get ivermectin/ivomec
it is a drug not a pesticide, so it is safe for ingestion, safe for nursing/pregnant mommies
you can try using it as an spray on the environment (water bottles, food dishes, lids, cages, and litter, not directly on the gerbils) or as an oral medication, it will have some residual effects, you will have to re-spray or re-dose again in a week or two
we fought a nasty infestation since they are really overpopulated in ohio this year
we had 30 tanks, and cats
the mites are on your other animals, and you (you should limit your contact and shower/wash clothes after contact, as extreme as that is, they will be all over everything if you don't)
mite/chigger bites are very itchy and they will bite any animal for their protein needs which means they will most certainly bite you
you must be very thorough in cleaning the cages & outside the cages (shelves they are on etc.)
we used Ortho spray from the home improvement store for our walls, shelves, floor
when you get it under control, you can dunk them in cooking oil like vegetable oil and this will drown the mites that are on the gerbils (it makes them slimy looking for a few days but they eventually clean themselves up and it makes their coats nice and can even clean their systems a bit) put your other dogs/cats on advantage or frontline IMMEDIATELY!
a very light spray of frontline can also work on the gerbils but it is a pesticide and not as friendly or safe for small ones/nursing or pregnant moms
check out http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IG085 or any of the sites listed at this yahoo search for "chiggers" http://google.yahoo.com/bin/query?p=chiggers&hc=0&hs=3
for more info on the mites/chiggers you are fighting! know your enemy!
if you need any more help please email us!!!!!!!
--
ron & traci
things-that-squeak
From: "ECCOH" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 2 Oct 2001 10:39:29 -0400
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: we have mites
Hi! We are the family that adopted six of your gerbils on Labor Day Weekend. They are doing great, but are all infested with mites. We have sprayed them, cleaned their cages, sprayed the new bedding, and swept and dusted the rooms that they are in. Is there anything else we can do? Should we retreat them? It was a long process, and one of the girls was not so nice, left a nice little bite on my thumb. Also, will they bite people? and can our dog or cat get them? Any info would be helpful.
Thanks!
Andrea Lewis
