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My rabbit is scratching. Are tiny red bugs on the floor mites or house bugs?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Rabbit | Male | unneutered | 5 months and 12 days old

I'm worried:/. My lionhead rabbit's room seems to have tiny bugs crawling on the floor. They are very small red/brown. I check him everyday and brush him and i have never seen anything on him. He has been scratching his mane every once in a while since i've gotten him a few months ago. He doesn't have any dandruff and his skin looks healthy. Could these be mites? chiggers? or just some bugs that got into my house?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jessica Keay, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 13th, 2017

Usually if a pet is going to have an ectoparasite (parasite that lives on the pet's skin/fur), it will be on the pet itself and not out in the environment/on the floor. I would recommend getting a fine tooth comb and using it to look over your rabbit carefully. Based on the photo you provided it is possible this is a tiny baby cockroach (if you google search baby roaches you may find some similar looking bugs). Mites would be too small to see with the naked eye and lice have a different body shape. If you don't feel you can look through your rabbit's fur carefully/closely enough, a vet exam is never a bad idea!

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