of them for sure; I went in pets at home recently and did see "fly guard" for small animals I have never tried it but it could be worth a try if you are still worried. I hope it doesn't happen again  I know how horrible it is... |
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Post by elizabeth on Jul 17, 2013 21:39:13 GMT
Thank you both, very helpful and i will definitely be looking into doing those things to stop the flies. Ive got them inside for tonight and hopefully will be able to let them out tomorrow, however i am still very worried about eggs being laid on them, and worse them actually hatching :S
I am so glad today is over though, its been very traumatic! It does still feel like a bad dream that i need to wake up from...
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