The existence of mites in places where birds live is a serious he alth problem that can lead our animals to death. Understanding the seriousness of the situation, especially if we have several copies, will be essential. Over time, the various species of mites have developed resistance to treatments that were once shown to be effective (pyrethrins are an example). And they usually affect rodents as well. If you wonder how to eliminate them, keep reading the following article on our site where we talk about the treatment of mites in birds
What are mites?
Belonging to the arachnid family, mites are tiny arthropods that cannot be seen with the naked eye, since it is very rare for them to measure more than a millimeter in size, although they canreach 3 centimeters.
It should be noted that, although mites usually live in mattresses, duvets, sofas or stuffed animals, among others, they also parasitize in the bodies of other animals, such as cats, dogs or, in this case,, birds. These parasites that usually live in the dust are located in the fur of our animals and feed on their blood in order to survive.
How do I know if my bird has mites?
As we mentioned in the previous section, mites develop a parasitism relationship with the body they occupy, which, in this case, is our bird. In this way, the symptoms of mites in birds are:
- Altered beak and claws.
- Weight loss and weakness.
- Respiratory problems.
- Heavy fall of feathers.
- They decrease their activity.
- Skin alteration.
Now that we have solved the question of "how do I know if my bird has mites" by seeing what its symptoms are, then we are going to see what is the treatment for mites in birds.
Bird Mite Transmission
In a poultry facility there are two main infestation vectors: rodents and other birds. There is also another secondary transmission vehicle: boxes, egg cups, sacks and other materials that come from suppliers, for example.
Consequently, it is a priority to get away from the nests of other birds (sparrows, swifts, etc.), which are attached to the place where Let's house our birds. In addition, we must also make distance or close contact with any type of rodent impossible. Finally, we will also have to check and disinfect the boxes, egg cups, baskets, sacks and all the materials coming from other poultry facilities.
The mites become in just 7 days a pest that can devastate any poultry farm, starting from a single infected specimen. The life cycle of mites is so fast that in a week they go from the egg stage to an adult specimen capable of reproducing, so the sooner we disinfect and check the space of our birds, the better.
Treatment for mites in birds
Now that we have seen how to know if my bird has mites, as well as what they are, we are going to focus on how to eliminate mites in birds. To start we will have to:
- Isolate infected birds in individual cages: if we allow he althy specimens to coexist with sick ones we will be causing all our birds to suffer an infestation by Mites.
- Extensive hygiene of the cage and the area in which they live: it is best to wash in the dishwasher at high temperatures every instruments that we use (cages and utensils) and we get rid of those impossible to clean (nests, coconut hair, wooden elements…). It will also be very important to clean the floor with bleach and ammonia, wash the curtains at high temperatures, etc. Finally, you must eliminate all the products used for hygiene.
Now, how can I get rid of the bird mite? The next step will be to get hold of products to treat our infected animals. We have already mentioned that the mites have developed resistance against products that were previously shown to be effective.
Therefore, we will have to know what type of mite is on the body of our bird.
- Red mites: If you're wondering how to get rid of chicken mites, here's the answer. In this case, the treatment is usually quite exhaustive and is based on antiparasitic drugs, such as ivermectin.
- Mites that feed on scales: we can also talk about mites that feed on bird feathers, so how eliminating pigeon mites, for example, will be easy with pipettes.
- Air sac mites: This treatment will last more days, but can also be done with pipettes.
In this case the advice from our veterinarian will be absolutely essential, as they will know the characteristics of the mites in the area and will know of the best products. Let's not also forget that the specialist is the only person capable of diagnosing that it really is mites. An inadequate treatment may not solve a mite infestation in our birds.
To finish this whole process we must keep the birds isolated in treatment for about 40 daysuntil we are sure of its correct evolution. It should be noted that this process should also help us to know how to remove corucos from birds.
Prevention of mites in birds
Now that we know how to combat mites in canaries, for example, we will also need to know how to prevent them. One thing to know is that mites hide during the night in cracks, crevices, and various other places. During the day they leave their hiding places to colonize their victims and suck their blood, thereby weakening them and even infecting them with serious diseases.
It is obvious that maximum hygiene of the animal's habitat will reduce the presence of mites. Therefore, if the installation is metallic, it will offer much fewer fissures and holes where mites proliferate. Wooden installations are very problematic to maintain. It is essential to daily cleaning of the faeces of the birds.
Once we have a guarantee that our birds are free of parasites and in a disinfected environment, we can take some preventive measures:
- Silica dust: since it dehydrates the mites. Scattering it in the most remote places will reduce the danger of them appearing again.
- Cardboard traps impregnated with acaricides: during the night the mites will take refuge and die on contact with the acaricide.
On the other hand, feed with acaricidal additives has so far proved ineffective.
