# Mites on parrotlet. Any advice and experience on treatment and symptoms please?thanks



## BlackRose

I discovered tiny fast crawling White mites on my parrotlets cage. Very tiny, but not so tiny as to not see them at all, as her cage is white and I could still see them very clearly. Obviously had to be up close and I just happened to notice. Only ever two at a time in different parts of her cage just crawling on the bars. 
I just noticed one on her feathers for the first time and it just crawled into her feathers and I havnt seen it since or any others. 

Looking on the net I read pet birds inside can have these tiny White mites, as well as other types and lice too. Im pretty sure these are lice.

I researched a bit before taking her to the vet to see what I'm getting into here and what to expect and it says to cover the cage with a White cover snd see if there's any red marks on it in the morning which would be the parrots blood I suppose.
She has a white cover anyway each night, as well as a White cage and some white on her toys, and ive never seen anything.
She has been having trouble moutling, and also lost her tail feathers which grew bcd fully in a little under two weeks. Now she has been having grey fluffy patches on her chest and today it has resulted in what looks like may be a little balding patch. I know she's been preening herself there more and her feathers everywhere else are frayed all around the edges as well as having stress bars.
She seems to be vibrating a little too now and then nd twitching a lot. Maybe a bit mire irritated quick to nip.

I will take her to the vet but I am very wary about the treatment. What kind of treatment is usually used for mites in parrotlets? I'm assuming it will be a much smaller dose than a larger bird?
I don't want to give her something that will do more harm than good, or worse. I only say this as when it comes to mites vets seem to be prescribing the wrong drugs or doses with different types of animals..including hedgehogs which could be harmful or fatal. Just from all the stories I read, especially with invermetin or whatever it's called. I don't want anything to happen to her. 

She's getting a new cage anyway so once she's treated she can move into hr new cage and I can sort her old one out. Thanks.


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## Spot

How about trying something like this:

Johnsons Anti-Mite Extra Pump Spray and Bird Mite Spray

It's not Ivermectin based, but based on fenugreek and garlic.


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## Arcadiajohn

yep I use the same as above and have done from the 80s.

it is remarkably similar to some very expensive snake mite treatments if you read whats in it.

I has always done the job for me. Birds do get mites! they can blow in from wild birds on the air and travel with seed and toys and alike. The trick is to have a maintanence pattern of treatment. maybe a short spay once a month to keep things in check.

But remeber to remove and livefoods or pet inverts from the area for a few days!! Im also not sure of its saftey to Amphibs either.

good luck!

John


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## BlackRose

Thank you. Do I just spray it on her back the same time each month? And it'll kill anything off on the rest of her body then? If she ingest or breathes in any of it is it ok? She doesn't like being sprayed with water, let alone anything else. I'm worried she will turn and it'll get in her face.
Is there a dosage? Cos she's so small and I think she's a runt too but I got no idea what she weighs. 
I think I read they do another spray for small birds and budgies etc?

This stuff contains Permethrin for lasting protection, it says. That's toxic to cats but is that just if they ingest it/it's used on them or is it something that will be toxic to breathe in and itl hang around a while seeing as it's long lasting?
Seeing as the inverts can't be in the same room as her does that mean I should keep the parrotlet out the same room as the cats and for how long? Shes always gonna have that stuff on her if she's being sprayed once a month or so. She usually spends all day in the living room with us and the cats who go right up to the cage and she goes to the bedroom at night then in the same room ae the inverts and rats. Do I need to move the rats and my leopard gecko out too?

Obviously I won't spray her in the same room as anyone else but dunno how long it's ok before I let anyone else in the room or if the permethrin settles on anything?

The mites vie mainly seen on her actual cage and I dint wanna spray that, so once treated can she just to straight into her brand new cage?

Sorry for all the questions and I hope you see what I mean.I just wanna make sure mainly that my cats will be ok with the permethrin and what to do with the parrotlet and the room(s) that's been sprayed in with the cats. I had the same problem when I was going to use some bug killer cleaning stuff with the same ingredients in it.


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## Arcadiajohn

Hi,

Yes keep it well away from inverts.

You do need to cover the bird and its cage and anything around the cage like carpets and curtains. (follow colour fast advice first)!

I just puff a few sprays into the cage where the bird is sitting, i certainly dont aim it at its face but it doesnt really matter. it needs to get all over the bird. Then you repeat this every few days for a month or so to kill the mites at all stages of devleopment and as they hatch, just like iwth snake mite. Then you move to a maintainence dose.

I have used it for years and never had any issues

John


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## BlackRose

Thanks. How do I go about protecting my rats and cats from it? I read the Permethrin stays airborn for a long time before settling. I wasn't sure if I should move the rats or my leopard gecko out as well as my inverts for a month while she's being treated?
My cats don't go in there anyway unless they rush in and we gotta go hunting for them to get them out, but will they be able to breathe it in/smell it under the door?
Will I still be able to bring my parrotlet into the same room as my cats all day with me?

I know some people have good results and feedback about products, but there have been so many devastating stories about treating your pets, especially birds, with over the counter treatments, that I do feel uneasy.
Other than that the vet would probably prescribe something like ivermectin and I'm not sure if there's problems or fatalities associated between that and little birds or if it's toxic to breathe in for other animals.


