# Little Red Stick Bugs on Pigeon (Maggots?!?!)



## Teh_Man875 (Jan 15, 2010)

Hi guys my pigeon that has it's leg injury spilled it's water today. I knew that flies like to lay eggs in wet areas. I also knew that their eggs are red and look like small grains of rice. Well I went to go check on him today and he had these little red stick bugs around his chest and neck area. I have permethrine powder.... Will that help? I also gave him a bath in the faucet and tried to get the bugs off but only some came off. I'm thinking I maybe drowned the others. There were no flies flying around him. He was shaking a little when I went in there today....


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Do they look like this?









If so, they are feather lice and can easily be taken care of with powder or a dip. Permethrin works great. Unless the bird has an open wound, I wouldn't worry about maggots taking up house in there. If it does have an open wound, then put some neosporin or other antibacterial ointment/cream on it. It'll help keep infection out, and the flies won't want to touch the oily cream.


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## Teh_Man875 (Jan 15, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> Do they look like this?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Yea. That looks like them. His tail feathers look a little eaten up. I just put some powder on him. He doesn't have any open wounds that I know about. I'll put more powder on him tomorrow just in case. One quick question.... Do I have to put the powder in water then give him a bath or do I just put it on him? I'm assuming just putting it on him.


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## MaryOfExeter (Sep 30, 2007)

Just put it on him  The stuff you use to dip birds usually comes as a liquid to mix with water. Powders usually just go directly on the feathers rather than mixing it with something else.


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## Teh_Man875 (Jan 15, 2010)

MaryOfExeter said:


> Just put it on him  The stuff you use to dip birds usually comes as a liquid to mix with water. Powders usually just go directly on the feathers rather than mixing it with something else.


Well the permethrin powder worked. . However he is getting very thin so I have to order IVOMEC because I think he has some type of worms. The Piperizine doesn't seem to be working. I'm going to the Little Rhody pigeon event this weekend so I'll pick some up there from NE Pigeon Supplies.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Just for the record, fly eggs are white and look like white rice...the maggots are also white and..ugh! unmistakeable. The one time I had a dove with fly strike was awful, they were writhing and eating her alive and she looked so ill! (The maggots were killed, she survived)


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## Teh_Man875 (Jan 15, 2010)

Feefo said:


> Just for the record, fly eggs are white and look like white rice...the maggots are also white and..ugh! unmistakeable. The one time I had a dove with fly strike was awful, they were writhing and eating her alive and she looked so ill! (The maggots were killed, she survived)


Thanks for the info. . That's horrible! It's good that she survived though. After helping my pigeon through all the stuff he's gone through (broken leg and the pigeon lice) I feel proud and I hope he never gets hurt again. I'm keeping an extra eye on him from now on. I'm going to have to get his wings strengthened again. He's been caged for two weeks now. :/. I have to say though.... They are very fast when they hop.


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## FreeFlying (Feb 15, 2011)

To MaryofExeter, on this thread from last fall, you posted a wonderful close-up photo of feather lice. I'm wondering where this photo came from (if you know of a web site that has this and others of other bugs too, as a resource to ID if birds get bugs of some sort.) Everybody's descriptions were helpful, too, but photos sure help a lot! Thanks!


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