Maggots!?

Question
Today I Was Cleaning My Rabbit Out When I Discovered All These Maggots.. I've Left My Rabbit Out Of The Cage Meanwhile, And Just Shut The Hutch, What Can I Do? My Rabbit Is Fine At The Moment But Is Anything Going To Happen To Him? Please Write Back :(

Answer
Dear Chloe,

Are the maggots on the rabbit, or just in the cage?  If they are on the rabbit, YOU MUST GET HIM TO A GOOD RABBIT VET IMMEDIATELY OR HE WILL DIE FROM THIS CONDITION, WHICH IS KNOWN AS FLY STRIKE.  Check his private area, under the tail to be sure there are no maggots anywhere.  They are most likely to attack in the moist areas on either side of the pre-puce where the bunny cannot reach well to groom them away.

Find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Dousing the maggots with full-strength Betadine can make them come out of crevices so you can carefully pick off each one.  Do not leave even ONE maggot on the rabbit!  

If the maggots are only in the cage, then the problem is inadequate hygiene:  you need to clean that cage more often so that flies are not attracted to rotting feces and urine.  No one would want to live in a cage so dirty that it attracted flies to lay their eggs!

You can hose out the cage well with the garden hose, and wipe down the affected areas with a dilute solution of vinegar and water.  Let it sit, and then rinse again, and then dry it well in the sun until it is not damp at all.  Only then should you reintroduce the bunny--if at all.  

But you have just witnessed one of the dangers of a rabbit living outdoors.  Please read this:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/outdoors.html

before you put your bunny back outside.

I hope this helps.

Dana