To begin with, lice are considered to be uncommon, among well-kept pets. Found especially on the underside of the wings, feather lice are observed as tiny dark lines, about 2mm long. Generally, the lice are host specific, i.e., if you find your parakeets infested with lice, you don't have to worry about the problem spreading to other pet birds. Why did your lively parakeet fall sick? Parasites Lice Health Care Clean and disinfect your parakeet's cage The lice that are commonly found in pet birds are the biting kind; (there are also the sucking kind). They eat the scales, or bits of feathers, and this results in poor feather quality. If the infestation is not heavy, then the feathers may appear normal. Usually, the most common feather lice are seen attached to the underside of the wings, along the vanes. They have also been observed to not move easily, on the bird. Lice or their eggs can be seen on the underside of the wings, or the tail feathers. Fortunately, as we humans have no feathers, these lice don't have anything to do with us. Clean and disinfect the cage housing such lice-infested bird/s. In such cases, an anti-parasite treatment readily available in pet stores is recommended. Young birds could be infested by their parents, or the lice may pass from one bird to another, when they are in close contact. These mites attack the skin and the beak of parakeets. Belonging to the genus Knemidokoptes, they are known to cause scaly gray or Scaly leg/face mites Health Care crusty lesions, mostly on the legs, feet and around the beak (the non feathered areas). The lesions that they cause usually begin at the corners of the beak, and give a honeycombed appearance. Foot lesions give the impression of tassel-like projections sticking out from the legs and feet and hence the name “tassel foot”, given to such a condition. Lesions can also occur on the cere, around the eyes and also the vent. Malformation of the beak, feet and toes is seen in extreme cases. Burrowing into the skin, this mite gives a powdery appearance (to the skin). The honeycomb pattern that you actually get to see represents the burrows and tunnels caused by the mites. These lesions are not itchy. These mites apparently spend their entire life cycle, on one bird. They can also be transmitted to the unfeathered offsprings that are in the nest, especially if the bird is genetically susceptible, stressed, or has a suppressed immune system (in which case it may not be able to fight off the mites). Infestation with mites (mange) is diagnosed, by taking skin scrapings Health Care and examining them, for the presence of mites or eggs - in a vet's office, under a microscope. Treatment with ivermectin is suggested, but this has only to be decided by a vet. The weight of the infected bird is taken into consideration, before calculating the exact dosage required. So, just let your vet do it, or at least, don't try playing your bird's doctor. Red mites, scientifically called Dermanyssus sp., may not be restricted to just the cage, or your parakeet. That's right - it can get you as well, and you need to know this, before you handle your red-mite infested bird. The mites can be found on the skin or the feathers of your parakeet, during nights. If the birds are examined in the morning, no mites may be seen. The mites feed in the nights, making the bird quite restless and itchy. |