All mites belong to the Arachnida class of spider-like arthropods. The
adults and nymphs have eight legs, and larvae six legs. There is no
distinct thorax and abdomen. In fact most superficially resemble balls
or discs with a small stalk-like object at the front from which project
the mouth parts. The legs vary from short peg-like stumps, consisting of
telescoped segments to long hairy appendages. Burrowing mites are
peg-legged, spherical, slow-moving types. Non-burrowing mites have legs
which usually project beyond the edges of the body. Free-living mites,
such as forage or meal mites which are occasional and temporary
parasites, have the longest legs. In some mites the feet have suckers,
hooks, or both of these structures. The identification of mites can be
difficult, even for experts.
Parasitic mites vary from between 1/10 and 1 mm. in length according to
species. They are thus barely visible unless moving or on a contrasting
colored background. A powerful hand lens (xl0) is suitable for mite
searching. In some bird species mites are more common than is usually
appreciated. Many appear to be harmless passengers, but they can
nevertheless carry certain infections including some diseases well known
to poultrymen, pigeon fanciers, and a few cage bird breeders. The
majority of parasitic species inhabit the surface layers of the body,
but some, such as the air sac mites, prefer the protected inner parts of
the respiratory system.
The red or roost mite, (Dermanyssus gallinae ):
This poultry mite is a fairly common parasite of many cage birds,
especially canaries and other members of the finch family, although
budgerigars appear to be quite resistant to its attacks. It affects both
perching and ground-roosting birds. It is an agile, gray or brownish
long-legged mite which distends and becomes bright red after engorging
itself with blood. It is a temporary parasite attacking the bird for
short periods, usually at night. After feeding it hides in crevices in
perches, the woodwork of the cage or aviary, under the droppings tray in
cages, and in fact any dark secluded place. Mites may be brought in by
newly acquired stock, or contracted from nearby poultry and wild birds.
Apart from restlessness, caused by the nocturnal migrations, the
blood-sucking habits of the mites also weaken the birds, especially the
young and the old, and eventually produce severe anemia. The plumage may
become bedraggled, thin and patchy, which sometimes can lead to feather
plucking. When heavy infestations occur, the wholesale desertion of
young by parent birds is liable to ruin breeding plans. The anemia often
results in loss of weight and leaves the bird susceptible to chilling
and infectious diseases. Other parasites such as worms and lice, often
multiply under such circumstances and cause further deterioration until
the bird becomes too mopey even to preen itself. Red mite infestations
often remain unnoticed for months until a large population is present.
At this stage, a visit at night with a powerful light suddenly switched
on may show myriads of fast moving mites visible as red specks on the
birds and neighboring woodwork.
The life cycle is short, the female laying its eggs in cracks and
crevices 12-24 hours after its first feed. If the environmental
temperature is warm, the eggs may hatch within 48-72 hours to produce
larvae. These do not feed but moult into nymphs after 24-28 hours. The
nymphs feed on blood, and moult once before eventually moulting to
become adults.
HOW TO DEAL WITH THEM
"If you ever see these little bugs crawling on your birds or sucking
blood from your chicks, it is terrifying. And no matter what you do, it
seems the little bug is out of control, you really call for help.
This situation happened to me in '97. It caused me to shut down my
complete breeding program for six months. I lost 20 cockatiel babies
because their parents didn't want to go back to the nest box to brooding
on their newborn chicks. I went crazy calling people for help and
trying different ways to fight the mites. I disinfected everything,
threw out all the nest boxes, but the problem still existed.
I have to thank Pat Donnelly for showing me how the finch and canary
people prevent the mite problem by dusting the nests and birds with a
powder product called "Later's Sevin Garden Dust". He advised me it is
very safe for the birds. Because of my problem, I tried this product. I
dusted all the cages, the birds and the walls in the bird room. It
worked wonderfully for me. The mites were gone in a few days. I repeated
this same treatment two weeks later to make sure they were completely
gone. Since then, whenever I brought in any new birds I dusted to make
sure the mite problem doesn't come back again.
