# little thin bugs on my birds



## new guy (Jul 15, 2009)

I have noticed very tiny thin bugs on my birds and don't know what they are or how to get rid of them. I am new to the pigeon world and would like some directions.


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## Pigeon lower (Oct 23, 2007)

It would probally be lice, do you notice little holes in some of there feathers? usually somtimes in a line.


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## new guy (Jul 15, 2009)

I will check it out in the morning and get back to you. thank you


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

ok,.feather lice eh,.been there done that,,they are not the same as human head lice,,these pests eat feathers,,i used-hartz-ear mite treatment 0.05% pyrethrins,one drop behind head on neck,should do the job,.sincerely james waller


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## NitaS (May 26, 2007)

A weekly bath with 20 Mule Team Borax will also do the trick. I put in about a tablespoon in a cat litter pan of water. Haven't seen bugs on my birds for ages!


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## new guy (Jul 15, 2009)

With the ear mite treatment is that a one time application or daily or weekly time frame? Thank you


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Or Ivermectin, one drop behind head on neck, will clean birds of all external and internal parasites (expt. round worms) - once off treatment. It is quite safe.


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## raptor (Jun 14, 2009)

could also be pigeon flies...i got rid of raptor's by dunking him in a bath  didn't manage to catch by hand, they're really fast.


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## new guy (Jul 15, 2009)

you were right on with the feather lice,, thank you I applied their first treament last night and this morning those little creatures attacking my birds weren't moving anymore. However I did notice for the first time this morning the holes in the feathers creating a line. 

thank you again for all of your help


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## theBrewMeister (Jun 30, 2009)

jameswaller said:


> ok,.feather lice eh,.been there done that,,they are not the same as human head lice,,these pests eat feathers,,i used-hartz-ear mite treatment 0.05% pyrethrins,one drop behind head on neck,should do the job,.sincerely james waller


is this stuff typically available at the local "Pet Smart?"


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## flyingfree (Jul 28, 2009)

is the "hartz-ear mite treament" the same kind that is used to kill ear mites in dog ears? if so you can get it at walmart or most pet store such as petco and petsmart.


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## g0ldenb0y55 (Dec 23, 2008)

Get "Seven Garden Dust" from your local Lowe's and dust your infested bird/s. This will do the trick. For heavy infestation a second dusting would be recommended. After an hour or two give the bird/s some bath water with 20 mule borax (1 tbsp. per gal. of water).


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

*otc*



theBrewMeister said:


> is this stuff typically available at the local "Pet Smart?"


yes,-over the counter,..thats-the-timely method,.available at grocery stores,ie.,safeway,riteaid,walmart,.make sure the strength is 0.05%-pyrethrins/.i hate having to put out good money for a prescription,,when the problem is not going to wait,,sincerely james


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## jameswaller (Nov 4, 2008)

*pyrethrins(0.05%)-ear mite medicine*



flyingfree said:


> is the "hartz-ear mite treament" the same kind that is used to kill ear mites in dog ears? if so you can get it at walmart or most pet store such as petco and petsmart.


yes,,just check the strength on the label,,place behind head one drop-on the skin,,this is a place they cannot reach easily,..remember it is an insecticide,handle with care,,sincerely james waller


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

that is interesting, if your birds have done well with it, that is another option that sounds pretty easy to use...


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## Glyn (Jun 29, 2009)

Ive Just Bought Some Anti-Mite And Bug Spray It Was £4 From Pet Shop And Ive just Bought Some Pigeon Tonic That was Also £4 lol


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## FreeFlyer (Jul 21, 2009)

if i remember correctly the hartz ear mite treatment is only a few dollars at walmart in the dog section. I'm pretty sure it has 0.05% Prethrins as well. Nice to know, I was just handling my birds the other day and a few of them had some small thin insects as well. I thought they were just bugs but I guess they're lice. Thanks for the info.


