Here are two absolutely beautiful budgies that a country breeder bought over for me today, along with another 7 budgies.

 

 

One is the most stunning light violet (lilac coloured) clearwing and the other a lovely cobalt opaline normal, also a really lovely bird.

 

 

 

Just don't look too close...

 

 

 

As she has been between houses for a while, organising a new house in the metropolitan area, these birds have been looked after for her by a friend (relative?). She was quite embarrassed about their condition, which wasn't her fault. You wonder how this would go unnoticed by the sitter though.

 

 

This one is not in very good shape at all:

 

 

 

But this one is much, much worse:

 

 

 

Same budgie as the picture above, front view:

 

 

 

Unfortunately these mites don't just affect the face. These are the feet of the worst budgie:

 

 

 

The breeder wanted to put the cobalt bird down as she thought he was too badly affected (I think it is a he... can't see the cere really well ). I told her to bring them over anyway and we'd give it a go.

 

The best treatment for such a severe case is definitely a drop on ivermectin. One drop between the shoulder blades, which they got today. As the condition can be very uncomfortable I am going to try to speed up some of the healing process by also rubbing baby oil over the legs and top of feet and over the crusty areas on their faces.

 

In mild cases treatment just with baby oil can clear the condition as it suffocates the mites.

 

I will keep up the oil and also treat them again with ivermectin every two weeks. The other 7 budgies that came from the same breeder will also be treated with ivermectin at the same rate as the two badly infected birds. All wooden perches and swings that are in their holding cage will also be regularly sprayed with Avian Insect Liquidator as they can also burrow into the perches.

 

I will update this post as the treatment progresses. The cobalt bird will probably need to have his beak trimmed after the mites are cleared. At this stage he is still able to hull his seed okay.

 

 

 

For further reading we have two FAQ's that you can look at:

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...d=36&artlang=en

 

http://forums.budgiebreeders.asn.au/faqs/i...=128&artlang=en

 

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 19, 200717 yr by feathers

ACKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK, good luck with getting this cleared up. bleckkkkkkkk, that is ugly, the poor little things must be miserable!!!

This is a very educational topic for those that have yet to encounter scaley face. Good job Feathers for knowing there is a FIX for this and giving the birds a second chance

Good pictures and it is very sad that anyone would let a bird get this bad

Amazingly neither of theme seem distressed at all. I have not seen then rubbing on anything yet. So that is a good thing. There is also no sign of scaley on the leg under it's breeders ring, which is really good as that could have caused problems and it may have had to be cut off. The oil should help them be a little more comfortable when I get it tomorrow.

 

 

Feathers.

A friend of mine has 4 budgies in her aviary that she asked me to look at (like I know anything). One of them looks like it has scaly face mites. So I have bought a bottle of aristopet scaly face treatment and we are going to attempt to deal with the problem this weekend (its the only time we get to see each other).

 

Anyone had any success with this stuff. I was going to treat the infected bird and its mate even though the mate shows no signs of scaly face at least from a distance. These birds are not used to being handled so until I can get them to keep still or get hold of one I cannot tell properly.

 

We were going to seprarate these two birds until the treatment is finished. Is that the best course of action or should I just treat all 4 birds.

 

Does scaly face affect cockatiels as there are 2 in the same aviary.

 

Thanks

 

Mandy

The spot on method is quickest and easiest to use and VERY EFFECTIVE. The lotion one is okay if its a pet bird and you can handle them all the time to keep applying it. I would treat ALL birds. Dont know about tiels, but my husbands Princess Parrots had scaly face so I would assume tiels would be able to get it too ?

Hi Mandy, you are very good. Does the product say it is for scaley face specifically? My daughter's bird didn't respond to a mite spray that we got from a pet store, but that was really good for spraying the perches etc. The scaley didn't clear until I got some ivermectin from the vet. The other way to clear it is to put baby oil on the cere and legs, but just make sure that you don't block the nostrils.

 

I have treated all of the birds that I got... it doesn't do them any harm if they don't have the mites.

 

 

Feathers.

Edited June 13, 200717 yr by feathers

thats doesnt look too good. I hope you can heal them.

