# I have bird mites again



## Ciralaine (Jul 27, 2012)

I have mites again. I'm not even in the same suburb as my last home where mites were so hard to get rid of thanks to pigeons on my balcony.

It's been nearly a year since then in a different house (family home). But the last 3 days I've been feeling like I'm being bitten and assumed it was fleas due to the cat coming in and going out as she likes even though she gets monthly flea/tick treatment.

I haven't slept I'm 3 days every time I turn off the light I get bitten. The biggest sign of mites is not being able to see anything thats bitten you. Fleas are pretty obvious but there's no fleas at all. Tonight after a bad bite on my foot I turned on my lamp and grabbed my phone which I keep next to me in bed and I saw that there were 2 tiny mites crawling on it. I squished them but that means there's thousands by now in my room and probably the house and also on the budgies too.

Im just crying now. I don't know how I'm going to go through this again. I barely made it last time. I'm going to have to spend so much money now treating the house, the birds, the carpets. I'm going to have to throw out all my stuff again. Beds, furniture. How could this happen again. I just want go to sleep but now I'm caught in this nightmare again


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## aluz (Jul 24, 2011)

Hi Sharday,
I have moved your thread to the "Your Budgie's Health" section, where it's most appropriate.

I'm very sorry that you are going through another infestation type of ordeal yet again.  I can imagine how stressful that is for you, your family and pets.
I hope you will soon get rid of the mites and Raz and Nemo are treated for them too.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*I hope you are able to determine the reason for the current mite infestation so you can eliminate the problem permanently in the future!
Do you have any theories on how the mites are being introduced into your home?

Please be sure you do everything possible to ensure Raz and Nemo are treated promptly and everything is cleaned and disinfected to prevent re-infection.*


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## Figtoria (Apr 27, 2015)

I just went and looked those up and they look horrifying!!! I never even knew that bird mites would migrate to people!!

Here's a link I found with some helpful suggestions so that you can sleep at night.

Bird Mite Treatment Strategies For The Home

Good luck - I hope you can find the help you need.


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

Sharday it still could be fleas. The really tiny ones that are barely visible are the ones that bite the hardest. Many of the flea treatments are not working fully now. I know Frontline is useless where I am, even Capstar is not killing all the adult fleas on my dogs. We are having a terrible flea plague at the moment because of the hot humid weather we are experiencing. Believe me I have been bitten by fleas so tiny you can't see them, and they also move so quickly after biting that by the time you look they are gone.

I have only ever had one infestation of mites here and that was many years ago. They were not bad and I cleared them up with Ivermectin on the adults and eucalyptus oil on the babies, eucalyptus oil in the nesting material. It is also not true that mites like dirty surroundings either. When I got them it was a brand new aviary, new concrete slab, new nest boxes, new perches and the aviary was clean. I have to be really careful what I use as I have an allergy to pesticides including Pyrethrum.

You can get a product called Coopex. It is a powder and you mix it with water in a spray bottle and spray everything with that. It is very effective and safe to use around birds. It is available from most good pet shops and I think even Bunnings has it.

You don't need to throw everything out. Just treat everything with the Coopex. You can wash the birds things including cage with vinegar and orange oil made up as a spray or the Coopex.

Do you have any Starlings nesting around you, particularly in the roof of the house. They are terrible for bringing mites into the house. If you have, remove the nests and spray the area with Coopex and block any holes under the eaves where the Starlings can get in.

I have so many wild birds around me including doves and pigeons and have only ever had that one instance of mites.

You may have to get a pest control company out that is experienced with mites to properly get rid of them.


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*


Figtoria said:



Here's a link I found with some helpful suggestions so that you can sleep at night.

Bird Mite Treatment Strategies For The Home

Click to expand...

Thanks for providing that link, Figtoria!
I've added it to our Resources Directory now in case others need it in the future. :thumbsup:



Kate C said:



Sharday it still could be fleas. The really tiny ones that are barely visible are the ones that bite the hardest. Many of the flea treatments are not working fully now. I know Frontline is useless where I am, even Capstar is not killing all the adult fleas on my dogs. We are having a terrible flea plague at the moment because of the hot humid weather we are experiencing. Believe me I have been bitten by fleas so tiny you can't see them, and they also move so quickly after biting that by the time you look they are gone.