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## pigeonwriter (Jul 13, 2009)

jameswaller said:


> yes,,just check the strength on the label,,place behind head one drop-on the skin,,this is a place they cannot reach easily,..remember it is an insecticide,handle with care,,sincerely james waller


I am not sure whether this product is really safe. I have read a lot of negative reactions to it on the internet, about pets dying, falling into shock.
Can anyone clarify this?


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## Niloc5 (Aug 3, 2009)

I think the 20 Mule Team Borax would be the safer/easier way to go


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## Hillybean (Oct 30, 2005)

It sounds like mites! 
Sevens Dust is a safe way to go. It takes two people, make sure you don't get it in the birds eyes. Check through the forum through search. There is already a ton of information on this.

Please be careful with sprays...they are not good to use around animals with sensitive respiratories. This includes birds, and pigeon!
Also pet rodents!

Also most things for dogs aren't safe to use on the birds. It's harder to get the dosage right...and most of those have bad reactions on dogs (like the product called Revolution). It is a common one being used to treat fleas, mite and lice on others animals. Death reports have been made and they do not recommend you use them on other animals. If used on other animals, because of the warning label it would NOT be their fault, so you could not sue...it'd be on you.

Hope this helps!
Hilly


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## italianbird101 (Sep 12, 2007)

A lot of people have mentioned 20 Mule Team Borax. Where do you purchase it? is it a powder or a liquid?


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## SmithFamilyLoft (Nov 22, 2004)

italianbird101 said:


> A lot of people have mentioned 20 Mule Team Borax. Where do you purchase it? is it a powder or a liquid?


 At the grocery store...in the laundry products. What I can't figure or remember at this moment, is the maximum amount to use per gallon.
I had a whole bunch of regualr pigeon bath salts and it's been awhile since I last used the 20 Mule Team product. Anyone who has been using it for awhile care to share what amount they use for say a four gallon bath pan ?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Hillybean said:


> It sounds like mites!
> Sevens Dust is a safe way to go. It takes two people, make sure you don't get it in the birds eyes. Check through the forum through search. There is already a ton of information on this.
> 
> Please be careful with sprays...they are not good to use around animals with sensitive respiratories. This includes birds, and pigeon!
> ...


You can do it alone, if you place the bird on your lap, and use a couple of cotton balls, or a small powder puff to apply the sevin dust. I keep it in a small can in the loft with a small powder puff in the can. Easy to put it where you want. Just stay away from the birds head.


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

I just bought a silver roller about 1 week ago and noticed a little thin bug kind of black with red eyes. I don't know if that is the same as feather mites.? It runs on my pigeons back into the feathers


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

LA_BOY said:


> I just bought a silver roller about 1 week ago and noticed a little thin bug kind of black with red eyes. I don't know if that is the same as feather mites.? It runs on my pigeons back into the feathers


if it is rather large (for a parasite) and looks like a flattened fly it is a pigeon louse fly


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

LA_BOY said:


> I just bought a silver roller about 1 week ago and noticed a little thin bug kind of black with red eyes. I don't know if that is the same as feather mites.? It runs on my pigeons back into the feathers


Sounds like lice. Permethrin powder or Seven dust 5%, found at grain places or hardware stores will get rid of them. Or you can pick up a pet bird spray at any pet shop.


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

Yeah it looks like a flatten fly.
What should I do, I just placed him by himself so it wouldn't jump on my other pigeons.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Put a drop of ivermectin solution on the back of the neck, under wingpits and in the tail feathers on the SKIN. All external parasites will get killed.

Also deworm your pigeons for internal parasites with Moxidectin Plus,cuz I'm assuming if your new bird has external parasites then it may have internal ones too and can give it to all other birds. Moxidectin PLUS will kill internal as well as external ones too.

You can use permethrin dust to dust the birds for external parasites.
Whatever way you go with,treat all birds at the same time.


