Feather Mites?

[Birdlove 0]

Okay, so I know just about nothing about mites and stuff that affect budgies lol, but my little 1 year old budgie has some feathers on his back that look, well, nibbled on.

Here's a picture:

 

Its not too good but on his upper back you can see (I hope) that some of his white under fluff (is that the word?) is showing.

Edited November 1, 2012 by Birdlove

[Bird Junky 0]

Hi If you lift his feathers close to his skin, if its feather mites you would see them

& their excrement in the form of little dark specks. If yes you can get bird drops to

put on him. Similar to dog flea drops....B.J.

[Birdlove 0]

okay so I caught him (which, by the way, is MUCH easier said than done -he's tame, but doesn't like to get touched anywhere other than his head). Anyway, I couldn't see any dark specks, I might try again in a couple weeks.

 

Also, do you have any info on feather mites? I'd like to know a little more about them like how quickly the damage progresses and how the mites spread ?

 

Thanks

[robyn 0]

It's hard to tell from picture. are you sure he just isn't moulting? If you look under f.a.q. you should find something on feather mites etc.

[Birdlove 0]

Alright. I caught him a couple more times, but can't find any dark specks. But his feathers look like more of the tip has been nibbled away. So if he does have feather mites how would i treat them? Do I have to sanitize his cage and all toys/perches? Or just put the medicine on my bird (and what medicine/where to get?)? Should I just take him to a vet?

 

Please give me some advice I don't what to do.

[ima.snowbird 0]

There's an excellent article in the FAQ's, complete with pictures.

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/index.php?action=artikel&cat=4&id=306&artlang=en

 

Hope that helps. Good luck!

[Birdlove 0]

Hmmmm. I definitely don't remember seeing any dark specks on his wing feathers (which are white, so I think i'd see them). I also didn't see any specks on the feathers that look nibbled (which ar on his back). Are there any other mites that could make the feathers look nibbled?

 

Another question: are feather mites and feather lice the same thing?

[Birdlove 0]

Anyone?

[hilly 0]

Hi, there is a form of fungus that can cause irregular damage to the feathers it is harmless and usually disappears after the moult but I wouldn't worry to much about it he looks quite healthy. It could also just be over zealous preening and once he goes through a moult he will be back to normal unless he does it again.

Cheers Jenny

[Birdlove 0]

Hi, there is a form of fungus that can cause irregular damage to the feathers it is harmless and usually disappears after the moult but I wouldn't worry to much about it he looks quite healthy. It could also just be over zealous preening and once he goes through a moult he will be back to normal unless he does it again.

Cheers Jenny

 

Hi hilly, I noticed the "nibbled" look right as he was finishing up a somewhat dramatic molt, and at first thouht it was just where the feathers were still growing in. But the feathers still look that way. :/

[Birdlove 0]

Alright, here's another attempt at a picture:

 

:/

 

The "nibbled feathers are on his back.

[Birdlove 0]

Any thoughts?

[**KAZ** 0]

feather mites have been known to show that same look to the feathers your bird has, BUT as your bird has white flights it would be extremely easy to see evidence of feather mites if it had them

[Birdlove 0]

Well, he's molting again! I took a picture comparing some molted "nibbled" feathers with an undamaged feather:

 

 

Does this help? All the feathers that look "nibbled" are on his back, nowhere else, and most of the feathers on his back seem affected.

[hilly 0]

It's possible that he just over preened his new feathers as they were growing, they should grow back fine unless he does it again.

The feathers are not far from his preening gland maybe the new growth was annoying him.

[Finnie 0]

Birdlove, I think it would be extremely uncommon for him to pick up feather mites if he wasn't exposed to some other bird that had them. (Chickens, maybe?)

But I agree with Hilly that it could likely be from overpreening.

 

And Kaz is right, if he did have them, you would be able to see them. But if you are worried, you could pick up some Ivermectin from Tractor Supply, and just give him a drop of it between his shoulder blades. My Tractor Supply had a 250 mL bottle for about $15.00. It's actually called Iver-on Ivermectin Pour On for Cattle.