I have only ever had one infestation of mites here and that was many years ago. They were not bad and I cleared them up with Ivermectin on the adults and eucalyptus oil on the babies, eucalyptus oil in the nesting material. It is also not true that mites like dirty surroundings either. When I got them it was a brand new aviary, new concrete slab, new nest boxes, new perches and the aviary was clean. I have to be really careful what I use as I have an allergy to pesticides including Pyrethrum.

You can get a product called Coopex. It is a powder and you mix it with water in a spray bottle and spray everything with that. It is very effective and safe to use around birds. It is available from most good pet shops and I think even Bunnings has it.

You don't need to throw everything out. Just treat everything with the Coopex. You can wash the birds things including cage with vinegar and orange oil made up as a spray or the Coopex.

Do you have any Starlings nesting around you, particularly in the roof of the house. They are terrible for bringing mites into the house. If you have, remove the nests and spray the area with Coopex and block any holes under the eaves where the Starlings can get in.

I have so many wild birds around me including doves and pigeons and have only ever had that one instance of mites.

You may have to get a pest control company out that is experienced with mites to properly get rid of them.

Click to expand...

 Kate,
Thanks for providing that information!
It didn't initially occur to me that it might be tiny fleas instead of bird mites. 

Here in the US there are pesky little midges commonly referred to as no-see-ums. Those nasty little things really hurt like the ****ens when they bite!
Biting Midges/No-See-Ums *


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## Jo Ann (Sep 3, 2011)

*I Have*

Have you tried Diatomaceous earth? get the human /live stock safe stuff, not the garden type. Farmers put in chicken feed. you can sprinkle in rugs around floorboards in cabinets. in bird catch trays. DE is tiny skeletons of microscopic marine or fresh water flora/fauna that baleen whales and other large creatures strain from the oceans/rivers /lakes as food. The DE is a specific Marker that can be used in science to tell where a sample comes from. it is also used in marine aquarium filtration. Lady gouldian finch carries a spray that is composed of DE and water no harmful chemicals.

Most parasites have soft bodies or have external skeletons like ants or roaches. the sharp edges of the skeletons slice into the soft skin or external skeleton and cause the creatures to dry up. Birds and people and most animals are not harmed by ingesting the DE I am not sure about lizards or snakes or frogs. De is used as a nonchemical way to get rid of parasites in chicken feed by many farmers.

The little skeletons are as beautiful as the structure of snow flakes under the microscope. The ocean floor is filled with DE deposits.

I have used the spray from Lady G on our budgies. I am careful to to protect eyes. We put a kleenex over the face. one person holds while the other sprays. We extend wings and back brush the feathers so that the spray gets deeper into the feathers. The one thing I have noticed is that it doe not work fast lie a drop dead spray. So impatience is not helpful. I would strip beds and sprinkle on mattress and wash the bed clothes and pillows. I personally would try putting some down on the mattress under the sheets . I would also check with an exterminator for a quote. but be prepared to move out of your house for up to a week to air it out so the poison is gone.

Could this be bed bugs? They show up in hotels and public housing here in the US.They are very hard to eliminate. One place to look for them is in the crease around the mattress where the piping attaches to the mattress.

I hope you find a solution soon. Blessings, Jo Ann


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## Budget baby (Jan 1, 2013)

Sharday, it must be so upsetting and frustrating for you. Please take care, try the suggestions Kate has offered. I did not even know how bad these mites can be. I hope things turn around soon for you.:budgie:


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

I agree, I have nothing to add on the matter but I hope some of the suggestions offered can offer you some respite. It sounds like a terrible, uncomfortable thing you're going through again, and I'm so sorry to hear it. 

I hope everything works out, keep us posted :hug:


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

Jo Ann we cannot get Diatomaceous earth anymore here in Australia, either food grade or for swimming pools. They have taken it off the market as they say it is a carcinogen. I have tried many places to get it to try to get rid of the fleas here.


