A qualified avian vet can treat your bird the best. To begin with, lice are considered to be uncommon, among well- kept pets. Found especially on the underside of the wings, feather lice are observed as tiny dark lines, about 2mm long. Generally, the lice are host specific, i.e., if you find your budgies infested with lice, you don't have to worry about the problem spreading to other pet birds. Why did your lively budgie fall sick? Parasites Lice Health Care A sick or injured budgie needs rest, more than anything else. The lice that are commonly found in pet birds are the biting kind; (there are also the sucking kind). They eat the scales, or bits of feathers, and this results in poor feather quality. If the infestation is not heavy, then the feathers may appear normal. Usually, the most common feather lice are seen attached to the underside of the wings, along the vanes. They have also been observed to not move easily, on the bird. Lice or their eggs can be seen on the underside of the wing,or the tail feathers. Fortunately, as we humans have no feathers, these lice don't have anything to do with us. Clean and disinfect the cage housing such lice-infested bird/s. An anti-parasite treatment readily available in pet stores is recommended, in such cases. Young birds could be infested by their parents, or the lice may pass from one bird to another, when they are in close contact. These mites attack the skin and the beak of the budgies. Belonging to the genus Knemidokoptes, they are known Scaly leg/face mites Health Care to cause scaly gray or crusty lesions, mostly on the legs, feet and around the beak (the non feathered areas). The lesions that they cause usually begin at the corners of the beak, and give a honeycombed appearance. Foot lesions give the impression of tassel-like projections sticking out from the legs and feet and hence the name “tassel foot”, given to such a condition. Lesions can also occur on the cere, around the eyes and also the vent. Malformation of the beak, feet and toes is seen in extreme cases. Burrowing into the skin, this mite gives a powdery appearance (to the skin). The honeycomb pattern that you actually get to see represents the burrows and tunnels caused by the mites. These lesions are not itchy. These mites apparently spend their entire life cycle, on one bird. They can also be transmitted to the unfeathered offsprings that are in the nest especially if the bird is genetically susceptible, stressed, or has a suppressed immune system (in which case it may not be able to fight off the mites). Health Care Infestation with mites (mange) is diagnosed, by taking skin scrapings and examining them, for the presence of mites or eggs - in a vet's office, under a microscope. Treatment with ivermectin is suggested, but this has only to be decided by a vet. The weight of the infected bird is taken into consideration, before calculating the exact dosage required. |