# Weird tiny flies in rabbit housing area?



## Catlyn (Oct 25, 2019)

Hey everybody! I have a suspicion that my rabbit might have caught fleas or other parasitic insects of some sorts. 
They are small, black-ish and tiny, flying around, perching on poop and sometimes, my rabbit.
If they happen to be fleas, how should I treat them? 
Please note that I don't have access to any of the supplies they sell in the USA or UK, so just general ideas would be great.


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## Augustus&HazelGrace (Oct 25, 2019)

If they are flying then they are not fleas. Can you post a picture?


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## Catlyn (Oct 25, 2019)

I am not sure if i can find one perching on something-they are very much tiny and hard to see, also i am not sure if phone can take a clear pic but i'll try.


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## Critterfan87 (Oct 25, 2019)

I'm not sure what would be likely in your area but my first two guesses would be a species of fruit fly or phorid fly. Could try looking those up and seeing if it looks similar?


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## majorv (Oct 25, 2019)

Sound like some variety of fruit fly or knat. Are your rabbits inside or outside?


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## Emma Nelson (Oct 26, 2019)

Perhaps you could use lice powder or diatomaceous earth, which we use to keep hens and their coops free of lice etc. You would need to check if they are safe for rabbits.


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## Preitler (Oct 26, 2019)

Hm, as has been said, could be fruit flies, or Sciaridae, both harmless. I wouldn't bother with chemicals or DE (which is pretty safe) if it's one of those, I would hold the big guns for now. They have a rather short reproduction cycle, so thoroughly cleaning the litter box, or any place that could get moist (like around their water, or leftover greens) every 3-4 days for some time should help.

In case of Sciaridae, the actual culbrit could be flower pots, etc., and the animals are just attracted by the litter box.


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## Catlyn (Oct 26, 2019)

Well, i couldn't get a picture of those pesky bugs. They are gone? Didn't see them around today. It seems that they are just flies, attracted to the poop, that do the decomposting and stuff, but i'm not sure. I'll look up on the different bugs mentioned in the thread and look what fits the description the best. Thanks for all the help!


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## Catlyn (Oct 26, 2019)

I looked it up and the bugs at my rabbit's place closely resemble that bug:
( found under the name of sciardiae)
He lives half outdoors, half indoors??
Anyway, in the place we store wood at. We have no potted plants or anything there, and i think that haybales are not causing any bug swarming.

So the best way to get rid of them is cleaning the poop box more often?


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## Preitler (Oct 27, 2019)

I think so, if the litter box is their breeding ground. If you get rid of their eggs and larvea before they can grow up, every 3-4 days I think, as long as there are adults around they should be decimated soon.


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## Catlyn (Oct 27, 2019)

Okay! Will do that. Thanks!


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## Ella (Oct 28, 2019)

Please be careful of Cuterebra, this is a parasite that killed our rabbit. When we were at the vet, we found that two other rabbits died within that week because of Cuterebra and both bunnies were let outdoor. Any buns that go outside are at risk of this and it's still hard to bring this word up without the sadness. If you can, do not let your bunny outside.


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## RedDiamondDawn (Oct 28, 2019)

Ella said:


> Please be careful of Cuterebra, this is a parasite that killed our rabbit. When we were at the vet, we found that two other rabbits died within that week because of Cuterebra and both bunnies were let outdoor. Any buns that go outside are at risk of this and it's still hard to bring this word up without the sadness. If you can, do not let your bunny outside.


Does it matter which state you liv in?


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## Preitler (Oct 28, 2019)

Aren't bot flies and warbles rather huge? And they don't pop up as swarms. 
Anyway, cleaning their box regularily is a prevention against those too.


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## Catlyn (Oct 30, 2019)

What exactly are cuterebra?
I cannot go otherwise than let my rabbit out daily, he is a lone rabbit and needs enrichment, which the small living space does not provide. We live in an area with little to none psrasites so i wouldn't be so extremely worried unless something is really wrong.


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## Critterfan87 (Oct 30, 2019)

Bot flies are horrible! But after a quick Google search it looks like Estonia doesn't have them? Though I could be wrong.


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## Critterfan87 (Oct 30, 2019)

Catlyn said:


> What exactly are cuterebra?
> I cannot go otherwise than let my rabbit out daily, he is a lone rabbit and needs enrichment, which the small living space does not provide. We live in an area with little to none psrasites so i wouldn't be so extremely worried unless something is really wrong.



They are larva from bot flies, they target small mammals to lay their eggs in as hosts. A species in South America will target humans as well, shudder.


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## Preitler (Oct 30, 2019)

And since those flies are the size of bumble bees they are not Catlyns problem.


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## Maki_p29 (Oct 30, 2019)

Clean the litter box often, makes sure there are no damp areas or rotten vegetables or fruits around your bunny. Also check your bunnies back, underside, near their tail and bumb to see if any larvae are there to prevent fly strike. Fly strike is common in bunnies medium to large in size since they have the most trouble reaching tho areas to clean. Fly strike can also affect bunnies of a small size if they also for some reason are unable to clean themselves properly. Better to be safe than sorry!


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## Catlyn (Oct 31, 2019)

Maki_p29 said:


> Clean the litter box often, makes sure there are no damp areas or rotten vegetables or fruits around your bunny. Also check your bunnies back, underside, near their tail and bumb to see if any larvae are there to prevent fly strike. Fly strike is common in bunnies medium to large in size since they have the most trouble reaching tho areas to clean. Fly strike can also affect bunnies of a small size if they also for some reason are unable to clean themselves properly. Better to be safe than sorry!


