Sept 5, 2014 17:22:05 GMT
lsco
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 13
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Post by lsco on Sept 16, 2014 19:26:11 GMT
Yes. I would agree that it looks like scaly feet and face. We had the same trouble when we got Maxy. When you do the spot treatment, also remember to clean the cage, perches and toys very thoroughly with hot water and possibly anti-mite spray. Also if the cage is on a wooden table or near wooden furniture, give that a wipe down with a small amount of anti-mite spray. The mites can hide in cracks and crevices. When I clean the cage, I always give a wipe down with the spray and paper towel.
An old fashioned additional treatment after the spot treatment is applying a small amount of olive oil to the beak and feet. You can also buy a soothing lotion that does the same thing.
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Post by Hezz on Sept 17, 2014 0:34:44 GMT
The olive oil and petroleum jelly remedies are good stop-gap methods but take a lot longer to work as with these you are suffocating the mite below the skin, therefore each hatching needs to be treated as well to work, rather like nits in children's hair. The ivermectin kills each part of the life cycle, with the drop each week making sure of this. Remember jellybean, that you will need to do both Ben and Max. As for why didn't the vet pick it up; it should have been ...... it is only a week or two since you visited, isn't it? But with his other issues being what he was in for, the vet may not have looked any further than his head and body. @isco has made a good point in cleaning the cage, perches, toys etc as well; this needs to be done with each dosing as well, not just the once ....... mites are a bit like fleas - they will jump ship mid-stream given half a chance.
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Post by jellybean on Sept 17, 2014 1:23:07 GMT
Thanks Hezz, it was 24th July I was last at the vet with Ben and he said then when I asked, there was no sign of mites, not that I suspected any at that time, but I thought with a general health check that would have been one of the things a vet would have looked for. As soon as the Invermectin comes, I will be sure to do both Ben & Max. I have a steam cleaner, as the only chemicals I use anywhere near the birds is F10, so I will give the cage, perches, and toys a good blast. Should I do this on the same day as the first application of Invermectin. They won't take a bath Hezz, so should I leave them a few days after the drops before giving them a misting in order to give it time to work. Thanks again for all the help.
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Post by Hezz on Sept 18, 2014 0:28:53 GMT
Yes, clean the cage before putting them back in after their dosing. You can soak all the toys and perches in F10 and also wipe over the cage with it, but the steamer is a good idea, as well. If it were me, I would do both!! And with the misting, I would leave it a few days. They don't need to be bathing all the time, so it is fine to give them a break. Okay, it is longer than I thought since the boys were vet-visiting - that is 6-7 weeks, so vet is excused this time. Ben probably wasn't showing any signs of what is going on on his feet and legs then. Remind me again how long you have had them? As for how could he have picked them up, are they ever outside for some sunshine, do you/have you handled birds sometimes, maybe even at the vets (doubtful), who knows. Maybe it isn't mites, but I would try the ivermectin doses first and then start to worry if his feet are not responding.
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Post by jellybean on Sept 18, 2014 2:09:29 GMT
Hi Hezz, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I have had the boys 7 months now (they were 6 weeks old when I brought them home). They have been outside in the sun a few times when the weather was good, could them being outdoors be a contributing factor? I have never handled any birds other than my own, and if I ever have to handle mine, (Ben's sore eye), I wash my hands thoroughly before and after. I don't know if this is a silly question or not, but I'll ask anyway, could he have caught something from the wild grasses I pick for them, even though when I bring them home I steep them in a solution of F10 for an hour, and allow them to dry off before feeding them to the birds. Hopefully the Invermectin will come today and I'll get it on the birds and then start the cleaning process.
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Sept 5, 2014 17:22:05 GMT
lsco
Brand New Budgie
Posts: 13
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Post by lsco on Sept 18, 2014 17:47:36 GMT
We had Maxy about 7 months before he started showing real signs of mites. He had been hand reared because his mother attacked him in the nest. We were, in fact, his 4th owners and he looked a sad little soul. We concentrated on his general health and it was only then that he started changing feet all the time on his perch and looking uncomfortable and there was some slight bleeding from them. I took him to the vet who gave me some powder to stop any bleeding but he did not diagnose mites. The signs of scaly face were minimal. I wonder if the mites had been lying dormant because the spot treatment worked immediately and I rubbed olive oil into his feet to sooth them (I still do about once a month as a Beauty treatment as he likes the attention). He has been fine ever since and we love him to bits!
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Post by Hezz on Sept 19, 2014 10:27:49 GMT
Hi Hezz, thanks for taking the time to answer my questions. I have had the boys 7 months now (they were 6 weeks old when I brought them home). They have been outside in the sun a few times when the weather was good, could them being outdoors be a contributing factor? I have never handled any birds other than my own, and if I ever have to handle mine, (Ben's sore eye), I wash my hands thoroughly before and after. I don't know if this is a silly question or not, but I'll ask anyway, could he have caught something from the wild grasses I pick for them, even though when I bring them home I steep them in a solution of F10 for an hour, and allow them to dry off before feeding them to the birds. Hopefully the Invermectin will come today and I'll get it on the birds and then start the cleaning process. If it weren't for the soaking in F10, I would have said yes, but better fresh green grass and a dose of mites (very treatable) than no green grass at all. Don't be too concerned about where it came from, but more look for the signs early and know what to do about them if they do reoccur. Oh, and ditto, for them being out in the sun. Wild birds can and will carry mites - they don't have access to ivermectin like our budgies do - but don't let that be a reason for not putting the boys out for a daily dose of VitD.
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