# Argh.....LICE! *edited! 8/25*



## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Not sure where they came from, as I had all of my rats checked for mites a few months ago, and I haven't touched anyone elses rats, but the babies all sprung up with mites like, overnight. If I put my hand in their cage I've got them crawling all over me. And of course if the babies have mites, then everybody has mites.

I have a friend who works for a vet clinic and can hook me up, but he has no experience with rats. What do I need to get?

EDITED: Well, you guys have told me that it's lice. I'm working on getting some Revolution.

They can't live on humans, but boy can they bite us! My rat cages are at the end of my bed and I've washed my sheets 10+ times now and I still wake up with a good 15-20 new itchy, red bites a day  Help!


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Have you introduced new bedding or fabrics? They could have come from there. Most people treat mites with Revolution (the spot-on puppy/kitten medication) or Invermectin (an oral paste).

I'm not sure how young either can be given, though.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Nope - I've used the same 10 towels for the past few months. 

Unless they crawled in on me from outside....but other than on the way to the bus and from the bus to the inside of my work, I don't go outside.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

If you are seeing them crawl on you, they are lice and not mites.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Ugh. Great. How do I get rid of those??


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## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

{{willies}} sorry.........

you can't catch lice from your pets or visa versa but it is possible to get mites from your ratties according to this one website. It also says that some mites can be seen without a microscope, so I wouldn't rule that out completely. 

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/bugs.htm

there is the link where I gathered my information.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Same as mites. Revolution works best.

From what I have heard, lice are always a billion times easier to get rid of.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Lice are way easy to treat but I think yours ae too young to get any meds so your best bet is to hand pick them off for a while till you can treat them with either ivermectin or revolution.


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

the mites that can infect humans are fairly rare, and even if you were infected by a mite, it would die after a few days without being able to reproduce. Its gross, but there isn't much need for a major worry. And I'm thinking my new rescues have MITES, not lice, theres no way i'm putting them with my other two girls before getting them treated, but does anyone know how i can be SURE they have mites, they're itchy quite often and i highly doubt that all 3 are allergic to the bedding.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

They'd likely have red scabs, bald patches, etc with mites, I believe?


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## renay (May 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

thats what i was thinking to, but so far none :s maybe i'm being paranoid, i sure hope so because mites are parasites from **** from what i've heard.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

I would dose them up just to be safe rather then sorry ): I plan on doing that with any new rescues I get from anyone else other than a reliable rat rescue.

Morgan and Hobbes came with lice :/ Saw them the first day and dosed them right up (since I had it on hand)


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

They're little tiny dots that I can see moving and when I smoosh them they spew blood everywhere. Sounds like lice.

I'll see if my coworkers vettech boyfriend can hook my broke butt up with some Revolution!


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

Please check to make sure your babies are old enough for it first. I don't know the age limit also you need to look up dosage I beliece it is .1 cc of revolution on their back per pound of rat but I am just going by memory. you also have to let it dry for about five minutes before putting them anywhere. Don't let them scratch or lick untill it is dry.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Argh.....mites.*

I will. They're only 5 weeks old now - is that even going to be a measurable amount? 

I have homes waiting for most of the pups but don't want to send them out on their way until this is all taken care of


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

New question - my bed seems to be full of them (that's where the ratties play right now). I'm really sick of being eaten. Washed the sheets 90808945x. 

How do I get rid of them?!?


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

you need to wash all the laundry in hot water and bleach and replace the matress. you may be able to get a professional to come and debug the bed but i'm not sure. i know there's no way to get rid of the bugs on your own without replacing the matress though. if the professional is able to get the bugs out its going to be with lots of poisionous gases though. maybe if you bleach the bed but i would think the bugs would just burrow deeper down where the bleach can't reach though

having said all that i haven't heard of rat lice bothering with humans though... or is this about human head lice? or some other bug? i didn't think you had to do anything for your furniture for head lice but i know bed bugs are bad... those i think you would just be better off replacing the matress


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## ratastic (Jul 1, 2007)

If your rats run around the house there could be lice everywhere. It could be worse and be fleas.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

I'm assuming it's rat lice....little dots, bigger ones are red. When I smoosh them they smear blood. Not human lice - I'm a stylist, I know what that looks like. 

