Hello everyone,
This appears to be the ongoing saga of baby Percy...! He's been with us three weeks now, and as he was a terribly timid little guy, I left him to settle into his detolf for a fortnight before starting hand taming this last week. He's doing very well! (Still weeing in his bed but one thing at a time...
Thing is, I'm so upset as I am super obsessive about freezing everything for a few days before it goes in his house. I always have been! The bedding, the food, the food from his breeder, his toys, his new rodipet house - the lot. Forage mix, treats: everything. My little Mimi got mites when she was old and again I was flummoxed because I froze all her food and bedding. I know they can proliferate when they have reduced immunity or stress?
With Percy, I even plasticote-ed the corners of his new wooden house to stop anything living in the gaps... but last night I spotted a few mites!
About 10, I'd say... teeny tiny moving specs. Percy was scratching a bit too but his coat looks fine. I can only see them because I was scrutinising his lid under bright light as I used to for Mimi. I was so gutted.
Thing is... What should I do? I clean Percy's bedding out every few days as he's weeing on it but he's a) spending loads of time in his house because he's still new and shy and b) he's not yet hand tamed and a trip to the vet now when he's just settling in might traumatise him further!? I cleaned out the whole section of his house and bedding and surroundings last night - though again, I'm wary of stressing him by doing this and hence making him more susceptible to mites!?
I can only assume he came to me with a mite or two already on him because honestly I can't think how any eggs / larvae would've survived their freezer stint! I'm actually pretty annoyed as it's made him a bit scratchy, it'll put back taming and I had to throw out nearly a half bag of hemp bedding which is not cheap... After all the efforts to keep him mite free.
I know hams may have mites on them in normal circumstances and a few may be 'allowed' - but my first thought was to do a full clean out... but then as he's so new I don't want to stress him! What do you all recommend?
Thanks,
Percy's very annoyed Mummy!