# How do you know if you have mites?



## Erica08 (May 20, 2009)

There's been a bit of talk on here about mites and I'm just wondering how you know if you have a mite problem? I've never had any health issues (knock on wood) so I'm not sure what I'd even be looking for.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

To check for mites, cup your hand over the mouse's body. The warmth brings them all to the surface. You can see them moving about the mouse without doing that sometimes. Other than, just keep an eye on their general condition and coat, and preventative treatment does no harm 

Sarah xxx


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Sarahc, My Mice have not had mites but what I know of the subject is they scratch alot and can make themselves bleed keeping two mice together they groom each other which can reduce it. I would think you can see them in the bedding or on the mouse and hiding in dark corners .I had red mite on my chickens they hide under the perch and come out at night go onto the host feed then leave they make you itch like mad awfull pests red mite .I dont know the habits of mites on mice I would of thought Fleas would be more common on mice and they can go on us that concerns me more :shock: .Do you tell the same way if they have fleas?


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

Red mites are _horrible_. My stepdad and I once refelted all of the chicken houses on my grandparents farm and we got covered in the little buggers!

I've never seen fleas on a mouse, I suspect the coat is too short for them as they are a lot bigger than mites.

Sarah xxx


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Sometimes after holding an animal with mites, you will notice them on your hands.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

geordiesmice, I'm SarahY :lol:

Sarah xxx


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

fleas are uncommon on mice especially if you have no cats or dogs.They do get them though,I've caught and cracked quite a few in my nails when stewarding at shows.Mites are particularly noticable on pinkies and fluffs.If your mice, especially litters are not as robust as you would expect for no apparent reason then it's worth treating for external parasites as a precaution.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Hehe, sorry sarah y its like the spice girls here im a funny age you know I just read about your mousery Sarah y very well done but I could not keep those cockroaches they give me the creeps ewww lol.I get concerened that I might get fleas or mites in the nests and as you cant disutrb the litter that is when you might get them.Can you spray pinkies or even pups with johnsons insecticide spray as a precautionary measure?


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

Spray with Iver-On every couple of weeks and it keeps them away, as a preventative measure. That's what I do, though sometimes I forget (like now, thanks for reminding me). I've never had mites.

I don't know about Johnson's insecticide, but Iver-on (a US ivermectin spray for cattle) is safe to use on day-old pinkies. By the way, you can actually check on a litter at day 1 as long as the mice are well-tempered. I handle mine from day 1.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

just spray the mothers well with the johnsons and it will rub off on the pinks.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

as you have kept poultry,you may have some duramitex which is good for spraying the cages.


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

I could handle them apart from one litter where the mum attacks me,it hurts too lol.Duramitex is very good stuff quite potent too but I wouldnt want to have any of that floating round the house.I have all my certificates for safe use of pesticides chemicals etc so I could buy what is available. I will have to go to my local Agricultural store and see what they have because I dont think you can get iver-on here in the uk can you ?Thank you all for your advice I will do that as a prevention yes red mite is horrible if an infestation is untreated and the chickens not dusted they can die.And that is interesting to know too handling the pinies at 1 day old I just look at them .


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

I don't think you can get the brand name, but you should be able to get ivermectin spray under a different name. Or I'm sure the brands of products that others here have mentioned work, too.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

you can by it over the counter ,branded as spot on.Duramitex is also available over the counter.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BEAPHAR-Anti-Para ... 255e8cd7d2


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## geordiesmice (Oct 26, 2010)

Thanks sarah c I got the one for Hamsters , Gerbils and Mice as I have gerbils too.You know talkin about mites and fleas im scratching away here lol


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

geordiesmice said:


> Thanks sarah c I got the one for Hamsters , Gerbils and Mice as I have gerbils too.You know talkin about mites and fleas im scratching away here lol


lol.I'm scratchin my head.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

It's better to use a dropper, especially on nursing does, as the product can cause tender nips a lot of painful stinging. It's also hard to avoid it getting into eyes and nasal passages. Treating the mothers with it by dropper, and the pinkies with spray works well, though. I put the spray on a paper towel and gently roll the pinkers around a bit until they are well covered, and then I check between the toes, which are a last resort for the nasty little buggers, and swab those if necessary.

Even safer than any form of Ivermectin, De-Flea is what I use on bedding, cages, and my hands to prevent transfer to my bod and other tanks and such like, available here:

http://www.petco.com/product/12136/Natu ... Spray.aspx

and probably other places under different names or in different concentration. I have also used Sevin Powder on adult meeces, applying and brushing through thoroughly.

I agree that mite are awful. In my thirteen years I used just about anything I could think of that would work without being too bad for me or my meeces. I've used products that you hang from the ceiling or place on the top of tanks. They seemed to work OK but stink up the mousery worse that the mousies do. Putting liquid Ivermectin in drinking water is pretty handy, but hard to get the dose right for the size of the critter and amount a mousie might drink, which varies a lot from tank to tank.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

you can buy it in larger amounts and on here somewhere is a guide to diluting it for mice.I think a few members use the product for cattle.Personally I use frontline.

http://www.molevalleyfarmers.com/mvf/st ... for-cattle


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## bels10 (Sep 28, 2010)

I read this on an Australian forum and wondering if anyone else has had a problem..I'm petrified about using any sprays in case this happens to me

"I just gave the female mice from my new litters a light spray with Aristopet Mite and Mange spray. Five just died a few minutes later. Some others are not looking well. What happened? I'm absolutely devastated. Three of them were my absolute favourites - I've spent hours with all these mice, and they were so tame. They just crawled into their igloo and died. I can't stop crying. 
I can't understand it. I've used the spray once before, a couple of months ago, on the adult mice I had. I just did it as a preventative measure. There wasn't any problems.

I've checked, and there's NOTHING different at all! And these were the sweetest and tamest, and the ones I'd decided I was going to keep. OMG, I did the boys too. I'm going to check them now.
Six boys are dead, and another is in my hand, hardly breathing. I think he's dying."

Sounds like just about the worst thing that could happen to a mouse breeder


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