# Mites?



## CarlaSue

I am a first time bird owner =) but i work at a pet store but we dont have very many birds. I have a question about mites. how do i know if my cockatiel has them? how do i treat them? how do i prevent them? thanks 

he keeps scratching his head on his mirror. we have turned on our heat for the winter, some one told me it could be just dry skin but i want to know about mites for future reforence


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## tielfan

It's very rare for an indoor bird to have mites so he's probably OK. Please DON'T get one of those "mite protectors" at the store, they're useless against mites and the fumes are bad for the bird. If he starts doing an excessive amount of scratching and picking, or if he starts plucking feathers, then it's time to worry about them.

It's normal for cockatiels to scratch their heads frequently with their foot, often during the preening process. They preen each other's heads too. Your little guy might be asking the bird in the mirror to preen his head for him!


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## fullmetalgirl

It's indeed very rare for an inside bird to get mites,

anti-mite sprays are not very healty.. i only use them for desinfecting nest boxes.. (after spraying i do not use them for another 2 weeks)

excessive scratcing, dry beak, weird bumbs on the paws are all signs of possible mites. 

this is an easy way to see if you have bloodmite in your house:
throw a white sheet over the cage when your cockatiel go to sleep.
When you wake up see if you see tiny red dots...
try this 3 times.

if you see nothing it's safe to say you do not have red mites.


Treeting mites brings you to a vet, he gives you the proper medicine. Treeting mites always meens you have to desinfect your cage.


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## lperry82

using a white sheet you say, im using a pink one at the minute, might have a white one some where
What causes mites?


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## fullmetalgirl

lperry82 said:


> using a white sheet you say, im using a pink one at the minute, might have a white one some where
> What causes mites?


mites are small animals (parasites)
they feed of your bird.

they often appear in droppings of outside bird.. you bring them in your house by walking in the droppings and then comming home (though it's very unlikely to happen this way for inside birds)


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## lperry82

I think i will check on the safe side, its the same with poop i look everytime to make sure its alright


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## MeanneyFids

mine might have mites. dallys breeder told me a way to PREVENT and repel them.... she puts a very very small amount of listerine mouth wash in the spray bottle with the water. in very small amounts its fine. i bathe mine at least 3 times a week and ive been using the same method.
theyve stopped showing the feather signs of mites, which are missing "lines" in the feathers. they havent gotten any new ones.


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## lperry82

mist the birds with mouthwash?


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## MeanneyFids

very very diluted

listerine only

take 1 quarter of a cap full and put it in the mist bottle to bathe the bird.
thats what dallys breeder does.


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## lperry82

Thankyou for the tip  smell fresh aswell do they lol


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## MeanneyFids

not really. its so diluted you only smell it when wet. when dry they smell dusty-ish once more.


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## lperry82

I used a white sheet to cover cage now but i cant see anything BUT






im worried on the pic there is black lines what is it


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## tielfan

I don't see anything abnormal-looking. The tailfeathers might be dirty or they might be a bit mussed up letting the darker color underneath show through.


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## mpayjr

That black line is probably part of the striping on the birds tails. Don't worry, she seems fine to me.


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## lperry82

oh thank you what a relief that is


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## mpayjr

You wouldn't believe what I saw at a supposedly bird trustworthy shop! I saw those horrible cage protectors! How awful!


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## Jenny10

well i have a store brought mite spray, (not protector, mite killing) i had to treat a bird that actually had visible mites running through the feathers, it was in qaurintine when i noticed the mites, i gave the bird a good spraying the mites were killed instantly, the bird is fine, i have also used it on another bird that was also in qaurintine that bird is fine also. i think you are much better to deal with the problem quickly.


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