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## Jo Ann (Sep 3, 2011)

*I Have*

Would Australia allow A gift package through the mail? I noticed that DE was mentioned briefly in the Info paper. I plan to read it at least once more. Interesting data to absorb . Blessings, Jo Ann


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

Not sure Jo Ann. It may have difficulty getting through customs. All mail coming in from overseas is checked out by sniffer dogs. And anything suspicious goes through x-ray machines. Being a powder they may suspect it is something it is not. If it has been banned in Australia they may just destroy it anyway. Not sure if it has been banned here or just not able to be sold, also not sure if it was actually produced here or it was imported. If importation has been banned it may not be allowed through the post.


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## Ciralaine (Jul 27, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies :hug:. I was going to update yesterday but was too tired after 4-5 days of no sleep. I finally slept last night but still pretty tired .



Kate C said:


> Sharday it still could be fleas. The really tiny ones that are barely visible are the ones that bite the hardest. Many of the flea treatments are not working fully now. I know Frontline is useless where I am, even Capstar is not killing all the adult fleas on my dogs. We are having a terrible flea plague at the moment because of the hot humid weather we are experiencing. Believe me I have been bitten by fleas so tiny you can't see them, and they also move so quickly after biting that by the time you look they are gone.
> 
> I have only ever had one infestation of mites here and that was many years ago. They were not bad and I cleared them up with Ivermectin on the adults and eucalyptus oil on the babies, eucalyptus oil in the nesting material. It is also not true that mites like dirty surroundings either. When I got them it was a brand new aviary, new concrete slab, new nest boxes, new perches and the aviary was clean. I have to be really careful what I use as I have an allergy to pesticides including Pyrethrum.
> 
> ...


Hey Kate, no it is 100% confirmed mites. I took both birds to the vet yesterday as I wanted an official diagnosis (the poor birds, like me, have been scratching so much). He used sticky tape on various parts of both bird's bodies. I saw up close for the first time the little horrid things under the microscope. They look scary as hell, like microscopic spiders. He was very sceptical at first saying that it might not be anything but he quickly changed his tune after looking under the scope. He said he was surprised how many there were .

We do get possums in our roof, maybe other things go in their too, I'm not too sure. The vet did suggest that mites can even live dormant on birds skin/feathers and have appeared now due to either stress or the environment triggering it. Which could be a viable theory as last time I'd put the budgies in a different house while I sorted out the pigeons and apartment. I thought the budgies escaped getting infected but maybe they actually were infected but just to a small, unnoticeable degree. The mites on them may have lain dormant till now then but I'm not sure why it's all of a sudden burst out of control in not even a week :S

I plan to buy some eucalyptus oil as I've also heard it was effective. I'll look into the Coopex there's a bunnings right near me too .



Jo Ann said:


> Have you tried Diatomaceous earth? get the human /live stock safe stuff, not the garden type. Farmers put in chicken feed. you can sprinkle in rugs around floorboards in cabinets. in bird catch trays. DE is tiny skeletons of microscopic marine or fresh water flora/fauna that baleen whales and other large creatures strain from the oceans/rivers /lakes as food. The DE is a specific Marker that can be used in science to tell where a sample comes from. it is also used in marine aquarium filtration. Lady gouldian finch carries a spray that is composed of DE and water no harmful chemicals.
> 
> Most parasites have soft bodies or have external skeletons like ants or roaches. the sharp edges of the skeletons slice into the soft skin or external skeleton and cause the creatures to dry up. Birds and people and most animals are not harmed by ingesting the DE I am not sure about lizards or snakes or frogs. De is used as a nonchemical way to get rid of parasites in chicken feed by many farmers.
> 
> ...





Kate C said:


> Jo Ann we cannot get Diatomaceous earth anymore here in Australia, either food grade or for swimming pools. They have taken it off the market as they say it is a carcinogen. I have tried many places to get it to try to get rid of the fleas here.


