[Chivahn]

Not sure where they came from, as I had all of my rats checked for mites a few months ago, and I haven't touched anyone elses rats, but the babies all sprung up with mites like, overnight. If I put my hand in their cage I've got them crawling all over me. And of course if the babies have mites, then everybody has mites.

I have a friend who works for a vet clinic and can hook me up, but he has no experience with rats. What do I need to get?

EDITED: Well, you guys have told me that it's lice. I'm working on getting some Revolution.

They can't live on humans, but boy can they bite us! My rat cages are at the end of my bed and I've washed my sheets 10+ times now and I still wake up with a good 15-20 new itchy, red bites a day Help!

 

[Forensic]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Have you introduced new bedding or fabrics? They could have come from there. Most people treat mites with Revolution (the spot-on puppy/kitten medication) or Invermectin (an oral paste).

I'm not sure how young either can be given, though.

 

[Chivahn]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Nope - I've used the same 10 towels for the past few months.

Unless they crawled in on me from outside....but other than on the way to the bus and from the bus to the inside of my work, I don't go outside.

 

[Poppyseed]

Re: Argh.....mites.

If you are seeing them crawl on you, they are lice and not mites.

 

[Chivahn]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Ugh. Great. How do I get rid of those??

 

[mopydream44]

Re: Argh.....mites.

{{willies}} sorry.........

you can't catch lice from your pets or visa versa but it is possible to get mites from your ratties according to this one website. It also says that some mites can be seen without a microscope, so I wouldn't rule that out completely.

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/bugs.htm

there is the link where I gathered my information.

 

[Poppyseed]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Same as mites. Revolution works best.

From what I have heard, lice are always a billion times easier to get rid of.

 

[Stephanie]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Lice are way easy to treat but I think yours ae too young to get any meds so your best bet is to hand pick them off for a while till you can treat them with either ivermectin or revolution.

 

[renay]

Re: Argh.....mites.

the mites that can infect humans are fairly rare, and even if you were infected by a mite, it would die after a few days without being able to reproduce. Its gross, but there isn't much need for a major worry. And I'm thinking my new rescues have MITES, not lice, theres no way i'm putting them with my other two girls before getting them treated, but does anyone know how i can be SURE they have mites, they're itchy quite often and i highly doubt that all 3 are allergic to the bedding.

 

[Forensic]

Re: Argh.....mites.

They'd likely have red scabs, bald patches, etc with mites, I believe?

 

[renay]

Re: Argh.....mites.

thats what i was thinking to, but so far none :s maybe i'm being paranoid, i sure hope so because mites are parasites from **** from what i've heard.

 

[Poppyseed]

Re: Argh.....mites.

I would dose them up just to be safe rather then sorry ): I plan on doing that with any new rescues I get from anyone else other than a reliable rat rescue.

Morgan and Hobbes came with lice :/ Saw them the first day and dosed them right up (since I had it on hand)

 

[Chivahn]

Re: Argh.....mites.

They're little tiny dots that I can see moving and when I smoosh them they spew blood everywhere. Sounds like lice.

I'll see if my coworkers vettech boyfriend can hook my broke butt up with some Revolution!

 

[Stephanie]

Re: Argh.....mites.

Please check to make sure your babies are old enough for it first. I don't know the age limit also you need to look up dosage I beliece it is .1 cc of revolution on their back per pound of rat but I am just going by memory. you also have to let it dry for about five minutes before putting them anywhere. Don't let them scratch or lick untill it is dry.

 

[Chivahn]

Re: Argh.....mites.

I will. They're only 5 weeks old now - is that even going to be a measurable amount?

I have homes waiting for most of the pups but don't want to send them out on their way until this is all taken care of

 

[Chivahn]

New question - my bed seems to be full of them (that's where the ratties play right now). I'm really sick of being eaten. Washed the sheets 90808945x.

How do I get rid of them?!?

 

[twitch]

you need to wash all the laundry in hot water and bleach and replace the matress. you may be able to get a professional to come and debug the bed but i'm not sure. i know there's no way to get rid of the bugs on your own without replacing the matress though. if the professional is able to get the bugs out its going to be with lots of poisionous gases though. maybe if you bleach the bed but i would think the bugs would just burrow deeper down where the bleach can't reach though

having said all that i haven't heard of rat lice bothering with humans though... or is this about human head lice? or some other bug? i didn't think you had to do anything for your furniture for head lice but i know bed bugs are bad... those i think you would just be better off replacing the matress

 

[ratastic]

If your rats run around the house there could be lice everywhere. It could be worse and be fleas.

 

[Chivahn]

I'm assuming it's rat lice....little dots, bigger ones are red. When I smoosh them they smear blood. Not human lice - I'm a stylist, I know what that looks like.

Won't the bugs just die if I don't sleep in the bed for a while? Heh. Replacing the mattress isn't an option right now - my wallet was stolen yesterday, complete with the cash for my rent, all my credit cards, debit card, ID, & checks inside

 

[twitch]

i don't know if that will work or not. you can certainly try it. i never had a problem with rat lice in my furniture. mind you i think both times i had to deal with it was actually mites... i just know for certain buggies like bed bugs its just easier (and actually less expensive in some cases) to just replace the mattress