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## Arcadiajohn

you wont have problems with the leo, only that if residue remians it may kill livefoods!

ive only ever used antimite, even on my reptiles when i have had need. I just dont have experiance of anything else. Ive never had issues with it at all.

For a better idea thinking about it why not call Rob harvey at rob harvey specilist feeds. He is a bird online retailer, one of the biggest. He will help you I'm sure!

John,


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## BlackRose

Thank you, I will

Have you had any problems getting your parrotlets to the vets before? In case I need to take her, I'm worried about what to put her in, how to get her in there and how she will react being at the vets with all new people and loud noises. She gets stressed very easily and doesn't like being held still...only let's me hold her on my finger/arm or occasionally cuddled close to my chest if she's sleepy. She won't let anyone hold her either...if my husband wants to hold her then he gets bitten a lot first and she can't wait to get back to me normally. 
I don't know how she will react to someone else holding her and if she might freak out and fly around the room, bumping into things cos she's not familiar with it. 
My vets often have people opening the doors from the back into the consultation room whenever I'm there with my animals being seen to and she tends to fly towards open doors.


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## martyb

BlackRose said:


> Thank you, I will
> 
> Have you had any problems getting your parrotlets to the vets before? In case I need to take her, I'm worried about what to put her in, how to get her in there and how she will react being at the vets with all new people and loud noises. She gets stressed very easily and doesn't like being held still...only let's me hold her on my finger/arm or occasionally cuddled close to my chest if she's sleepy. She won't let anyone hold her either...if my husband wants to hold her then he gets bitten a lot first and she can't wait to get back to me normally.
> I don't know how she will react to someone else holding her and if she might freak out and fly around the room, bumping into things cos she's not familiar with it.
> My vets often have people opening the doors from the back into the consultation room whenever I'm there with my animals being seen to and she tends to fly towards open doors.


Stop fretting, there is no need to use a vet to treat mites, just go and get some mite spray and that will sort the problem out.


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## Arcadiajohn

Taking a bird to a vet is indeed stressful for the bird and the keeper  I have done it a few times over the years and there are a few little tips for you.

Firstly do your research! find a really good avian vet. I have been lucky to have had Alan jones and Rob reynolds both very close to me. A good avian vet will have seen thousnads of birds and will know how to handle them and keep them as stress free as poss. 

Get a decent sized but not too big bird carrier. You can buy the cardboard ones on line. they offer a safe, dark and secure environment for travel. I find parrot type birds can get stressed in open from wire travel cages. Just my experiance.

keep the bird as de stressed as you can so box it up while the lights are still dim. 

I have always talked to the bird while the vet has hold of it. not sure if there is any scientific backing to this but it makes me feel better!

Get the bird boxed up as before and get it back home in good time. I have always then just before unboxing the bird sytarted to call it before I open the box so it it knows im here. I do this before I go into my bird room also. I have noticed that they do seem to understand that somones coming into the room rather than get spooked and bluster around.

With parrot type I always unbox and get them into the cage quickly and make sure yo make a fuss of them and give all the treats that they love. One of my birds would always make a right fuss about cuddles and snuggles after a trip followed by a terrible bite to the neck or throat when you least expected it.

Thats bird keeping I guess.

Good luck

John,





BlackRose said:


> Thank you, I will
> 
> Have you had any problems getting your parrotlets to the vets before? In case I need to take her, I'm worried about what to put her in, how to get her in there and how she will react being at the vets with all new people and loud noises. She gets stressed very easily and doesn't like being held still...only let's me hold her on my finger/arm or occasionally cuddled close to my chest if she's sleepy. She won't let anyone hold her either...if my husband wants to hold her then he gets bitten a lot first and she can't wait to get back to me normally.
> I don't know how she will react to someone else holding her and if she might freak out and fly around the room, bumping into things cos she's not familiar with it.
> My vets often have people opening the doors from the back into the consultation room whenever I'm there with my animals being seen to and she tends to fly towards open doors.


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## BlackRose

Thanks, I'll hafta get hold of that bloke too like you said. 

My parrotlet is my first bird that is properly mine, as I only ever had birds growing up before. I used to hold them etc but I didn't really know much bout them.
I'm not comfortable using something over the counter, but also worried about taking her to the vets and using their treatment. But somethings gotta be done, so can't win either way.

I know what you mean about the biting lol. Mines only tiny and she hadn't bitten me properly ever to the point of a real wound. She only nips now but she does it a lot and her beak is still very sharp. She makes sure she sharpens it first I think lol. Big beak for such a tiny little thing.
She is so cute though, if not extremely noisy. 
Nice to actually be nipped and not react though, seeing as it not a real bite. But she still thinks it's funny. She used to say sorry, laugh and then do it again. 

I take it that once a parrot knows a word, wether it taught itself or not, it never forgets it? She used to say hello, sorry, and bob her head if I did it and she doesnt do any of that since she learnt kisses and peekaboo. It's been a couple of years, so maybe she will never say it again now as she may prefer the new words and noises.


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## Arcadiajohn

Honestly you will be fine with the spray. It works well and is a heap less stressful than a trip to the vet.

Goodness thats good news a talking hen, yes it does happen but its quite rare in my experiance.

I kept spectacled parrotletts until last year, wonderful little things but mine were not loud at all??

Im sure Alan is retired now but Rob has a practice in colgate west sussex.

John,


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