Good job Feathers, it’s good to have the chance to repair such horrible damage, with the Ivermectin, I think you will see change in a few days, but the oil must help release some of the caked stuff. You will feel good after they come back to health, it’s sad like someone said that something like that can get so bad, before anyone thinks of doing something, the damage is so obvious. Yes Mandy you need to treat all birds that have been in contact or housed together & also the Cockatiels. I think any type of bird can be infected by Scaly Mite, even if it’s not obvious, so all need treatment & I think the Ivermectin, though expensive is the best, as it remains active in the birds for about 21 days & clears up any eggs that hatch later. I bought some birds that I didn’t see it on & months later it emerged, I just treated with Ivermectin, I didn’t spray the cages at all & it has never came back. I think it’s recommended to retreat after 21 days, but in practice I have never had problems after one treatment. I treat all new birds that I get straight away, as it can remain undetected for months, & then you find all your flock is infected.

 

At a resent sale we had here I saw a breeder who looked like he had been in the game for years & he had beautiful parrots & Lorikeets [expensive birds] & lots of them too & I saw most of them had terrible legs affected by mites. So you wonder, maybe some just don’t know.

Edited June 13, 200717 yr by Norm

Keep us updated on how they progress please

I use the spot on ivermectin treatment and I have only ever had to apply it once to the bird. You see an amazing difference in 2 weeks.

Yes,Ivermectin,& I would put a little vasoline on as well help soften it.Will need to trim the beak as well.Those birds did`nt get like that over night.Thats weeks of neglect, maybe months.(^$#@$%)

Just looking at those photos makes me feel itchy. I'm sure the ivermectin will clear it up within a few weeks. The first FAQ you linked to was one of my birds, and it didn't take long for the ivermectin to clear her up.

:bluebudgie: That is so sad that somebody would let their birds get to this sorry state, bless you for stepping in and trying to help them! :angel1:

Interesting. I had not heard of Ivermectin being used, although it does make sense. I've always used the old "country remedy" of a 50/50 mix of Detol and Olive Oil. Works just as quickly and I always have both on hand anyway. I tend to prefer it to pet shop chemical treatments.

 

It's interesting how some individual birds seem particularly susceptible, while most others in the same aviary never contract it.

 

I'm glad you offered to treat those birds. It would have been so wrong to put them down for something so easily cured, even at that advanced stage.

 

Cheers,

KathyW.

That is the worse case of scaley mite that I have ever seen, I agree with Macka, they have had that for a long time.

Vasaline works better than baby oil.

Good luck feathers, but I'm sure with your love and attention those little birds will be as happy healthy little birdies in no time. :bluebudgie:

It's interesting how some individual birds seem particularly susceptible, while most others in the same aviary never contract it

 

When my daughter's bird went to the avian vet he said that a lot of birds have a natural immunity to Knemidicopte mites. So, as you can not tell who may, or may not, contract it I keep ivermectin on hand and every bird that makes it past my front door gets a drop on the way in. It seems a small price to pay to ensure that they don't have to go through the obvious discomfort from this condition.

 

 

Feathers.

Yes I agree Feathers, those birds that are immune to the mite will still carry it & if you don’t treat all birds that have been in contact, it will spread again to the other birds…so if one bird shows it, treat all & like Feathers & I have said we treat all birds coming into our possession, as in the early stages it can’t be seen. The oil treatment is the way to go if you have one of two birds, but for flock treatment Ivermectin is best.

These are the same birds 6 days after treatment was begun. I have put the before photo in for easy comparison.

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

 

BEFORE

 

 

They already look much better, even with the oil all over their faces.

 

 

Feathers.

Looking GOOD Feathers You must be happy with that

Feathers they are looking so much better, great job, you must be pleased with yourself.

To think that something that looks so awfull and not to mention uncomfortable and more than likely painful and itchy IS SO EASY TO TREAT.

I think all pet owners should take a lesson on simple bird aliments and treatment. It would save birds from suffering un needlessly. :rip:

Looking good feathers.Just give that beak a little trim with nail trimmers or a file with a emery board.

Great job Feathers!!!! You can see the improvement already. I can't wait to see them when they are completely better.

Yeah Great Aly, in two weeks you wont know them.