RABBIT PARASITES

Just because our rabbits are protected from the wild does not mean they will not suffer from parasites. The parasites are contracted from the rabbits run and hutch which have been infected. Flies, mites and fleas all attack our rabbits and although they are not life threatening they can be very stressful for your rabbit to endure.

Your rabbit hutch and run must be secure to prevent contamination from carriers of parasites. There are special hutch and run covers to protect your rabbit and these covers also protect your rabbit from weather changes.
 
Flystrike

Rabbits are prone to fly attacks which are attracted to any raw excrement that may be clinging to their fur. Flies love anything warm and smelly that they can lay their eggs on. If your rabbit is not kept clean you could find the flies lay their eggs in the rabbits fur and when the maggots are hatched they feed from the rabbit's flesh and this could be fatal for the rabbit. Always check the hutch for sticky droppings or excrement stuck to the rabbit's fur or any tiny eggs or little white maggots. The maggots, if left, will eat their way through the rabbit's skin and up through the rectum. This is a nasty disease and if caught early your vet can get rid of the maggots but if you think that your rabbit could be infested with these maggots you must act quickly. If Flystrike is caught too late there is little hope of recovery so you have to be on the alert. Keep the hutch clean and well ventilated and your rabbits clean of all faeces. If you discover Flystrike, burn the bedding and clean and disinfect the hutch thoroughly.
 
  Lice

Lice attack rabbits causing the same symptoms as lice do to us. Lots of scratching is the first sign and you may see the little white lice eggs on the fur. Lice can be eliminated with special powders available from your vet or chemist.

Mange

The skin disease mange occurs mostly on the rabbit's ears but also appears on the rest of the body. If your rabbit has mange then you will probably notice patches of hair loss and scaly skin together with severe scratching. The mange mites can be seen as tiny black mites and they can be treated with a rabbit friendly insecticide powder available from your vet. Mange mites are highly contagious so keep the infected rabbit away from other rabbits and thoroughly disinfect the rabbit's hutch and run.

Mites

Mites attack rabbits by burrowing under the skin and causing bald patches of fur. The mites can live in the rabbit's bedding and on other rabbits that are around. You can use flea powders to get rid of them but all bedding must be burnt to stop the infection spreading and the hutch must be disinfected.

 

If you are looking for rabbit parasite information, the following links may also be of interest to you: See also: rabbit problems, rabbit illness, rabbit health disorders and rabbit ailments

 

Intestinal parasites

Tapeworms and pinworms can attack the rabbits intestines. If your rabbit has a hearty appetite but is loosing weight and the abdomen is swollen look for worms around the rabbit's bottom. These parasites can be treated by oral medication or injection by your vet who may also test the rabbit's droppings as well. Poor hutch conditions harbour internal parasites but your rabbit can also be infected if he is eating the grass that has been contaminated by other animals fouling there.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a fungal disease that can badly affect rabbits causing circular sores or scabs that can be seen as a ring on the skin's surface. This leaves bald patches because the fur has fallen out. Rats and mice are carriers of ringworm so ensure they are not able to get into the rabbit's hutch or run. We, and our other pets are also carriers of ringworm. Once the ringworm has been eliminated with medicines and special powders from your vet it is important to disinfect the rabbit's hutch to ensure the ringworm does not return.

 

 
 
Try searching on the Internet for "rabbit parasite information" and you will be amazed just how many pages are on offer. Try it for yourself by hitting the search button below!