Flour mites 😫
- Thread starter Magpie
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I haven't used it before.
your cage set up looks very nice
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How’s the mite situation??
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Annoyingly they are suddenly now back again. Noticed them 2 nights ago.
Seems like there is absolutely nothing I can do about them?! He's had a bit of a stressful time recently with full enclosure clear out for the bugs then a new puppy arrived as well as renovation work on the house meaning we had to move house for a week, so I'm loathed to gut his tank out again right now. (plus I don't have the luxury of time and space right now with all the above still ongoing!) They do him no harm so will need to try to ignore them for now he's ready for a total clearout again.
The last effort was monumental. It took all day. There's literally nothing more I can do to try and be rid of them. I've no idea what they are or where they come from. Everything that's back in there was baked or frozen for over 2 weeks to be sure... other than Mr Maggie himself!
Just feels totally futile at this point.
Seems like there is absolutely nothing I can do about them?! He's had a bit of a stressful time recently with full enclosure clear out for the bugs then a new puppy arrived as well as renovation work on the house meaning we had to move house for a week, so I'm loathed to gut his tank out again right now. (plus I don't have the luxury of time and space right now with all the above still ongoing!) They do him no harm so will need to try to ignore them for now he's ready for a total clearout again.
The last effort was monumental. It took all day. There's literally nothing more I can do to try and be rid of them. I've no idea what they are or where they come from. Everything that's back in there was baked or frozen for over 2 weeks to be sure... other than Mr Maggie himself!
Just feels totally futile at this point.
Maybe the mites are on poor little Maggie? If I understood my vet correctly, hamsters themselves can be affected by mites. Especially if the immune system is running low due to stress or infection. It does seem strange after all your efforts that they keep coming back. If you can catch a few and put them in a small container and take them to your vet, maybe they will have a solution. I am very sorry, you have had enough stress and it must be devastating to keep finding these little pests.Annoyingly they are suddenly now back again. Noticed them 2 nights ago.
Seems like there is absolutely nothing I can do about them?! He's had a bit of a stressful time recently with full enclosure clear out for the bugs then a new puppy arrived as well as renovation work on the house meaning we had to move house for a week, so I'm loathed to gut his tank out again right now. (plus I don't have the luxury of time and space right now with all the above still ongoing!) They do him no harm so will need to try to ignore them for now he's ready for a total clearout again.
The last effort was monumental. It took all day. There's literally nothing more I can do to try and be rid of them. I've no idea what they are or where they come from. Everything that's back in there was baked or frozen for over 2 weeks to be sure... other than Mr Maggie himself!
Just feels totally futile at this point.
Sending a big hug and hopefully a solution to get rid of them.
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Oh no!!!! I’m battling them myself and was wondering. Maybe once the weather is drier?? I haven’t done a complete clean out yet and now I’m wondering if I should bother. Just 50% plus baking cleaning freezing vinegar etc. ugh.Annoyingly they are suddenly now back again. Noticed them 2 nights ago.
Seems like there is absolutely nothing I can do about them?! He's had a bit of a stressful time recently with full enclosure clear out for the bugs then a new puppy arrived as well as renovation work on the house meaning we had to move house for a week, so I'm loathed to gut his tank out again right now. (plus I don't have the luxury of time and space right now with all the above still ongoing!) They do him no harm so will need to try to ignore them for now he's ready for a total clearout again.
The last effort was monumental. It took all day. There's literally nothing more I can do to try and be rid of them. I've no idea what they are or where they come from. Everything that's back in there was baked or frozen for over 2 weeks to be sure... other than Mr Maggie himself!
Just feels totally futile at this point.
Sorry you’re dealing with this!! Keep us posted
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I am so sorry. That is so unfair on both you and Mr Maggie. Could you just squish them for now and hope they don't proliferate?Annoyingly they are suddenly now back again. Noticed them 2 nights ago.
Seems like there is absolutely nothing I can do about them?! He's had a bit of a stressful time recently with full enclosure clear out for the bugs then a new puppy arrived as well as renovation work on the house meaning we had to move house for a week, so I'm loathed to gut his tank out again right now. (plus I don't have the luxury of time and space right now with all the above still ongoing!) They do him no harm so will need to try to ignore them for now he's ready for a total clearout again.
The last effort was monumental. It took all day. There's literally nothing more I can do to try and be rid of them. I've no idea what they are or where they come from. Everything that's back in there was baked or frozen for over 2 weeks to be sure... other than Mr Maggie himself!
Just feels totally futile at this point.
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I am trying to think - you did a really thorough cage clean - nothing could have survived that. I am sure they don't live on hamsters. The type that do live on hamsters are invisible to the naked eye (demodex mites). These are book lice. Eggs can hatch and eggs will be invisible but that is why you did such a thorough cage clean. When I've had to do that I have never had anything hatching from the hamster themselves, but as a precaution I have sometimes, gently wiped the hamster with an almost damp cloth before putting them back in by holding them in the cloth and letting them walk from it like a tunnel - virtually dry but just a few drops of water to dampen it enough to wipe anything off. I doubt it made any difference though.
All I can think now is they are somewhere else in the house and getting to the cage. Someone else did have them in other parts of the house. Do you have any house plants in the room with damp soil maybe?
The only other thing I can think is set up a spare cage newly set up with new items and move him to that and have it in a different room. Then disinfect the current enclosure and items again but leave him in the spare cage and don't re-use the enclosure and items for a while. And see what happens. They may not re-occur in the different cage with new items. It they reoccur in the disinfected cage with the items stacked in it you'll know there's still a source from something to do with the enclosure or items.
I think you mentioned you don't have a spare cage. It could be worth just getting a second hand plaza cage - you can get them for about £30 to £40 second hand. It's also easier to carry to another room if needed.
All I can think now is they are somewhere else in the house and getting to the cage. Someone else did have them in other parts of the house. Do you have any house plants in the room with damp soil maybe?
The only other thing I can think is set up a spare cage newly set up with new items and move him to that and have it in a different room. Then disinfect the current enclosure and items again but leave him in the spare cage and don't re-use the enclosure and items for a while. And see what happens. They may not re-occur in the different cage with new items. It they reoccur in the disinfected cage with the items stacked in it you'll know there's still a source from something to do with the enclosure or items.
I think you mentioned you don't have a spare cage. It could be worth just getting a second hand plaza cage - you can get them for about £30 to £40 second hand. It's also easier to carry to another room if needed.