You can get this product from the garden center. It worked for me. I'm
sure it will work for you too. Get some and keep it on hand. You don't
want to have to use it, but if you need it, this product will fix your
problem quickly and may save you a lot of headaches and save your baby
birds."
Basic Treatment and Control:
Treatment of the birds alone is useless, because the mites can live away
from the host for several months without a feed of blood. The premises
therefore should be cleaned thoroughly. All nesting and other disposable
material should be burned. Paint surfaces can be repainted with a paint
impregnated with an acaricide and all cracks and crevices should also
be sprayed thoroughly with a suitable acaricide. Spraying or dusting of
the birds themselves may be helpful, but constant vigilance is necessary
to prevent a recurrence. It is often impracticable to clean and paint
the entire establishment at one time, but even if done sectionally and
consecutively over 1 to 2 weeks the effect is almost as good.
Acaricides, such as malathion, gamma benzene hexachloride and derris
root are effective alone or in combination.
A proven cure myself & others have used is to dust the nests and
birds with a powder product called "Later's Sevin Garden Dust". Repeat
after 2 weeks. It is wise and a good preventative to do this again
whenever you bring in new birds to your bird room.
Northern Feather Mite (Ornithonyssus or Liponyssus sylviarum) & Tropical Feather Mite (0. bursa):
The habits, and therefore the treatment, of these mites are similar in
many respects to the red mite. The former flourishes in cool, temperate
regions and the latter in warm tropical areas. The life cycle of O.
sylviarum, however, differs from that of the other two mites in that all
stages, including egg laying, may actually take place on the bird, thus
making the parasite more easy to control.
The harvest mites or chiggers ( Trombicula spp.):
These mites are only parasitic in the larval stage, the adults being
free-living mites which inhabit old pastures, brush or woodland areas.
The larvae attach themselves to the skin and until they become engorged
with blood are too minute to be seen with the naked eye. They inject an
irritant which digests the skin, thus providing food and producing some
capillary bleeding. An inflammatory swelling in the form of a papule or
blister occurs around the point of the mite's attachment to the skin.
Toxins from the larvae produce intense irritation and even illness or
death, especially in small ground-living or ground-nesting birds such as
quail. Because of their normal habitat, chiggers should seldom be a
problem in well kept aviaries, but during hot weather the matted
undergrowth of planted aviaries may attract the mites. They breed during
the spring and autumn in temperate regions and at such times a careful
watch should be kept in areas where they are known to occur.
Treatment and control:
The ground in the aviary should be treated by spraying with an acaricide
to control adult mites. Because of the danger of the acaricide being
eaten, birds must be removed before spraying is carried out and some
weeks must be allowed to elapse before birds are replaced in the aviary,
unless heavy rain washes the substance to the deeper layers of the
herbage after spraying. Treatment of individual birds is tedious but it
is the only way to clear those which are infested. Dusting or spraying
can also be carried out just before the expected chigger season as a
preventive measure. When skin reaction to the bites is severe, localized
treatment with sulfur ointment, iodine or antibiotic ointments is
sometimes helpful. Antihistamines and corticosteroids may also be used
when irritation and swellings are extreme.
The Depluming or Body Mange Mite (Knemidocoptes laevis var. g allinae ):
This mite does not occur on most species of cage and aviary birds, but
it does occasionally infest pigeons, pheasants and poultry. It invades
the feathered areas of the skin, especially around the feather bases,
and causes severe irritation. Feathers break off just above the level of
the skin, and fall out or become deranged. The skin may show partial or
even complete baldness over the back and wings, especially in young
birds. Transmission is by prolonged close contact, as for example in the
nest, and when birds are overcrowded or huddle together on perches when
roosting. The mites are most prevalent during the warm months.