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## pigeonjim (May 12, 2012)

g0ldenb0y55 said:


> Get "Seven Garden Dust" from your local Lowe's and dust your infested bird/s. This will do the trick. For heavy infestation a second dusting would be recommended. After an hour or two give the bird/s some bath water with 20 mule borax (1 tbsp. per gal. of water).


Everyone I know uses Seven Dust also. I like the sound of the 1 drop treatment though.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

The dust is quicker, as it doesn't have to go through the system. Kills them right away and easy to get. The Ivermectin will work on bugs that bite them, but not on bugs that live off the feathers.


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## Jr Brown (May 22, 2012)

I was told by an older guy who had pigeons fro years to use Pins Sol household disinfectant in the bath water for lice. When I put a post on this site last year about using it some people thought it would be bad for the birds. 
I have continued to use it and I know it works. I recently rescued a all white homer from a wildlife rescue. It was full of lice. I decided to conduct an experiment using the 20 mule borax everyone recommends.
Since I was going to try and settle this new bird to my loft I cut half of some flight feathers that had 3 or 4 lice on each. I submerged one in a mix of 1tbl spoon borax to a quart of water for 1 minute. I submerged the other in a quart of water with a single drop of Pine Sol for 1 minute. I removed them both, placed them on a white paper towel and waited. After some time the lice on the feather soaked in Borax left the feather. The feather soaked in Pine Sol still has the lice on it because they are dead.
I then took the pigeon and held it with it's head above the warm water mix with PineSol of 4 drops for 1 gallon water for about 30 seconds. I repeated a second dip in the PineSol bath for 30 seconds. 
I checked the bird 2 days later and found a few lice, repeated the bath with PineSol. All my birds get a bath about every 2 weeks with a few drops of PineSol and I do not have any lice and my birds are healthy. I have been doing this for over a year and the guy that told me about it has been doing it for 30 years.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

It may work on the lice, but something like that isn't good for a pigeon. Even the fumes are bad for their respiratory. It isn't difficult to find products that are made for use on birds, but everyone has to try and find a cheaper easier (for them) way.


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## Jr Brown (May 22, 2012)

That is the same kind of response I got the last time I posted the information about using PineSol. How do we know it is bad for pigeons? Is it bad for humans too? Are the other products mentioned here by other members bad for pigeons? How do you know it is bad for pigeons, where is the evidence?


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

Jr Brown I wouldn't use a household product directly on my birds just like I wouldn't use a household cleaning product on my dogs. In the case of the dogs it is because their coats and skins can be VERY sensitive to some chemicals. 

The theory is that bird approved products have been tested to be harm free (though I would not trust all commercial products - as there have been so many reports lately of deadly 'pet' products)

Lungs are a very sensitive system and not easy to bring back to optimal health once they have been damaged.

Just in the way that many people here say that while they used to have no problems with their own lungs, they suddenly find themselves with pigeon fanciers' lung. Damage can be slow to build up, but irreversible. Just because at them moment I am not bothered by the pigeon dust doesn't mean I don';t have to wear a mask when cleaning.

You say the guy has done it for 30 years. Maybe he has, nd maybe he hasn;t had problems. Or maybe since the damage was slow to show he associated problems and weaknesses to other things. 

The point is you cannot know that it IS safe without knowing what it does to the pigeons resp system. How and how much is absorbed. Does it get into the blood stream? The fatty tissue? How long does it take to clear out? Does it react with anything else? eg medication? 

We trust pigeon products because we trust that people have studied how the chemical interacts with the pigeons body. Just because your bird doesn't drop dead after a bath doesn't mean the chemicals aren't leaving something behind.

You may be right, and it is perfectly harmless, but I would rather not experiment with the lives of my birds.

Its not about proving that the product is bad for pigeons..........its about proving the product is SAFE for pigeons


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

So it's recommend.
I don't wanna place anything harmful on my pigeons.
Since I have a nice cherry roller and I have to apply the medication on all of my rollers, and it's a nice roller and don't wanna harm it or any of my pigeons.?


