Saturday 3 December 2011

Fly strike in Rabbits

Fly strike in rabbits is something which they could all catch and can become very fatal. This happens when your bunnies hutch may not be particularly 'clean' which attracts flies. They will then lay eggs in your bunnies fur (usually around their bottom) and mature into maggots and eat their flesh. With some flies, this can happen in under 24 hours and is more likely to occur in warmer months.

Some things like obesity, sticky or dirty bottom, long hair, diarrhea, unhygienic living conditions and runny eyes can make your bunny more at risk. Make sure to check all of these regularly to make sure your bunny has none. If you spot any maggots on your bunny, make sure to visit your vet as soon as possible. Your bunny can become very ill, very quickly. This does look very awful yet can be quite a common disease. read below for more useful information about fly strike in rabbits.


Symptoms - The symptoms for fly strike in rabbits are:

bunny is quiet or no energy/ enthusiasm, as well as bunny moving very uncomfortable or seems to be quite restless.


Prevention/Treatment - Make sure to check your bunny at least once a day so that you can make sure there are no signs for this illness. Make sure that you are keeping their cage/hutch clean and free of flies. make sure to scoop any waste out daily in hotter weather and if you think necessary hang up some fly strips around or in their living quarters out of 'chewing distance' for them.

If you did see any signs, make sure (as mentioned above) that you do take your little bunny to the vets immediately for the safety of them. If you did see any maggots on them, grab a pair of tweezers and pick them off of them as this will help them. This is something that is quite difficult to treat and your bunny will be on anti-biotics, but there is a high chance that they won't survive.

Here are some products which you may be interested in. If you are, click the pictures below! For the safety of your bunny, keep them for being obese, and keep their hutch clean and tidy! I hope this post helps you to have a better understanding of fly strike in rabbits.
Self Clean Litter Tray

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