Treatment and control:
This is difficult. Spraying is ineffective, total immersion in a
suitable acaricide being necessary to reach the embedded mites. This
should be repeated at weekly intervals, but if only a few birds are
affected, destruction may be preferable. Protective dipping should be
carried out for any birds in contact or on the same premises as those
infested. Ointments are messy and unsuitable for treatment. They may
help to suffocate the mites but are less penetrating than thin, oily or
spirit-based lotions. Malathion, monosulfiram, gamma benzene
hexachloride, sulfur in oil, Dettol disinfectant, mineral oil and many
others can be used.
Scaly Leg & Face Mites: (Knemidocoptes spp. & Knemidocoptes pilae):
Mites of the genus Knemidocoptes are members of the family Sarcoptidae
which includes the mites responsible for scabies in human beings and
.mange in domestic animals. In birds they cause the disease known as
scaly leg and scaly face. The mites are microscopic, measuring only
about one third of a mm. in diameter, poorly mobile, and have short
stumpy legs. In most cases the life cycles are not clearly understood.
Knemidocoptes mutans causes scaly leg disease in poultry and K.
jamaicensis causes similar lesions in some passerine birds. Closely
related species of Knemidocoptes cause similar lesions, the best known
being K. pilae the cause of scaly face and scaly leg in budgerigars and
also some other psittacines and the canary. The anatomical distinctions
between the different species of mites are very small and difficult to
detect, calling for an entomologist experienced in the taxonomy of the
species. The minute differences between species need not concern us
here, because what applies to K. mutans in poultry with regard to
clinical signs and treatment applies equally well to K. pilae and other
species which infest cage and aviary birds. Various species of birds in
Britain, Europe, Australasia, the Americas, the West Indies and
elsewhere have been found infested both in the wild and captive states.
Some have found a few cases of infestation in old canaries with raised,
thickened scales of the legs, but this usually indicates a non-parasitic
senile change, perhaps related to poor limb circulation.
The way in which an isolated bird kept indoors can develop mange lesions
in middle life is still something of a mystery. Possibilities include a
mild, in-apparent, lifelong infestation which flares up for some reason
unknown. Seed may be contaminated by wild birds either at its source or
in a pet store where birds and seed are kept close together. The most
common method of transmission, however, is probably to nestlings from
parents during feeding. A heavy infestation at this time may produce
defective horn and abnormal growth of the beak to such an extent that a
"scissor beak" is formed. This in turn often leads to death from
starvation. A typically affected young budgerigar shows a beige colored
deposit over one or more of the following areas: the mandibles, the
fleshy angle between the mandibles, the cere, the soft skin below the
beak, around the eyes and the scaled parts of the legs and feet.
Long-standing infestations may spread to the feathered parts beyond
these areas. In budgerigars, face lesions are far more common than those
on the legs; whereas in passerines the converse appears to be true. In
adults the affected areas of skin thicken to a crusty sheet and become
knobbly, especially on the movable parts at the angle of the beak and
around the eyes. In a few cases, horn-like growths appear from the
latter areas in budgerigars and give the birds a most extraordinarily
grotesque appearance. In advanced cases the nostrils may become blocked.
The dry, chalk-like encrustations are composed of exudate produced by
the bird in response to the irritation caused by the mites, plus skin
debris thrown up by the mites whilst burrowing in the tissues.
Inspection with a hand lens will show the entire area to be a honeycomb
of burrows. The horny and underlying tissues, as well as the horn- and
skin-producing cells, become permanently damaged.
On the beak, this results in poor quality, crumbly horn being produced
which is thicker than normal and fractures or flakes off when the bird
de-husks its seed. Where the cere joins the beak, damage to the
generative cells causes the diseased horn to grow at different rates and
results in the formation of straight, upturned, deviated, wry or
scissor-crossed beaks. The sideways pressure exerted by trying to eat
with a twisted beak causes severe straining on the supporting bones and
other tissues of the jaw. Consequently a permanent deformity of the
jaw-bone may also result.
Treatment and control:
Treatment is effective if carried out sufficiently early. Re-infestation
is always a possibility, however, because these mites are very common.
