FINCHforum

Where do these little critters come from? I have found some and have started checking all the cages. Looks like they started with a pair of Gouldian I purchased and today the nest the canary chicks where in was covered. I took out the nest all the nest in the cages and thru them out.
Whats the best way to kill them??

I don't know the best way, but I would wash down everything with bleach and water and make sure it's really dry and odor free before tranferring back the finches. The finches can be sprayed lightly with the Mite and LIce spray for Birds, but don't do the heads. Then, I'd give them all treatment with S76. I hope you can clear them all out.

Whats the best way to kill them??

You could you Pestex from Morning Bird or simular;
http://ladygouldian.com/content/mite-an ... ctly-birds
There are also a couple new sprays with natural ingredients like
Control Aviary & Cage Bug Spray
http://ladygouldian.com/node/132
and Dyna-Mite Spray
http://ladygouldian.com/node/259

Coopex is the best and safest product we have in australia-wont hurt the birds at all. If you google Coopex Iam sure you can find a similar product over there. you can even spray the nest boxes inside with it

Coopex has permethrin as an ingredient just like pestex so I'd say that would be a comparable product over here.
Thanks Kenny

Sherry, how are you doing with the Mite problem? It sounds truly awful! I hope you had luck getting rid of the little beasts. What did you end up using to get rid of them? I read you have to wash down floors and walls and take apart cages because they hide in every little crack and crevice!:shock: !

So far things are better. They seem to have been in the canary nest which has been removed and cleaned. Each time I change the pellets I spray and I spray the birds as well. Now that the Silverbills fledged that nest is gone. I have been using the new Mite and Lice spray from Lady Gouldians which kills on contact and smells wonderful.

A friend that has a very large outdoor aviary told me to use bleach in the bath water. He fills a 32 gal plastic trash can with warer then adds a 1/3 cup of bleach and gives to all his caged birds.

ranchnanny wrote:So far things are better. They seem to have been in the canary nest which has been removed and cleaned. Each time I change the pellets I spray and I spray the birds as well. Now that the Silverbills fledged that nest is gone. I have been using the new Mite and Lice spray from Lady Gouldians which kills on contact and smells wonderful.

A friend that has a very large outdoor aviary told me to use bleach in the bath water. He fills a 32 gal plastic trash can with warer then adds a 1/3 cup of bleach and gives to all his caged birds.

I use ACV everyday in my bird's bath water. They love it, aids digestion if they happen to drink some, and (knock on wood) I have never seen any mite or lice. I also treat regularly with S76.

What is ACV? I use S76 Twice a year should ai use it more often?

I'm guessing 'apple cider vinegar'. I just found this online. I think I will be doing the same. My birds seem to be scratching a lot more. Maybe I never noticed it before, but it seems like a lot to me. Maybe mites?

ranchnanny wrote:What is ACV? I use S76 Twice a year should ai use it more often?

Danielle4849 wrote:I'm guessing 'apple cider vinegar'. I just found this online. I think I will be doing the same. My birds seem to be scratching a lot more. Maybe I never noticed it before, but it seems like a lot to me. Maybe mites?

That's right. ACV stands for apple cider vinegar.

OK I have been using that ACV in bath water as well. Got things under control in the cages. Spraying every day and spraying bottom trays.

unfortunately ACV has no effect on mites. It lifts the acid level in the crop which is beneficial. S76 gets rid of any mites on the birds but will not remove them from the environment. Coopex or a related product will do this effectively