Won't the bugs just die if I don't sleep in the bed for a while? Heh. Replacing the mattress isn't an option right now - my wallet was stolen yesterday, complete with the cash for my rent, all my credit cards, debit card, ID, & checks inside


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

i don't know if that will work or not. you can certainly try it. i never had a problem with rat lice in my furniture. mind you i think both times i had to deal with it was actually mites... i just know for certain buggies like bed bugs its just easier (and actually less expensive in some cases) to just replace the mattress


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

We'll see. I'll just crash with my roommate till I get it all figured out


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Are you sure its rat lice?

Hmmm...lice are species specific and shouldn't be "eating you".

What about bedbugs?
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef636.asp

Lice are small and cigar shaped, clearish,with a red spot in the middle once they have had a blood meal, and they move slowly like old big cars from the 70's (we used to call them "boats")


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Then it's not lice. But if it were mites I wouldn't be able to see them, right? They're little tiny dots. Like, so tiny you almost can't see them except for a few big ones that I pop and blood smears everywhere. 

They were mostly in the rat cages, and since the rats were using my bed as a playzone, they spread to my bed. Still all over the rats, but they don't seem to be itching or scabby at all. When I'd put my hand into the cage there would be a good 20-30 of them racing up my hand.


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## Sparker (Jun 17, 2007)

Oh, you poor thing. :-(


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

Honestly it sounds like something you should take them to the vet about. If there are that many and they are eating you then there is a huge problem. Maybe there is some other bug thing going on perhaps fleas or something else. Rat lice is species specific and mites you would not be able to see. I wish you the best of luck with figuring out what it is that is eating you up I couldn't imagine the discomfort.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

My rat vet is out of town till the 10th  I tried calling the emergency vet for advice but they were of no help at all. They don't seem to be eating the rats though - they're eating me and hanging out in the rat cages? I dunno. And it seems to just be the babies - I haven't found any in the big cage. Weird

I'll get it all figured out. Ratty vet fund went to pay rent last month after my roommate screwed me, and it was gonna be replenished this month but after losing about $500 in my wallet yesterday, I'm gonna have to find an alternate way of paying rent AGAIN.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

I am so sorry Chivahn I wish there was something I could do to help out.


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## Sparker (Jun 17, 2007)

What about going to another local vet, just until yours gets back?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If the rats aren't being bitten, and you are, I would say that they _aren't _from your rats at all, hence no vet.

I would say you might need to capture some of these bugs and look at them. Are your bites always happening at night?

Lice might take one bite, and that would be it, you don't taste good to them.
Mites you cannot see.
Fleas are obvious.

I think you have something else and since there's now a resurgence of bed bug infestations in North America my bet is on them. 

Have you travelled recently?

**Edited many times because I was pre-coffee :roll:


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Other than work and home, I haven't left the house really in months. 

And I looked at picturesof bedbugs online, and it looks like they are far bigger than the bugs that I'm finding. Similar, but not as big.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Looked at a couple different sites, and you're right. Bed bugs. 

Ya know, they're right about bad things coming in threes.

Friday my best friend/mentor got fired,
Saturday I lost my wallet with about $400 (incl. cards), ID, checks, and concert tickets in it, and
Sunday I find out I have bedbugs and have to throw out my bed 

The only UPSIDE is that my roommate has a big bed, maybe I can steal half of it till I get something else figured out. XD


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

I am so sorry Chivahn


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

Ack! Sorry to hear that. You know, you can get pretty decent airbeds for a really reasonable price, now... something to tide you over until you get back on your feet, maybe?


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

You can also get a cheap mattress at good will or the salvation army and don't worry all resold mattresses are reconditioned with new fabric. It is a law!


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

That's true. But I can't touch any of the money in my bank account till I somehow get a new ID :/ 

At least my couch is comfortable!


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

aaaawwww If you lived closer I would let you crash on one of my kids bunk beds!!!


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## mopydream44 (Jun 10, 2007)

i'm sorry to hear about your luck. You should check your couch because from what I've read bed bugs can hide other places as well.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Since I've been sleeping out of my room, I've quit getting bitten. I've been crashing with my roommate, and I always change and shower before I go into his room just in case


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