The usual insecticides and acaricides are rapidly effective, but even
painting the lesion with a bland oil such as liquid paraffin or Dettol
disinfectant, or mineral oil is useful, at least in early cases. In
severe cases, the encrustations should be softened beforehand with such
oily preparations before applying an acaricide. Complete disinfestation
is best attained by application of the chosen acaricide at intervals of a
few days for up to three weeks. Bromocyclen, monosulfiram, benzyl
benzoate, or indeed any of the modern acaricides are all effective. An
oily or spirit base is preferable for penetration and persistence, but
care must be taken not to let the bird peck at the brush during
application or to remove and ingest the lotion during preening. All
recently acquired and fledgling budgerigars and other parakeets should
be closely examined for the characteristic pinhole lesions in the skin
over the sites described above. All unusual beaks should be scrutinized
under a lens and not assumed to be an inherited defect or due to injury.
Other skin and feather mites:
There are a considerable number of other species which occur on a wide
variety of caged and wild birds and which may be encountered from time
to time. Some of the species, such as those in the genera Megninia,
Rivoltasia, Protalges and Protolichus, live in the plumage and seldom
cause trouble unless present in massive numbers. The species Faculifer
rostratis is commonly found on pigeons. There are a few mites, for
example Syringophilus and Dermoglyphus, which actually inhabit the
feather quills and in addition to causing irritation may also produce
excessive moulting. Species of Epidermoptes, Microlichus, and Myialges
produce mange on most areas of the skin which to the naked eye is
indistinguishable from that caused by Knemidocoptes. They do not,
however, appear to invade the scaly areas of the legs and feet. The life
cycles of most of these mites are either completely unknown or poorly
understood.
Treatment and control:
If necessary, the feather mites can be treated in the same way as the
red mites. There is no known treatment which is satisfactory for quill
mites. The mange mites should be treated in the same way as the
Knemidocoptes spp. (scaly leg mite)
Sternostoma tracheacolum and Airsac mites:
This is the only truly pathogenic mite which has been described as
occurring in the respiratory system. It has been reported from many
parts of the world and occurs in all areas of the respiratory tract.
Many species of birds have been found infested including the canary,
gouldian finch and budgerigar. Closely related species which are almost
identical to S. tracheacolum also occur in a wide range of hosts. Mites
such as Cytodites nudus although most frequently confined to the air
sacs, have also been reported in various parts of the respiratory tract
of the domestic fowl and other birds, but appear to be harmless.
Several other mites have been found inhabiting the upper respiratory
passages of pigeons, e.g., Neonyssus and Speleognathus. Very little is
known about the life cycles of any of these parasites, but they are not
normally pathogenic. Canaries and especially gouldian finches are
susceptible to infestations with S. tracheacolum, and may show loss of
condition and varying degrees of respiratory distress. Sometimes there
is partial or complete loss of voice in the early stages, ruffled
plumage and sleepiness. Later characteristic "sucking" or smacking
sounds are made, often twice in rapid succession. Coughing, sneezing and
gasping for breath result in loss of sleep, as well as loss of
condition and eventually death, if no treatment is given. Without a
laboratory post-mortem examination, the disease can easily be confused
with gapes due to Syngamus worms, the pharyngeal form of pox or
aspergillosis.
Although the life cycle is uncertain, it is believed that parent birds
may infest nestlings while feeding them with regurgitated food. If
therefore, parents are known to be infested, nestlings should be
hand-reared if this is possible. Affected birds should always be
separated from those which are healthy.
Treatment:
Inhalation of malathion powder has been found to be satisfactory for the
treatment of S. tracheacolum. It is relatively non-toxic when compared
with other agents. The affected bird is placed in a small sealed box or
the cage is covered with a towel, after which the powder is pumped in
using an ordinary puffer type dispenser. The bird should be left in the
box or cage for five minutes after introducing the powder. The almost
inevitable fluttering of the bird will further serve to disperse the
powder. The treatment should be repeated at 4-6 weekly intervals. It is
advisable to treat only one bird at a time, otherwise injuries may occur
whilst fluttering about.
Source
HAMILTON & DISTRICT BUDGERIGAR SOCIETY INC