I am not sure how should i check his bum back and other "hazardous" areas. He lets me pick him up and fiddle with him a little but he strongly resists if i go to check his hindquarters in any way. I've tried to check him when he flops, to lay him on his back and check(though i know it is a bad idea from the get go) or when i am lifting him, even when i am grooming him. All futile. That critter is able to jump a meter high to the tree rack but is unable to hold still for butt-checkups. He even has loads of "shaggy, long-ish" hair that just won't come off when grooming or gently pulling. I have run out of ideas.


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## Ella (Nov 1, 2019)

RedDiamondDawn said:


> Does it matter which state you liv in?


I do not know if it matters by state but when I was reading up online, it seemed many owners have experienced this from multiple states...


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## Ella (Nov 1, 2019)

Location: When I researched Cuterebra/bot flies, they say it's common near farm animals, however, I do not live anywhere close to a farm so I would be careful regardless if you do choose to let your bun out. There is also a higher chance of contact (the larvae sticking to your bunny's fur, and eventually burrowing once the egg comes in contact with moisture and warm temperature ie. your bun licking her or himself clean), so I would not let them out when the grass is still wet if you do choose to let them out. I regretted letting my bunny out I wish she is still here.

Checking your bunny: You would check for lumps on your rabbit, that lump would have a hole where the parasite comes out to breathe. If you ever see something crawling out, do NOT try to pull it out as doing so will cause it to release toxic chemicals that can shock your bun and I've read that bunnies have died because of that. Before knowing about checking for lumps, I had no idea what was wrong with my bunny and she had a nose bleed so that may also be one of the symptoms...you could tell she was not well, she was a lively and happy bunny always licking you and hopping nd then she stopped eating and pooping  Take them to the vet if you find a lump like that, google probably has a better photo of how that looks like. Hopefully this doesnt happen to any bunny in the world!!!


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## Augustus&HazelGrace (Nov 1, 2019)

When I have to check the rear-end I typically grab the scruff of the neck and hold the back end and place it and its back on my stomach and do a quick check. They are in this position for about 45 seconds-1 minute. This seems the easiest way but make sure you support their back, it might be easier for you to sit down and flip him over holding the scruff in your lap to make sure you support his back. Just make sure you don't grab his ears! I always try to check everything as quickly as possible to try to stress them out the least. I know I am going to get crap for saying grab by the scruff, but this is what works for me and my rabbits don't throw themselves around when I do this, but when I do it any other way and I always ensure they don' t hurt themselves in the process and try to make it as quick and efficient as possible.


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## Catlyn (Nov 1, 2019)

Augustus&HazelGrace said:


> I know I am going to get crap for saying grab by the scruff


Really? The person we got our bun from told us specifically to grab the bun by scruff and then support his bum. It didn't work out for us as he kept wiggling and bending his back while protesting so we learned to pick him up from the scruff and extra upper bum crease of skin ( if i am spelling it right and if it makes sense) he calmed down a bit but was still fussy so i learned to just quickly place him flat on my body for support. He seemed content with that.

But does anyone have an idea why my bun loves running off into spruces? These have a teeny network-y system so maybe that's the cause?


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## Duckfarmer1 (Nov 2, 2019)

I regularly use a diluted water and white vinegar to clean hutches. Gets rid of germs and smell and bacteria. Like after we deworm. We want a safe way to clean hutches. So now I’m hooked on the vinegar water. It’s great. Gets rid of all kinds of yucks


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## Duckfarmer1 (Nov 2, 2019)

No problem with holding by the scruff. Seriously that’s what animals do in the wild. Pick them up and support the bumm. I lift on forearm and usually. Usually it works


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## Liung (Nov 2, 2019)

On scuffing: I’m not sure about rabbits but for cats, scruffing is never a good idea, and you can seriously hurt a cat by lifting it from its scruff. Only a mother cat knows how to scruff kittens without hurting them, and adult cats are so heavy that they can suffocate from hanging from their scruff! You can scruff them a bit to restrain them so you don’t get bit but it’s very frowned upon in the veterinary community. 

For my buns, I take one hand and slot my thumb and forefinger across their chest and under their armpits, and then use my other hand to scoop up their bum and then lift them up. From there , if I sit down I can have them in my lap and use my hand under their bum to curve them so I can see between their legs. If they start kicking out, flip them back over, or use the hand that’s been freed from the bum by having them rest on your legs to press down on their feet and give them something to push against. 



^someone clipping Delilah’s nails at a grooming booth. Delilah has pretty much no chill whatsoever but tolerates this rather well. As long as you let them keep their heads upright and don’t lie them down flat on their backs they seem less scared. This woman has Delilah’s front legs held together in her one hand but still has some free fingers to steady her foot. 

Flies: Sciaridae, or fungus gnats, are a problem I’ve had before in my apartment. I’m on the 9th floor so we rarely get bugs, but they came in with some potted plants. I had that under control and we only saw one or two... until one day there were like 3-4... and the next day there were 10-20... and the day after that there were HUNDREDS. Absolutely SWARMING. 



Fungus gnats like moist environments and eat decomposing material, which makes them harmless to bunnies but drives humans ABSOLUTELY BONKERS. They ignore vinegar traps that would catch fruit flies, and they are attracted to the moisture in your mouth, nose, and eyes. 

It turns out, I had a small garbage bin I used when cleaning out the litter box. And the one day, I’d been cleaning out the litter and the bag wasn’t completely full, so I didn’t want to waste it and toss it half-empty. So I put the lid on the garbage bin and left it. 

Well, the process of decomposition releases moisture, which condensed on the underside of the lid and walls of the bin. Moisture and decomposing material: perfect for fungus gnats. I originally thought they were coming from the litter boxes until I began cleaning them, opened the bin, and a CLOUD of bugs came out. 

I completely cleaned out the litter boxes, soaked them with vinegar, wiped down everything with lots more vinegar, and vacuumed up all the flies. The bin got banished outside. The next day, no more flies.


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