>*What about spraying the water bottle?
Yep, spray the outside of it.
>*Do I have to spray the whole house, or just the places around the cages?
Start at the cages and don't skimp. If you generally from
your gerb cages to say, your computer or favorite chair
afterwards, spray your path and where you 'alight'.
>*I have three cages, one is infected, the other two I don't know, but they
>are all at least 2 or 3 metres apart from each other, is this an advantage?
Spray them all. One means the others are probably by now.
>*To freeze the food, this has to be done at 0 F (about -18°C?), I don't
know
>if our freezer goes that low, what is the maximum temperature that will
kill
>the mites. (Haven't seen any on the food yet)
If they get in the food you will just keep on reinfesting your
animals. About -10 C. Usually, unless your freezer is set
to keep your icecream soft, it is probably set that low.
>*I have to spray for 3 days, but we will be gone from thursday till sunday,
>is it very bad if I postpone it that long?
Spray now. Get a start. Do today, tomorrow, and right
before you leave. Check as soon as you get back for
evidence of mites, and if you find any, start over.
>*Does anyone know about mites sprays in Belgium, I will go to the petshop
as
>soon as possible.
Just look for pyrenthin(s) as the ingredient, in 0.66 percent
strength.
>*The infected cage is the one from Daedalus and Icarus, could the wound at
>the base of his tail have anything to do with the mites?
If they bit him there and he dug at it, possible.
>*I have some bites too (god, they itch!) do I have to spray meself and all
>the people and other pets (two cats) in the house?
Spray yourself while you are working on the cages. Just make
sure to dump all your clothing right into the washing machine
(underwear too) and spray your path behind you from doing
the deed to the washer.
A topical cream with benadryl and cortisone will help the itch.
Benadryl is a brand name here for an antihistamine/histamine
blocker...and the cortisone helps drop the itch.
Cats should get sprayed. People, this spray can make you
sick, so if they are finding them on themselves, they should
march straight to washer, strip, wash the clothes and go
take a shower or bath. Only use the spray on yourself while
you are doing the actual cleaning, and go wash it off after.
A good hair shampoo (I use Head and Shoulders, it's a
scalp/dandruff flake reducer) will kill them. Start at the
hair, use a lot of shampoo, and make a lot of lather to use
to wash the body.
>I'm afraid to touch any gerbil now.
Just until you get this under control.
Do stay away from other's gerbils until you know you're
clean at home. Don't handle strange gerbils until then.
>Thank you all for any help, I almost started crying when I realised what I
>was looking at. But I am going to get rid of these bugs!!
I know, I've filled a few hankies myself during one of these
rounds. Being vigiliant and zealous with spraying and
cleaning, you will win. The last time I fought the war, I found
them upstairs in my kitchen, when the rodentry is down in
the basement and across the house. I assume one took
a ride when I brought up the trash, and I didn't get it with
the spray when I sprayed the bag and my path....so I had
to end up doing an entire five bedroom two story house.
>Please help!
>Sarah
Luck.
Deb
Rebel's Rodent Ranch
