I think my chummlee has fur mites :(

[miss0matic]

My 2 yr old lion head started to lose his fur on his back. His skin is still flesh colored, but I noticed big large white flakes. What's wrong with him????

I have pictures but I don't know how to attach...

 

[Imbrium]

I don't know what would be causing the flaky skin... as for the fur, it could be molting or it could be mites... hard to say without a pic.

you can upload pics to photobucket and then copy/paste the image link, or you can upload them to the RO gallery... if you use the RO gallery, you need to click "reply" instead of using the quick reply box. there's a big G on the far right end of the lower menu bar - click it and it'll pull up your gallery pics so you can link to them in your post.

revolution works really well on bunnies to get rid of mites and such (you have to get it from a vet but you usually don't have to actually take the bunny in for an appointment). advantage also works. NEVER use frontline - it can kill a bunny.

 

[miss0matic]

http://s1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc377/mdefrancisco1982/Snapbucket

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

It says the album is private.


My first guess is the bunny is moulting which is natural and perfectly normal. The falkes could just be dead skin coming out with all that dead hair, or this I guess could be mites.

Where is the bunny kept? Are there any other bunnies housed with this one? Are there any other pets? If so, have any of them had mites at all all?

 

[miss0matic]

I have a younger female lion head in a cage next to him and she's fine. I have a lot of cats and dogs that show no signs of fleas or mites. I am so confused! He's never shed like this

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

Are you positive it is not a moult? Rabbits moult several times a year, sometimes more dramatic than others. When a rabbit moults, it sheds almsot its whole coat in the period of several weeks and grows in a new one. That is my guess of what is happening.



Here's a HRS (House Rabbit Society) article:
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/groom.html#Shedding

and a section from it explaining what I'm guessing is happening to your bun:


Bald spots on rabbits are quite common when they are shedding. I have one Angora rabbit for instance, that gets totally naked except for her face and feet. But, short haired rabbits can do the same thing. If these bald spots occur from shedding, they will begin to grow back within a week or two.

 

[miss0matic]

I surely hope it's a molt because I don't want thing to happen to him. I am going to attach another picture. Mind you, the picture looks a lot worse than what it really is. He has no broken skin, and it looks like some fur is growing back. He isn't itching (no more than usual) and he's eating, drinking and playing just fine. His neighbor one cage over hasn't lost her fur or anything like that.

 

[Maureen Las]

Buns do not necessarily "catch" fur mites from each other. One bun can have them while the comapnion bun is unaffected. Mites sometimes occur when the immune system of the bun is just not up to par.
I would take your bun for a vet visit. Revolution works really well for fur mites.
The pic doesn't look like a normal shed/molt.