# ticks in hutch



## c&c babies (Apr 12, 2010)

My bunnies cage has alot of ticks in it i checked my bunnies for ticks, their fine and then i put them in their inside cage untill i figure out how to get all of the tickes out and prevent them from coming in does anyone have any idea of how to keep the ticks out of the cage and off of my bunnies thanks for your help!!


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## snap (Apr 12, 2010)

I'm pretty sure that if you use tick repellent/killer/etc around the cage, where animals can not reach at all, that should help.

Also, ask a vet. I think I've heard a bit about using cat tick repellent on rabbits((in smaller doses)), but obviously don't try it by yourself.


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## kirbyultra (Apr 13, 2010)

I don't know the answer to tick repellent solutions... but you are sure the ticks didn't get on the bunny? Especially around the face and neck.


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## Happi Bun (Apr 13, 2010)

Look to see if the ticks are engorged with blood. If I'm remembering correctly: Ticks will fall off once they have fed enough from their host. Also, the inside of the ears should to be checked along with any other hard to get- but accessible- places.


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## kirbyultra (Apr 13, 2010)

They might, they might not... 

Do you see or feelany pea-sized bumps on the buns? Could be a tick attached It is better to try to feel through the fur for bumps.

Happibun - good point looking into the ears... how scary


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## c&c babies (Apr 13, 2010)

i got them checked by the vet recently and i told him to check for ticks im going to try the tick treatment thing do you know if its safe to put on bunnies?


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## jcottonl02 (Apr 13, 2010)

The vet should have a safe rabbit tick/flea treatment, or should at least know of one to use, and can perhaps order it in. 
I've used mite-treatment on Benji once but I can't for the life of me remember the name, so I'm so sorry. 

Look VERY carefully for ticks. Some are SO easy to miss. They feel like slight bumps, allmosstt little scabs sometimes. Our dogs used to play in this bush in our garden that was just FULLLLL of darn ticks. My dad tore it down, so thankfully we don't have that problem anymore. Ticks live in especially dense, bushy areas, so try and keep the hutches away from areas like that.
Literally I would spend hours and hours picking perhaps THIRTY ticks off each dog, with a special tick-hook. Needless to say, we started Prac-ticking them immediately, and since then they haven't had any. But they are SO easy to miss, especially the small ones. And by god the big ones are just foul and disgusting...some the size of a piece of sweetcorn (shudders).
Check their neck, ears, armpits (if you call rabbit's underarms that LOL!), crook of the hip, feet, and any other little nooks and crannies. 

Disinfect your entire hutch. Clean with good, harsh (but obviously rabbit-safe) stuff, and leave to dry. I would then disinfect again, REALLY getting into those corners, and letting it seep everywhere.

Ticks can carry nasty infections, such as Lime Disease, and other nasty infections (not all ticks carry them though). You don't want them getting on you or your pets- they are so horrible and nasty! But don't be too worried if they do, just remove them safely (don't squeeze them or try and remove them without a tick hook- you could leave the head in there, and they could 'squirt' their nasty bacteria in).

There are two types of most common ticks in britain- I am not entirely sure about the USA, where u are. But the ones here are the Deer tick, which are quite hard, thin, with loooong legs. And the sheep tick, which are big, squishy, round with little legs near their head.

Both are utterly foul and I'm getting all itchy just talking about them lol.

One time....this is like a nightmare, and I can't believe I am trying to recall it....but before we starting Prac-ticking the dogs, Pippa jumped on me on the sofa, and when she jumped off, left the BIGGEST sheep tick on me ever..and it started scuttling up my jeans towards me. I started screaming (as you do when a tiny thing a millionth of your size is on you... :/), and eventually someone got me a tissue, and I grabbed it, squished it, threw it outside, and ran upstairs for a shower, shuddering all the way. 

Now I'm getting very....shuddery lol! So I'll end my post. I dunno how I got through lab work looking at these disgusting things.... :/


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