Hey Jo Ann and Kate C, so is Lady G still being sold in Australia then? I have a mite spray the vet gave me yesterday that actually works quite well. I've sprayed both budgies and little brown and black specks were falling off them in as little as an hour. This morning even more so... Though they had also been giving ivermectin orally so that also could gave caused the fast results as well. I felt so bad watching the budgies scratching so much so it eases my heart knowing they're getting some relief as they're not scratching as much and I feel like I can see the light at the end of the tunnel in terms if mites hopefully.

And no the vet confirmed bird mites yesterday so not bed bugs, the mites are like the size of a flea leg or smaller, fleas look like giants in comparison to the tiny moving specks that are bird mites. Plus their bites feel different. I don't know about bed bugs but on google it seems they're about the size of fleas. After being bitten by fleas when our cat had them and the feeling of the mites thus time around I recognised pretty quickly that it felt like mites but I didn't want to believe that or knew how it could've happened, but at least I can treat things now.


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## nuxi (Oct 28, 2014)

Sharday,I hope you,Raz and Nemo feel better soon!:hug:


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## Ciralaine (Jul 27, 2012)

*Update*

I took both birds to the vet yesterday as I wanted an official diagnosis and treatment plan. However an unexpected problem turned out as well .

The vet used sticky tape to get some skin and feathers on the birds. He looked under the scope and was actually surprised and showed me the tiny mites through the microscope. Seeing them up close for the first time was actually really creepy but also relieving as it confirmed my suspicions of what was bitting. He gave ivermectin orally and gave me a mite spray for the birds and their cage/environment. Since getting home these have proven to be working well. Little specks that are the mites are falling off the birds who also don't seem as itchy. I've fogged my room and cleaned the Budgie's cage. The budgies are in the dinning room. I'm still going to get a quote of professional pest control however as I don't want the mites spreading to other parts of the house, right now it seems as though only my room is infected but I don't want to risk it just in case.

***​
While in the waiting room to see the vet I noticed that Nemo had some poop stuck on her vent. I helped clean it up but she still seemed to be not be pooping correctly, her droppings were much smaller, incomplete, and watery and she seemed to have to strain to do them. I was suddenly really alarmed. How long had she been like this!? What was wrong? Even though the reason for the visit was about mites the first thing I asked him to check when we were called into the room was about Nemo's strange poop and mostly her alarming straining.

He felt her and looked at her watery poop. He said that she had some constipation and more alarmingly a swollen abdomen which he said wasn't normal but he said it was very small but that even for budgies even if it's small it could still cause potential obstructions. He said he'd like to examine her again at a later date but for now we should help with her mite problem first as she was probably under stress from that so it would be easier to treat the mites and clear that up to eleviate her stress then bring her back in to see how she is. In the meantime I have to give more watery fruit and veggies to her to help make pooping easier for her. It made me feel awful as for the last couple weeks I thought the little girl was just pudgy from eating too much seed. But her weight is a healthy level, instead it was actually her abnormally swollen and she was constipated . How did I not notice this . I really hope it's nothing serious my little Nemo she's only 2, despite her little Queenie attitude I do love her and don't want her to be sick at all.

If anyone has any suggestions on watery fruit budgies like? I don't give fruit regularly as neither seems to like any fruit, they like veggies but for some reason not fruit. Or else veggies that would help make looser poops or help with pooping? Leafy greens I'm assuming or something else?


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

I am glad you have confirmation and treatment for the birds and you. Ivermectin is very effective for the treatment of mites. The Coopex can be used to treat the carpets and also spray it into any cracks and crevices in the room, around furniture etc. The other benefit of Coopex is it is relatively inexpensive, especially as compared to a pest controller. The other benefit is it also kills cockroaches and other nasty bugs as well. A friend used to treat her house regularly with the Coopex.

Good that you picked up the other problem with Nemo. You can try Nemo on Endive, Leafing Lettuce like Cos. Even in this instance Iceberg Lettuce which is really only cellulose and water and no real food value. We usually don't give this to birds as it will cause diarrhea, but it may get things moving. Unfortunately most birds don't like eating pear which is quite watery.


