It wasn't mrs. mosquito or Butzie

butzie

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Last Sun, I posted that I had gotten bitten during the night about 20 times and that I thought that I had one hungry mosquito in my bed. Monday I still was itching and miserable so I went to see my allergist. He said that they were definitely bites, he didn't know what kind and gave me a prescription for 5% cortisone and told me to take Benadryl.

Monday am I also realized that I had put on a new bedset, so I thought that I would take it off anyway.

Tues., the exterminator came and I asked him if he could spray for spiders. I told him about the bites and he said that wasn't a spider. He asked me whether the bites were around my pelvis area and my breasts. Yup. Did the guys in my house get bitten? Nope. He told me that rat mites were the culprit and they only bit women. I figured Butzie got too close to a rat and brought the mites in.

I felt much better by Wed. Thurs. I put the comforter back on the bed. Before I fell asleep, I started to itch again. Sure enough there were 6 new bites on that tuckus again. I took that comforter off, and all the sheets, too.

Fri., I went to the store that sold me the set. They were really nice and managed to have a new set delivered to me at no charge.

So, I am waiting for the new set. This one could not possibly have mites, right? I mean, what are the chances?
 
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butzie

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Originally Posted by luvmycat1

EEK, rat mites. Sounds creepy. Hope you are successful in getting rid of them.
Yup. They are still on that comforter that I returned, in a plastic bag.
 

laureen227

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found this about rat mites on the web: The bloodsucking mites that infect rats and may also infect mice are Ornithonyssus bacoti. They are the most dangerous to your pets. This one is closely related to ticks and is especially common in tropical and subtropical areas. This is the one that will feed on rodent blood, then drop off to hide in wood products, cracks, and crevices in or near the cage. O. bacoti will cause anemia, and, like the lice, it will also transmit rickettsial blood parasites. These may be seen without a microscope in the bedding or in and around the cage. This mite has a wide range of hosts that includes other rodents, and this one will attack humans. It is transmitted by direct contact with an infected animal, but also may arrive in contaminated bedding or wood products. Be careful not to buy open bags of bedding for this reason. Freezing your bedding before using may help eradicate these mites.
i'm pretty sure the bedding they're talking about is the stuff you buy for pet rats to nest in, tho.
 

jcat

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Now you've got my skin crawling! How big is your freezer? I hate to say it, but I think I'd put the replacement bedding in the freezer, or in the washer on a long cycle.
 
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butzie

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Originally Posted by laureen227

i'm pretty sure the bedding they're talking about is the stuff you buy for pet rats to nest in, tho.
Since it was in my bedding, it may mean both!

Originally Posted by jcat

Now you've got my skin crawling! How big is your freezer? I hate to say it, but I think I'd put the replacement bedding in the freezer, or in the washer on a long cycle.
I have a freezer in the garage. Good idea! I am going to freeze it. The set is dry clean only, so I think that I will do the freezer thing first.
 
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