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Could my guineas have fleas or could it be the hay?

4 replies

noyouhavehadawee · 22/10/2013 19:46

I have looked at them and I cant see any thing on them, howver 2 days running now when I have gone in the pig shed I have come out with a raised lumpy bite - first I had one itchy job on my wrist then tonight I was dragging out the hay form the bag to chuck in the hutch and I felt a nip on my leg, went inside and I had 3 little raised spots up my leg so whatever caused it went up my jean leg - I did not have contact with my pigs it was literally open shed chuck in hay job done..... what should I do - anyone else had similar - I have had a bath and feel all itchy now though is probably more in my head so to speak.... fill me with your wisdom....

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guineapiglet · 23/10/2013 08:57

Hi there... Just to say guineas dont get fleas but they do get mites. Do the guibeas themsellves scratch a lot or have any patches or bites on them? Might be worth a trip to vets to get them checked over and mite treatment if needed.

It could possibly be biting insects in the hay or where hay is stored? Do you have any other pets? Have you ever had a skin reaction to the guineas?
A friends daughter reacted badly to our guineas and came up in hives and needed anti histamine. A full blown allergy.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 23/10/2013 11:10

Hmmmmmmmmmm, strange.
Sounds more like something in the hay or something flying (I've noticed clouds of swarmy mossie type flying things in the garden where the pigs live. But there's a huge weeping willow there)

My DD gets weird itchy lumps after she's handled the guineas - we have no idea if it's the pigs or the plants. There was a tree or shrub at school that gave her similar lumps. (I had to buy Lanacane for her to stop it itching)

Guinea 'visitors' tend to be contact-to-contact , but there is a hay-mite (IIRC it's actually a lice )

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KRITIQ · 24/10/2013 12:13

Ah, the weird itchy lumps, particularly on the wrists and forearms thing? I have had that before, but I think it is pig specific and maybe just some kind of reaction to their fur, skin, spit, chemistry or similar. For example, of my 8 boars over time, I have occasionally got this with DBoar 2, 4 and 6 and some guest sows I have cared for, but none of the others.

It's a slightly red patch, with whiteish bumps, itches like the dickens but only for a short while and goes away. I've never worried about it too much as it doesn't last. Don't have the problem with current boars, luckily.

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noyouhavehadawee · 24/10/2013 19:04

Kritiq that's exactly how it is - its there itches and then its gone - dd handles them far more and gets nothing - that said when I got it this week I hadn't had direct pig contact, I do suffer hayfever and have wondered if it was allergy related but the leg incident was definitely like a nip - nothing since Tuesday and been in t he shed a fair bit....