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## Ciralaine (Jul 27, 2012)

_ Some cuteness out of all this mess:

In the waiting room:


Cute love:

When the vet tried to get Nemo out of the cage Raz put himself between the vet's hand and Nemo and then actually jumped onto the vets hand  and bit the vets hand pretty aggressively and [Nemo] after being examined Raz quickly ran over and comforted her:

 _


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## FaeryBee (May 9, 2011)

*How adorable that Raz wanted to protect little Nemo and take care of her! 

I hope the mites will soon be eradicated and that you, Nemo and Raz will all be feeling better soon.

Hopefully, Nemo's condition will clear up with the help of the additional vegetables. 
You can also add a couple of drops of flax seed oil to her food, that will help move things through her digestive tract as well.

*


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## Ciralaine (Jul 27, 2012)

Kate C said:


> I am glad you have confirmation and treatment for the birds and you. Ivermectin is very effective for the treatment of mites. The Coopex can be used to treat the carpets and also spray it into any cracks and crevices in the room, around furniture etc. The other benefit of Coopex is it is relatively inexpensive, especially as compared to a pest controller. The other benefit is it also kills cockroaches and other nasty bugs as well. A friend used to treat her house regularly with the Coopex.
> 
> Good that you picked up the other problem with Nemo. You can try Nemo on Endive, Leafing Lettuce like Cos. Even in this instance Iceberg Lettuce which is really only cellulose and water and no real food value. We usually don't give this to birds as it will cause diarrhea, but it may get things moving. Unfortunately most birds don't like eating pear which is quite watery.


That sounds good for the coopex. I bought some kale, oranges, an iceberg lettuce (which I'll give in small amounts) and a single pear to test out if they like it lol . Also what dosage did you use when using eucalyptus oil as a spray for your birds?

And yes I'm thankful to have found out about Nemo having a problem I just wish I'd noticed myself earlier I feel like a bad budgie owner not looking carefully enough.



FaeryBee said:


> *How adorable that Raz wanted to protect little Nemo and take care of her!
> 
> I hope the mites will soon be eradicated and that you, Nemo and Raz will all be feeling better soon.
> 
> ...


It was cute and funny . I also hope this clears up soonish. It's not as bad but still getting some bites now and then.

Where do you buy flax seed oil? Do you need to go to a special shop or do they have it at supermarkets?


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## StarlingWings (Mar 15, 2013)

I'm glad to hear you were able to pinpoint the cause and they were able to get quick treatment! I'm hoping the rest of the process will be less stressful and as effective and efficient as possible :fingerx: 

I'm sorry to hear Nemo's having some other issues and I agree with all advice given. As for flax seed oil, I know I can get it at my grocery store but they also have it in health food stores, I would think. 

Keep us posted on their progress!


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## Kate C (Oct 15, 2007)

With the adults I just used Ivermectin and I used the eucalyptus oil on the perches and in the nesting material and into any crevices where the mites usually hide during the day, so I didn't actually make up a spray. Because it is an oil you need an emulsifier to disperse the oil through the water otherwise it will stay separate. In the house I sprinkle eucalyptus oil onto the floor, where I had birds inside the floor was wood, but you can sprinkle it onto carpet as well.

Not sure if the supermarket would have flax seed oil but it should be available at health food stores. But any natural oil would work. Just a couple of drops of normal blended vegetable oil or canola oil even cod liver oil (which is also high in Vitamin E). You just put a couple of drops onto the seed and mix it through. Be a little bit careful using it at this time of year as it could go rancid with the heat.


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## KathyP (Dec 25, 2015)

Natural Chicken Keeping: Natural Lice and Mite Prevention: Using Herbs in the Nest Box

incase you prefer to rid areas without chemicals with natural plants and herbs


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## Jo Ann (Sep 3, 2011)

*I Have*

Best wishes in the process before you. thanks for the info on herbs. J o Ann


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## HeidiDY (Mar 2, 2016)

This problem has been faced by each and every one. Usually I try the termite inspection long island pest control for removing all termites and unnecessary pest.


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