I have one or two birds, one is a breeding cage and one in the aviary, who seem to have been rubbing their heads against a perch and have removed feathers around their ears, often leaving the rubbed skin underneath a bit red.

 

The boy in the breeding cage has stopped this since I removed the nestbox remarkably. Here are some shots from today.

 

 

The boy in the aviary is not as bad, but still....

 

I thought I might to a spot of Ivermectin on Saturday, just in case.

 

Any thoughts on possible causes? Environment, infection, just a crazy bird?

I think you're doing the right thing with the ivomectin, :thankyou:

 

I always take rubbing as a sign of mites or lice and treat with a suitable product first, if it persists you could explore other alternatives.

I think you're doing the right thing with the ivomectin, :thankyou:

 

I always take rubbing as a sign of mites or lice and treat with a suitable product first, if it persists you could explore other alternatives.

 

Since it is only one bird per location, I find it strange, especially since the one in the photos has stopped now the nestbox is gone.

I wonder if it was a type of anxiety coming through Dave?

He has an ear infection. I can see the wet matted feathers and yellow crust in the photos

 

Get some ionic silver and put one drop directly in the ear three times a day until the swelling has gone down and keep him in the hospital cage with heat for the treatment.

 

I had a cock have one in May. Was nasty but cleared up quickly with treatment and he is 100% now and breeding perfectly ... will post the pics.

Edited September 17, 200915 yr by **Liv**

Where do I get ionic silver?

 

Does it have any other name?

also check the nestbox and cock for signs of red mite. Red mite love ear canals, and you will see signs of them in nestbox crevices and the slots on perches etc. Looks like pepper. White cloth over the cage at night and check it in the morning.

Ionic silver is purchased from health food stores as alternative medicine.

 

here is my boy. I caught him up because i thought he had a bleed on the side of his head from a fight, but when i caught him it wasnt blood, but fluid and yellow crust. The ear was badly swollen and (even though he was brave in the flight) he was in so much pain he would lay on the bottom of they hospital cage with his infected hear to the floor :thankyou:

 

Day 1 nasty swollen painful infection (ouch )

 

Day 2 swelling lessens pain goes and wetness dries up significantly

 

Day 3 almost completely gone

 

1 drop of ionic silver (colloidal silver) directly into the ear three times a day until infection clears then pro biotic for 5 days and all should be well.

Edited September 17, 200915 yr by **Liv**

My goodness Liv......poor poor fellow....can't imagine what pain he was in, for him to lie on the floor of his cage... :thankyou:

aww hope it all clears up for you and then the birds can go on as normal also what causes ear infections?

Ear infection can be caused by viral or bacterial infection. An isolated infection is most likely bacterial from a object penetrating the ear, dirt, seed, feather, mites etc and causing irritation to the ear and eventually an infection. Viral infection is more likely when there is more than one case, but also can be bacterial from something such as a mite infestation.

 

The ionic silver will treat both bacterial and viral ear infections very effectively.

Edited September 18, 200915 yr by **Liv**

Got an update on your birds Dave? Are they okay?

School had been busy - tough being a teacher - hours are not 9-3 like people think - and being in charge of a year - I am Year 7 Coordinator is time consuming (Although i secretly love it - don't tell anyone!!!). This means that I am only heading to the shops this morning to get the ionic silver. We will see how it goes over the weekend and I will give you updates.