# Will mosquitoes make my cockteils ill?



## MananGaur (Jul 28, 2018)

Hi guys,
Manan Gaur here from India! My teils Shine & Shein are new to our family and my house, we got them just 4 days ago! I am caring them a lot and fulfilling every a need of theirs! Here in my area there are mosquitoes, many of them, but we don't get many cases of malaria or dengue here! Also, I never heard of anyone having West Nile Virus infection! Will these mosquitoes make my tiels ill? If yes what should I do to avoid it, although I am already planning to buy a mosquito net for them as soon as possible!


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

Mosquitoes do bite birds and can transmit diseases to them. So if there are any bird diseases in your area that can be transmitted to birds by mosquitoes, there is a risk that your birds can get sick this way. 

Most viruses affect a specific species or type of animal, and a virus that affects humans will not affect birds and vice versa. But there are some exceptions. 

There is a type of malaria that affects birds which is not the same kind of malaria that affects humans. There's some info on it here, and you can google for more: https://www.audubon.org/news/how-malaria-hurts-birds

I couldn't find any information on whether birds can get dengue, but it seems most likely that they do not. It's good that you don't have West Nile in your area, because it is a major problem for birds.


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## MananGaur (Jul 28, 2018)

What can be done to prevent my birds getting ill from mosquito bites? Will buying mosquito nets do any good ?


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

If the nets will successfully keep the mosquitoes away from the birds, then yes, that will be helpful. I don't know of anything else you can do. Humans can use sprays to help keep mosquitoes away from themselves, but it would be harmful to use these on birds because of their sensitive respiratory system.


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## MananGaur (Jul 28, 2018)

Thanks for it! I will be using mosquito nets


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