megan eaton <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote
> Sorry to keep asking this question, I think I've been asking it wrong.
>How can you tell if you personally have mites? From the infested gerbil.
>And what do I do about it.
> Thanks
> Meg
> Seal Clan
The simple answer is that you always have mites.
The long answer is that mites are small arachnid creatures that live
everywhere. Most are microscopic and harmless. In general they live on
the debris and detritus that builds up all over the place. Your skin is
covered with them. Your bed, and carpets are full of house dust mites
that live on dead skin cells. Most of the fresh food you eat has mites
on it. For example, traditionally matured cheese often has cheese mites
on it.
As most of these mites are harmless and do a good job of cleaning up the
mess other larger creatures leave behind, they are not much of a
problem.
However, they can cause a range of problems. Most asthmatics who think
they are allergic to house dust, are actually allergic to house dust
mites and their faeces. It is a simple fact that we all breath a fine
dust of house dust mites and their faces every time we dust or hover in
our home.
Other problems can be a range of skin and scalp conditions classical
mange is caused by a mite that feeds on hair. Others burrow in to skin
to lay eggs, thereby causing the sot of irritation Deb mentioned. They
can cause a range of allergic reactions, and can carry other conditions
with them on their travels such as ringworm.
So the short answer, is as Deb said, if they cause you a problem you
need to sort out the mites, if you don't leave them be. On the whole
they do good and are far too numerous for you to ever get rid of all of
them.
--
Julian
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
National Gerbil Society
http://www.gerbils.co.uk/
