HELP!! Bugs in poop????

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LolaGirl

LolaGirl

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Dec 29, 2008
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Eastlake, Ohio, USA
Ok so I went to change Lola's litter box this morning and there was white things all over it. So I looked real closely and they were moving. What are they??? Do they get worms?? Do I need to get her to the vet?? I disenfected everything really good and took everything out and washed everything really good but this has me a little grossed out. I have two dogs so I don't even want to let her out of her cage to spread whatever this is to them.

I don't see anything moving in her food and I haven't checked the hay yet

but I wonder if something is in her hay now.... ugh

HELP!!!!!!
 
Yes, they can get worms and this is probably what you are seeing.

You need to take her to the vet, along with a sample of her poo and the worm, and they should be able to give you the right wormer (for most worms this would be something with the active ingredient Fenbendazole but for bigger worms you might need something else).

I do sympathise, first time I saw them it freaked me out too. I haven't, thankfully, seen any for a long time, but the last time I did it didn't bother me, I just knew how to treat them. If you look back to my post history in around OCtober 2007 you will find my post about pinworms, and there are others who have had them too, so maybe use the search function.

Here is out link on Internal Parasites. http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=39593&forum_id=10

I'm also going to move this to the Infirmary.
 
I have just trawled through the threads on that link I gave you and it seems they can get it from contaminated food, which presumably means hay as well as grass and potentially veges grown near where wild rabbits go.
 
I have no idea what worms look like and never had the problem. My bunnies are indoors too,but a breeder told me they could get them too. A simple thing like eating hay, foods or being in contact with other animals can cause worms.

The breeder treats her rabbits twice a year with a small dab of Ivermectin in their mouths.
 
Are you sure they are worms and not small maggots? If you have any flies in your house they will find that wet area and will lay their eggs, which will then hatch into maggots. When they are small they will also look like worms. It is not until they get older and plumper that they are easy to see that they're maggots. Flies look for moist areas to lay their eggs and they will develop and hatch very quickly.

It sounds like a sick question, but did you get a picture? Were the worms IN the poo (as in part of it) or were they just mixed amongst the poo?
 
They are most likely larvae (maggots). Clean the litter daily and you shouldn't have any more unwelcome "visitors".

Pam
 
regardless, take a sample to the vet and they can look at it ans see if you bunny has worms or not. Really quick and easy. Always feel better to be safe than sorry.
 
Oh dear I never thought of maggots. They were little white crawly things. Going to clean her again tonight and check it out.
 
maggot_maggots.jpg


These are maggots. Pinworms are very thin and not as active in the droppings (often dead).

Pam
 
If they were maggots you probably won't be seeing them again tonight since you cleaned the cage so well after finding the first creepy crawlers. If you find more, than you might be dealing with a worm rather than a maggot. Maggots,however, are far more common in my experience.

Good luck...and hope you don't find anything! :)
 
When I got to work I looked up maggots and I really think thats what it was...yuck!! Tonight when I get home I'm going to exam her poops again and clean again and let you guys know. Thank you so much!!

Now let me ask you this...can the maggots get in her and cause issues?? I worry since she was sitting on them.

This is so grossing me out. lol
 
Bunnies can get what we call "fly strike"...which is when the fly puts its eggs onto the bunny. The maggots will then eat into the flesh of the rabbit. Totally gross and hard to get rid of easily if you don't find it in its early stages. Pick up your bunny and inspect her for any areas that look wet. Often fly strike areas will look wet. I'd also just comb through all her hair with your hands to see if you see any crawling on her. If you see any on her you'll obviously then know you have to treat her for that...however, it's more likely that the waste was the area they chose to live in.

Most likely the fly laid the eggs in the pile of waste because it was a nice wet environment. If you've thoroughly cleaned it, that should have gotten rid of them. It is quite common for them to pick poo piles as an area to lay their eggs, so what you saw wasn't uncommon...of course it's more common with outdoor buns just because there are more flies...but it can obviously happen inside as well.

My buns are outdoors and I put a few drops of vanilla in their drinking water. They like it, plus the flies don't like it for some reason when they excrete it.
 
It was maggots. I inspected her poop here tonight and there is nothing in it. Whew....

Thank you so much for all your help!! I am going to clean her box again though and I will check her out really good but I don't see any of them in the poop box or in the rest of her cage.
 
Great news! Congrats...ok, the maggots are gross and all...but it's the best outcome for the bunny, which is the good news. Hope you don't find anything on her.
 
Does she live in the house?

I wonder if bunnies can get tape worm?
 
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