Wool Mites in Angoras

Today, 8/4/09, was the day to treat our herd against wool mites to insure their proper health and care. Therefore, I decided to discuss a bit of what we do to care for our herd.

Since having our Angoras, we've experienced wool mites in two occasions. One of the times, one of our best doe lost part of her coat and had to be clipped. The other outbreak we had was quickly taken care of through the use of Ivomectin and some cat flea powder.

One of the symptoms of wool mites in the angoras is when you notice flaky skin resembling dandruff. There may also be some matting, too. It is important to inspect rabbits daily to insure that they are healthy. The rabbits' coat can be blown daily for few minutes to clean the out or what we like to call, "dust out". Lots of dust and/or mites/dandruff will fly out; therefore, be prepared with mouth/nostrils and eyes covered to avoid inhaling them or having itchy eyes.

If the outbreak is small and there is a bald spot, we usually sprinkle some cat flea powder and rub it lightly with our hand to cover the affected area. However, we also use Ivomectin by injecting subcutaneously into the rabbits' skin. One can use paste, too, but we've found it a bit difficult to use with rabbits.

Be aware that using the syringe will definitely sting a bit and the rabbit may be a bit jumpy. Insure the rabbit is held properly, inject quickly and don't hesitate. If the rabbit jumps and is let go, the needle might get stuck and hurt him more. The result will be a bruise and sting, that the rabbit will begin scratching and get a small scab, which is not good for the rabbit.

Summer and show seasons are good times to use the Ivomectin to avoid the infestations of wool mites.

However, it is always best to consult a veterinarian for any questions or problems with the rabbits. Some people think that it is expensive to take a rabbit to the veterinarian and, in actuality, it can be expensive, however, if one is not ready to pay for the bill then one should carefully consider if having angoras whether for pet or show is right for them.

Please note that we are not veterinarians and this is only our way of treating our rabbits to combat wool mites. We recommend one consults with veterinarian or other professionals to insure proper care of your herd.