My flemish giant "Thunder" miserable with mites???

by Brenda
(Berkeley Springs, WV)

Ok I'd deeply appreciate some help here - thanks in advance!!!

Thunder is 2 years old, he's been a house broken bunny since I first got him. (8 weeks old). I do let him outside in the yard like once in 6 weeks. He was spending some time on the front porch frequently in the mornings.

He's left ear is laid back much of the time, has been for a couple of months.However I had not seen anything in it. Problems really began like 3 weeks ago when I "bombed" for fleas after a friend stayed here with her cat. ( cat was contained to 1 room away from my rabbit).

Once bombing, I shampooed the carpets as well. I've been getting bit ever since! I don't see anything though, welts just pop up anytime and then shrink and resemble flea bites. (itch terribly though for days!)Now my rabbit has been constantly digging, and missing some fur on 1 hind quarter. I've found some very small white specs, black specks, and even some yellow specks on Thunder.

I put some vegetable oil on a fine tooth comb - that's how I'd found the bugs,mites??? I really don't know what to do for him.I've never gotten him used to being picked up so he throws a fit when I even try it! How can I even get him covered with oil or anything else? He's a very big rabbit.

There isn't any vet close enough to take him too either. He will not let me even touch the back of his ears as they seem real sensitive. I've managed to get some drops of mineral oil inside of his ears though. Any ideas anyone? This situation is tough all the way around since he has NEVER been kept in a cage either. I don't know what to do, and I'm so worried about him. :( I have put some childrens liquid benadryl in his water to help with the itching.

I'm constantly vaccuming and washing everything in very hot water.PLEASE HELP ASAP. By the way, I've found what looks to be like salt granules under my couch cushions AND in some dishes under my sink, along with what looks like flakes of skin in my rabbits area and through out my carpet.

THANKS SO MUCH for your input!
Brenda