Hi Kb70
The thing to bear in mind with ticks is that the bigger they look, the nearer they are to falling off. I wouldn’t be too worried about 4 or 5 (others might). You are right, they may lay eggs.
I’m not sure what you mean about replenishing her bedding. That sounds as if you are adding to it, in which case there could be eggs in the bedding underneath. It’s normally best not to replenish bedding (or even change bedding) but leave suitable bedding material nearby and let the hog replenish/renew, if she so wishes.
She could be tempted to nap in there in between snacking, without being too careful about potential parasites if there is bedding in there. When you are absolutely certain she is not in residence (and I don’t mean just out for the night, I mean completely vacated) then you could give the hog house a good clean out and use boiling water to kill any parasite eggs and tiny ticks. The eggs tend to get into any cracks in the joints etc. of hog house. So if she is only napping in there at night, theoretically you could clean it out properly during the day. Although, if she has been used to some bedding being in there at night, I might on this occasion, put some new bedding in. Just be aware that hay can sometimes have tick eggs in it.
If she is going to hibernate, hopefully she will make a proper hibernaculum, elsewhere, which won’t have parasite eggs in it. And hopefully the ticks on her will drop off before she goes into it.
