Subj: Re: I NEED HELP
Date: 7/19/00 0:19:22 AM EST
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Deb Rebel)
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Please forward my reply, thanks.
>She didn't know how to send it to the list so I sent it for her. Her screen
>name is [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>Subj: I NEED HELP
>Date: 7/18/00 5:53:06 PM EST
>From: Sisterbeaver
>To: Froggie1227
>
>Hi Lisa! I have been a subscriber of gerbils for a while. My name is
Rachel
>and I have 6 Gerbils. I don't know how to send this to the group as the
>return is individual. Anyway I went to NH for 2 weeks because My Mom died.
>When I returned I found 1 dead gerbil and 1 just laying jerking. He is
>covered with little red bugs. They look like microscopic beetles. Do you
>know what I can do? The rest of my gerbils, rats, hamsters,mice,guinea pigs
>are doing fine. I do see a few bugs on them to tho. Any info would be a
great
>help
>Rachel and the RaeRaeMae Rodent Clan
Go to the pet store and ask for flea and mite spray. The kind for
Hamsters and Gerbils...NOT the bird stuff. The active ingredient
list should add up to 0.66 percent; one is pyrenthins and the other
is something else starting with 'p'. One is 0.06 % strength and
the other is 0.60 % .
Clean all the cages and tubs and everything with bleach. Spray
the animals thoroughly, getting them 'wet' and rub it into their fur.
Get the back, the belly, the head (don't spray it on the head,
spray it on your hand and rub it on, etc) and the tail.
Spray the inside AND outside of the cages. And everything in
the cage. Put in fresh bedding, and give that a squirt. Then
put the sprayed animal into the cage.
Before putting the cages back where you had them, spray the
area.
Spray down the old bedding. And dispose of in a garbage
bag, seal it and spray the outside. Put it in a garbage can
with lid.
Dump your clothes into the washer, including your underwear,
and go shower. You will have some on you, and the bites
itch a LOT. Before they 'feed' they look like moving dust specks,
very hard to see. The red blobs you seen were full of blood,
if you squish one it's like a full mosquito, just smaller.
Wash your clothes with a full amount of laundry soap. On
you, use a good shampoo, and wash your body from your
hair down with the shampoo. Head and Shoulders kills
them very well.
Next day, take a white paper towel or some unscented
undyed toilet tissue and 'swaddle' one of your animals.
Wrap them up gently with head sticking out, and hold
them for a moment or two like this. Then open the
wrapping and inspect it closely and carefully for either
moving dust specks or red blobs.
Check them all this way. If you find any bugs, you have
to do the whole thing again.
Keep at it every day until y ou find no signs of the mites.
A weak or just died animal will show a LOT of them if
you have an infestation. Otherwise you might not
see them on a healthier animal.
Good luck.
One 4 oz bottle of spray will spray a LOT. Keep the bottle
upright as much as you can and it will pretty much spray
to the last drop.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
