Ants and fly in food

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

So my Thumper is an outdoor bun and
Noticed that the ants and flus are around
In his food/veggies. Can this hurt him? I'm sure I'm
Not the only one that has a outdoor bun and has
This prob.


Yes, he is shaded and has "protection" from
The weather elements.

 

[Azerane]

Ants don't pose a threat save for being a nuisance when your rabbit is trying to eat, or depending on the type of ant, they may even bite your bunny. Hanging the greens up in a rack may help, or you could use one of those bowls, that has a small ring of water around it to stop ants getting in. Like this: https://www.lealean.com.au/catalog/images/ant proof bowl.jpg

As for the flies, it may be worth putting flyscreen over the wire of the cage. Flies will not only bother the food, but they may also lay eggs in his food or in his poop. If Thumper's behind is clean all the time he should be ok, but if he has a messy bum he risks getting fly strike.

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Ok, these r just regular ants. The little redish
Looking ants. There not fire ants or the big black
Ugly looking things.


I think his bum has been clean. I was holding him
Yesterday and looked ok. I didn't examine it or dig for poo
But what I could see it looked ok. There wasn't anything hanging
Or anything around or on his fur so I'm thinking he's ok! Thanks for this.
I reall appreciate it. And so does Thumps!

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Sorry, wish there was a edit button. There's not so
I have to do it this way. I looked at the bowl. And looks like
The ants would get in anyways as they would just
Crawl into it as they do now. It's the smell that is attracting them
I think and that's why they are all over in his cage. Jut where his food
And the poo is.

 

[majorv]

Interesting...our rabbits are outside and we don't have a problem with ants getting into their food...maybe they don't like our pellets :wink...ours don't get veggies. For flies we hang flystrips to help keep them under control. The flies around us are more attracted to what's under the cages than what's in the cages.

 

[Zaiya]

We get ants, but they seem to ignore the food and just use the side of the cage door as a pathway! XD Oh, and the ants like to get to the water and drink it.

We don't have much of a fly problem. Like others have suggested, maybe best to keep them out, or sticky them when they get in.

 

[Azerane]

If you wanted, you could always set ant traps a few feet outside the edge of the cage, and stop them before they get to the hutch.

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Good suggestions. THANK YOU!!!! is there ant traps that
They make that I can stick on the outside of the cage? Not sure
How I would do it otherwise. Anyways, I will get the fly sticky
Things and see what I can do with that. Hopefully the Mosquitos will
Find that as well as the flys. Thanks again.

 

[Azerane]

If you're going to stick ant traps on the outside of the cage, make sure it's on solid parts, and not on the outside of the mesh, it will amaze you what bunnies can get their teeth into. Also, if it's a poison trap, make sure if it rains that rain isn't going to run over it and into the hutch in a place that bunny has access too, wouldn't want them to get poisoned by it.

 

[NDrAbBiTs58041]

Thanks Azerane. All is good. I have the traps
On the SOLID wood on the outside and if it
Rains it's clear of the cage. Thanks for being concerned.
I elf hate for Thumper to get poisoned.