Post by Marianne Marlow on Nov 4, 2011 9:14:43 GMT
Scaly Face (and Scaly Leg) by Stace
What is Scaly Face?
Scaly Face is a common but potentially disfiguring condition in budgies, caused by a microscopic burrowing mite called Knemidocoptes. It mainly affects the beak, legs and feet, but it can also appear elsewhere including the eyes and vent.
The mites spread from bird to bird through close contact, burrowing into the beak and under the scales of the legs to feed on keratin. These tunneling mites leave behind a thick, scaly, crusty residue in their wake – the classic signs of Scaly Face.
In its early stages, Scaly Face usually appears as a white or gray powdery crust, most commonly on the bird’s beak. In severe cases and if left untreated, the beak, legs and feet can become grossly malformed.
Here’s a young budgie displaying early signs of Scaly Face.
How do you treat Scaly Face?
Curing Scaly Face is now easy with the ‘one spot’ ivermectin or moxydectin treatments, available over the counter in some countries or by vet prescription in others.
One drop on the bird’s skin at the back of the neck between the feathers, and the end result is a healthy bird. In some cases you may need to repeat the treatment.
Available online or across the counter in the UK, the best treatment is Ivermectin 0.1%. (The 0.1% is important as it is specially formulated to be safe for small birds.) Other countries may offer a moxydectin-based product, called Scatt.
While only one or two birds in a flock may show signs of Scaly Face, the condition is contagious and ALL in-contact birds must treated.
To be extra sure of clearing away the mites, you should also thoroughly clean and disinfect your cage, aviary, perches, food bowls and toys with an avian disinfectant.
For breeders and those with larger aviaries, a dab on the back of the head with ivermectin when pairing up and the back of the chicks’ heads when ringing will help control a wide range of avian mites, including Scaly.
Here’s a “before and after” budgie with a bad case of Scaly Face.
This bird is very badly infected. SCATT was applied as per the manufacturer's instructions as well as a thin film of vaseline applied over the affected area.
This is the same bird, at one week and, later, one month after treatment.
Vitamin A and Scaly Face.
Vitamin A deficiency is thought to predispose birds to the Scaly Face mite. Vitamin A lifts resistance to infection and some parasites, yet seed diets are low in this essential vitamin. Used in moderation, supplements may be useful (but be careful not to overdose). Some vitamin A rich foods that are safe to feed your budgies include carrot, sweet potato, rockmelon, chickweed, butternut pumpkin, and peas.
Old home remedies for Scaly Face.
While the ‘one spot’ drug treatments are safest and best, those in countries without access to the latest veterinary treatments can try an old bird fanciers’ home remedy.
It involves a daily application of petroleum jelly on the beak, legs and feet. The petroleum jelly doesn’t kill the mites, but works by suffocating them.
For the beak, please use a cotton bud for accurate placement and use just enough to lightly coat the area, being careful not to cover or block the nares (the little breathing holes in the bird’s cere above the beak).
This time-honoured home remedy is kindly explained by our forum member, Panos.
“Take some petroleum jelly and mix it with two drops of liquid betadine 10% (the betadine is to help with any inflammation). With your fingers, gently put on just enough to cover the legs, feet and beak. Do this once a day, just before the night when they are calm and stationary. Don’t clear it off the next day. It will dry on its own. Do this for at least 6-7 days, and repeat if necessary. It may take two weeks for this treatment to work.
“Put every perch and food pot in hot water with chlorine and leave them in there for about 30 minutes. Then wash them well with clean water and leave to dry.”
For regular maintenance, some breeders place a drop of medicated olive oil (one part Dettol to three parts olive oil) or baby oil on their finger tips, wiping it on the feet and cere (not in the nostrils) while checking the birds from time to time.
What is Scaly Face?
Scaly Face is a common but potentially disfiguring condition in budgies, caused by a microscopic burrowing mite called Knemidocoptes. It mainly affects the beak, legs and feet, but it can also appear elsewhere including the eyes and vent.
The mites spread from bird to bird through close contact, burrowing into the beak and under the scales of the legs to feed on keratin. These tunneling mites leave behind a thick, scaly, crusty residue in their wake – the classic signs of Scaly Face.
In its early stages, Scaly Face usually appears as a white or gray powdery crust, most commonly on the bird’s beak. In severe cases and if left untreated, the beak, legs and feet can become grossly malformed.
Here’s a young budgie displaying early signs of Scaly Face.
How do you treat Scaly Face?
Curing Scaly Face is now easy with the ‘one spot’ ivermectin or moxydectin treatments, available over the counter in some countries or by vet prescription in others.
One drop on the bird’s skin at the back of the neck between the feathers, and the end result is a healthy bird. In some cases you may need to repeat the treatment.
Available online or across the counter in the UK, the best treatment is Ivermectin 0.1%. (The 0.1% is important as it is specially formulated to be safe for small birds.) Other countries may offer a moxydectin-based product, called Scatt.
While only one or two birds in a flock may show signs of Scaly Face, the condition is contagious and ALL in-contact birds must treated.
To be extra sure of clearing away the mites, you should also thoroughly clean and disinfect your cage, aviary, perches, food bowls and toys with an avian disinfectant.
For breeders and those with larger aviaries, a dab on the back of the head with ivermectin when pairing up and the back of the chicks’ heads when ringing will help control a wide range of avian mites, including Scaly.
Here’s a “before and after” budgie with a bad case of Scaly Face.
This bird is very badly infected. SCATT was applied as per the manufacturer's instructions as well as a thin film of vaseline applied over the affected area.
This is the same bird, at one week and, later, one month after treatment.
Vitamin A and Scaly Face.
Vitamin A deficiency is thought to predispose birds to the Scaly Face mite. Vitamin A lifts resistance to infection and some parasites, yet seed diets are low in this essential vitamin. Used in moderation, supplements may be useful (but be careful not to overdose). Some vitamin A rich foods that are safe to feed your budgies include carrot, sweet potato, rockmelon, chickweed, butternut pumpkin, and peas.
Old home remedies for Scaly Face.
While the ‘one spot’ drug treatments are safest and best, those in countries without access to the latest veterinary treatments can try an old bird fanciers’ home remedy.
It involves a daily application of petroleum jelly on the beak, legs and feet. The petroleum jelly doesn’t kill the mites, but works by suffocating them.
For the beak, please use a cotton bud for accurate placement and use just enough to lightly coat the area, being careful not to cover or block the nares (the little breathing holes in the bird’s cere above the beak).
This time-honoured home remedy is kindly explained by our forum member, Panos.
“Take some petroleum jelly and mix it with two drops of liquid betadine 10% (the betadine is to help with any inflammation). With your fingers, gently put on just enough to cover the legs, feet and beak. Do this once a day, just before the night when they are calm and stationary. Don’t clear it off the next day. It will dry on its own. Do this for at least 6-7 days, and repeat if necessary. It may take two weeks for this treatment to work.
“Put every perch and food pot in hot water with chlorine and leave them in there for about 30 minutes. Then wash them well with clean water and leave to dry.”
For regular maintenance, some breeders place a drop of medicated olive oil (one part Dettol to three parts olive oil) or baby oil on their finger tips, wiping it on the feet and cere (not in the nostrils) while checking the birds from time to time.