Fly Strike?

Question
Hi!
I have a 1 y/o neutered male Holland lop. I recently weighed him and he's SIX
POUNDS! 4 is normal for his breed, so he's going on a diet (I'm just cutting
pellets, he's still got unlimited timothy hay). I have noticed that he sometimes
gets poop smears on his butt (not extensive, they don't get the fur wet or get
really nasty), I guess he can't reach it too well because he's overweight so the
cecotropes (sp?) get smeared back there. My bunny lives in a two-story
indoor hutch, which I always keep very clean. I have read about fly strike, and
it seems like it happens only in bunnies that are outdoors and unclean (i give
him a little sponge bath on his butt). Can it happen to an clean indoor bunny?
Oh yeah and he doesn't have any fly strike symptoms I'm just wondering if it's
a danger for him.
Thanks!
Kara

Answer
Dear Kara,

Fly strike is much less likely in an indoor bunny, but it can happen if a fly get in and lays eggs on the stinky bunny bum.  If you bathe him daily, it's far less likely that he'll have this problem.  But if he *did* have it, you would know.  There is no mistaking the sight of maggots crawling all over your bunny's bottom.  (ARGH!  It's horrific!)

Please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

and to help with his weight loss:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html

You can read about how to keep him clean and dry safely here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/buttbath.html

Hope this helps, and that he'll be trim and fine soon.

Dana