Scabs on her butt: biting or mites?

[kalrik]

My newest guinea pig has scabs on her butt I didn't notice the other day. No one in the cage is scratching abnormally. I am afraid they are bite marks because no one else has scabs and she's 4 weeks and the other two are bossy teenagers. My dad also said they look like bite marks. I am thinking about treating them for mites, and I almost hope it is mites.

How can I find out if they are doing that? Do guinea pigs bite butts or is it usually nose and face bites? By butt I mean her lower back and rump. There are three noticeable areas that are like longer lengthwise (opposed to circular) about an 1/8th of an inch. Also, do you think she should learn to fend for herself or should I remove her?

 

[Poohbear]

They are proabally solving who is dominate. Only remove them if they start to take fur out. They may be bite marks but I think they are mites. Guinea pigs ussaly bite on the nose and the face are, but they alslo may bite on the rump. Is their any dried blood and are you positve they are not scratching a lot.

 

[kalrik]

One scab is red, the other two are white strips. Definitely all scabs though or at least dried skin (the white spots). I am going to treat them with ivermectin, just so I know once and for all that they all don't have it and no one is hiding it. I am worried about my four week old baby. Where to get ivermectin? I want the topical kind.

 

[Poohbear]

You can get it at your nearest vet or you may be able to find one at a pet store which does not selll pets. I would also try looking on www.guinealynx.com . They give useful information on where to get invermectin and how to dose. Good Luck. Queenie.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

I would go ahead and treat them for mites just in case, it won't hurt them if they don't have mites. They will all need treated 2-3 times 7-10 days apart.