Yukky but needs saying. Let's talk about flystrike

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I've had (thankfully) no experience of this (my guinea pigs I had in my childhood/teens never had it)

But now I've got two adult boars (since October) so this is my first summer with them.

Are GP less likely than rabbits.
What type of fly?Is it your big fat bluebottle or any fly?

What can I do to lessen the risk? I'm planning to clean the sleeping quarters daily and use shredded paper with hay in the rack not bed.

There's a spray Rear Guard -is it safe for all furries and does it work?

Net curtains across the wire mesh.

Anything I can wash/spray the pighouse with to stop the flies in their tracks?

Or shall I give them a set of chopsticks each and make them watch that scene in Karate Kid where Mr M catches the fly? It's not like they don't have the time!

Ideas, advice, what to look for, what to treat with. <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Smile" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/build/assets/smile-iCO8d7ST.png"> TIA

I've just done a thread about this very topic!

I'm sure gps can be affected as well as rabbits - but it's perhaps less of an issue for smooth-coated ones as there isn't as much fur to trap poo? Certainly worth being vigilant though!

@ them catching flies with chopsticks!

The fly is a blowfly iirc, and I don't think you can use Rear Guard on GPs - I think it's for bunnies only (perhaps your vet may know?). GPs can get it (even sheep can!), but I think they are less likely to than rabbits.

We've never had an issue with flystrike over the years with our GPs, but net curtains (esp if they are duct-taped to the mesh so there are no holes around the edge) are a great idea, and those sticky fly strips inside the hoghouse (as long as the GPs can't reach them) may work as a belt-and-braces type thing.

DD also swears by Net-Tex fly repellant advance spray for keeping all kinds of flies away. It's meant for horses, and I wouldn't use it directly on the GPs, but it's great for spraying around doors/on the fly screen to repel the flies. DD and DH also use in on themselves to keep mozzies from biting them and it is amazing stuff.

Checking their rears twice a day should suffice though - the blowfly eggs hatch within 24 hrs, so if you see them they can be washed off with a soft brush before they hatch. However, as long as they are kept clean, the chances of GPs getting it are very slim I'd imagine.

OK face here...

At time of posting: my boys are fine. Eating, poohing ,peeing. GP1 has a broken bottom tooth but this is not inhibiting him whatsoever.
Their fur is lovely.Eyes,ears,rears good.

I bought Xeno 450 to prevent and treat common internal and external parasites of rabbits,GPs,ferrets and birds over 800g.
The box states use monthly as a preventive.Active ingrediant Ivermectin.
I used this 2 days ago.

Just got a bottle of Beaphar Fly Guard for prevention and treatment of blowfly strike on rabbits and guinea-pigs.Treat early summer, gives 3 months protection.
Active ingrediant Ivermectin.

Different to Rearguard but I can't find if I can use Rearguard on pigs. One forum had a post "If it's okay for rabbits I presume it's ok for GPs" , I'm not really willing to risk.

So basically the 2 treatments have the same active ingredients, I can't use both it would double up their dose??

I picked the Xeno 450 because the boars go out on grass and are living outside at the moment. Wanted to cover the ticks/lice/mites/roundworm risks.