FINCHforum

Hi,

Late last november, my birds started showing signs of burrowing mites. The symptoms were patchy feather loss and on closer inspection, skin irritation under facial/head feathers. At first it was just the tiels and later the lovebirds as well.

I still don't know how I got them. I did take a couple of flightless birds outdoors late september when weather was very warm. I stupidly put them on a tree. Not thinking about possible exposures. Never occurred to me. Other possibility was new addition of 18 day old lovebird in early november. She was in her own warm box and not near the other birds till she was 5 weeks old. So, not likely she had them, or how birds would've got them, but who knows.

At any rate, I got them. Or rather, the birds did. The vet didn't know what it was, even though after online research it was pretty clear that's what they had. Vet seemed skeptical, but prescribed ivermectin in water for topical. It didn't quite do the trick.
So, I bought Moxidectin and after having trouble with treating 3 flighted and difficult to handle birds, I opted for the iverlux since it can be administered orally via water.
That seemed to work. It took weeks, but after 6 weeks, the mites were gone.

However, they seem to be coming back. I don't know if it's safe to treat them again. But I know it's not safe for the birds to ignore it.

I guess I need to buy more iverlux and need to find a good, inexpensive source. Can't find it anywhere around here. Got the last bottle online, but can't remember where.
Need any advice that you all have to share. I don't want my birds in misery again. They stopped singing and were quite unhappy and uncomfortable for weeks. Poor birds.
THank you,
Mocknbird2 aka, Tracie

Ivermectin and Iverlux are the same thing, so is S76.
Moxidectin is in Scatt

http://ladygouldian.com/node/228

Scaly Face Mites (top of beak and under eye) (Knemidokoptes spp.)
Treatment: Apply undiluted S76 or Scatt using a cotton bud (Q-tip) for one day each week for 6-8 weeks or until the crusty patches fall off. Be careful to avoid the eyes and mouth during application. Scaly Mites attack weak families of birds. The highest quality diet is especially important because Scaly Mites will also attack and infect nutritionally compromised birds.

Are you sure it's not feather mites?

THe ivermectin the vet gave was (as far as I know) ivermectin (powder??) in water and something they mixed and dispensed at the vet's office.

THe iverlux, as I'm sure you're aware, is a commerically prepared ivermectin in glycol?? But as were two different things, I used the terms as I did. Same med, different delivery methods, ie, water or ethylene glycol.
THe ivermectin in water didn't do the trick. Sorry if my post was unclear on that whole thing.

As for feather mites.........I don't know. The vet looked under her microscope and didn't see anything.
Guess I'll see what I can find out. It's been months since I researched it and I don't recall why I ruled out feather mites. But I will look into it again. Feather mites would be cheaper and easier to treat, if I'm not mistaken.
Would I have a problem with recurrence witht the feather mites?
Thank you for you response. I didn't know S76 was ivermectin. Good to know.

Unless you kill all the mites from every nook and cranny they will come back. If your vet checked under the microscope and said there were no feather mites I would have no reason to doubt her.
Sure hope you can get ahead of this, must be real uncomfortable for the birds.
best of luck

debbie276 wrote: Unless you kill all the mites from every nook and cranny they will come back. If your vet checked under the microscope and said there were no feather mites I would have no reason to doubt her.
Sure hope you can get ahead of this, must be real uncomfortable for the birds.
best of luck

Currently, they have no real symptoms. A couple days ago I thought my young lovebird had the beginings of reinfection, but thanfully, that doesn't seem to be the case. Still, I'm keeping a close eye on things.
I may move them to another room for the summer and then bomb the room they're in now. Or try the insect liqidator.
The birds were pretty uncomfortable for weeks. But they've been back to normal behavior and general appearance for months. Thank God! Poor little birds.