A problem with mites.

[sabarika]

I went to a convention for 7-8 days a few weeks ago and left my boyfriend in charge of my two gerbils (Adolf + Fox). Unfortunately, as many good intentions as he had, he didn't watch them well enough (aside from food/water and checking those stats) while I was away and now I have a GIANT problem.

Mites.

I'm going to guess that they came in the cage (it was a big wire thing, only solid forms were shelterhuts and a litter tray) from the open patio door that the cage was next to. I can't imagine how else because we keep our apartment (and dog) clean. We always wash hands before and after handling. So I blame his negligence because when I came in from this convention I immediately noticed an INFESTATION of small red/black mites on my gerbils.
I called a vet and they recommended a flea/tick spray for small animals which "may help treat the mites." I bought it and also purchased a 20gal long tank (which I was SUPPOSED to have by the time I got back but my friend forgot it) and put in food, water, and lined the top of it with the spray so the mites didn't crawl out. I put the two gerbils in there and sprayed them daily (even twice daily) with the spray and saw the mites crawling in the tank (so it was also cleaned daily). It was really nasty, but they seemed to go away after a week or so of the daily spraybaths (much to the gerb's dismay!). I cleaned the cage thoroughly with hot water, again lined the rim with the spray just in case, and put bedding and set it up for them now that I saw no mites upon inspection of the gerbils.

All seemed fine, didn't notice any, until my boy and I decided that since the old cage had sat for over 2 weeks all the mites remaining must be dead so he took out 2 or 3 of the old toys and didn't wash them (eek! mistake!) and put it in the new tank.
Wouldn't you know it but the mites are back. We saw them crawling on a tissue in the tank so now I'm doing more daily sprays and emptying the tank AGAIN to run the habitrail through the dishwasher and hand-wash in boiling hot water the wooden toys. This is so frustrating--- we haven't seen the mites ON the gerbils but we did see them in the tank..

Is there anything else I can do to make ABSOLUTELY sure the mites are gone and stay away? I moved the cage to the other end of the room and we've closed the door for good (too humid, bought more fans), washed the dog, thrown out the remaining bedding and replaced it with sand (reptile sand OK?) in small amounts... I just don't want the mites spreading to our new gerbils (two females across the room, adorable). The flea and tick spray WORKS but I want to make sure those darn things DIE already!

[Ritzie/Admin]

For parasitic mites you can get medicines by your vet and the better pet shops, as you have purchased. Read always the instruction for use carefully. Most of the times you need to bath the gerbil with the medicine, like you did. Wipe them always dry afterwards, because otherwise they can get a cold, and bring them in a warm environment (at least 25 °C). For non-parasitic mites the best way is to immerse all your materials, inclusive the nesting box, branches, etc., in hot chlorine water (bleaching agent dissolved in hot water) for minimal 5 minutes. Give them also other new food, because that is most of the times the cause. Be careful with plastic tanks, because they can get dull by chlorine. And check also the bedding material, hay, etc. Just everything that is used for your gerbils!

Also combating blood lice/ bird lice is very well possible. In pet shops you will be able to find enough medicines against blood lice. Read the instructions for use always very good! Always check if the medicine will be suitable for gerbils and what the dose need to be. With blood lice you need to repeat the treatment twice or three times. This has to be done each time after 6 days, because the live cycle of blood lice is 7 days.

[zouave]

>> Is there anything else I can do to make ABSOLUTELY sure the mites are gone and stay away <<

Ha! I have been battling them from over two years. They come and they go. They always bseem to be hanging about LURKING. See the thread I just started on this.

BTW, I freeze or BAKE all wooden toys, and freeze everything that can't be baked. And always get bleach in the hiding places of the tank especially the rims on the outside. And expect mites lurking in nearby upholstery.

See, again, the five options I just posted, and give me comments, please.

Mites. How I HATE them.

[meganb52]

Hey Sabarika, haven't seen you around in a while. Sorry to hear of your problem. Mites are a pain in the butt to get rid of. Your best option in my opinion is to dose them with Ivermectin (Ivomec) orally either in their water or by administering the medication directly into their mouths. You will also need to be very good about hygiene as well. What is the active ingredient in the spray they gave you at the vet? Remember, pesticides can be dangerous to small mammals if they are used too much around them. I gave some better instructions to someone else with mite problems a few days ago. Here's a link to the thread: www.gerbilforum.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=health&action=display&thread=1122594369
Let me know if you have questions about how to treat your gerbils. You should be able to talk to your vet and get some Ivermectin to treat them with. I'd say you'd want to do it for at least 2-3 weeks with daily cage cleanings. Good luck!!

-Megan