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

Not only for bathing but people even use such harmful products in birds's drinking water...(I won't name those products unless some people would want to give them a try and vice versa)
I mean WHY would one go for harmful products rather, when one can get pigeon specific products that are reliable and safe for pigeons. A responsible ownwer goes for those products which would only benefit without any risk of harmful effects. Such products donot only kill harmful bacteria and parasite but also kills friendly bacteria and give pigeons many problems. Such products may be used in an emergency when there nothing else available...all has been explained above beautifully by Jay3 and LisaNewTumbler,so don't wanna repeat it.
Pls be a responsible and caring ownwer.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello. To jr brown: the person recommending li sol: does he/she fly the birds regularly? Thank you. 
I use poultry dust for lice and flies: it kills all flies but not sure about all lice. I guess it needs to be used repeatedley, kind of like roach sprays because the eggs may hatch new live lice.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

hamlet said:


> Hello. To jr brown: the person recommending li sol: does he/she fly the birds regularly? Thank you.
> I use poultry dust for lice and flies: it kills all flies but not sure about all lice. I guess it needs to be used repeatedley, kind of like roach sprays because the eggs may hatch new live lice.


With anti-parasitics it is usually recomended to treat, wait for a specified time to give the eggs a chance to hatch and treat again.

btw my avian vet gave me a syringe of Ivemectin (i'll double check the name but I'm pretty sure that's it) and told me to put one drop on the skin on the back of the neck.

Easy as pie and worked like a charm

Edit: Ivermectin


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Ivermectin is good and works well, but won't kill the feather mites that live off the feathers themselves. It will however kill any mites or lice that bite and eat off the bird.
The Permethrin dust or Sevin 5% dust will kill all of them.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

Jay3 said:


> Ivermectin is good and works well, but won't kill the feather mites that live off the feathers themselves. It will however kill any mites or lice that bite and eat off the bird.
> The Permethrin dust or Sevin 5% dust will kill all of them.


I didn't know that thanks. Do the feather mites itch them aswell or can you tell they're there only by the feather damage?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

You can see them, and the damage they do to the feathers. They will bore small holes in the shaft.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

I know Georgie's in the clear. Just caught him yesterday to put him in quarantine. Feeling lovely and FAT!  Looked him over and his feathers were fine.

I'll have an inspection of the others tomorrow, see if they've got anything.

Thanks Jay


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

So is Moxidectin Plus something I can for sure give them with no back side affects.
And I know this is way off topic but how can I defend my pigeons from eagles, should I make a good sling shot?


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

LA_BOY said:


> So is Moxidectin Plus something I can for sure give them with no back side affects.
> And I know this is way off topic but how can I defend my pigeons from eagles, should I make a good sling shot?



Yes Moxidectin plus is safe. If they are feather mites that live off the feathers, but don't bite the bird, then it won't kill them. For them, you need a powder or a spray for bird mites and lice. Not even to to address your other question. You can't harm them. That is against the law.


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

It just the first 4 pigeons I got as a gift one black white doted roller one day didn't come back and about one week ago a silver roller I got for Christmas along with two more rollers got caught right before my eyes by an eagle. I got a little mad and we'll hurt cause there not just pigeons there my pigeons. But now I haven't let my rollers out but I haven't seen the eagle around for about 4 to 5 days after like 50 crows came bye.
Thanks for the reply on the treatment for my birds, I appreciated


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## LA_BOY (Dec 28, 2013)

*It missed up on the gramer.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

LisaNewTumbler; said:


> I didn't know that thanks. Do the feather mites itch them aswell or can you tell they're there only by the feather damage?


Yes,almost all species of mites do suck blood. And ivermectin is one of the safest products to kill feather mites. Dusting give instant results as 15mins after its application,mites fall on ground but ivermectin is one of the safest product to kill them.


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## hamlet (Oct 26, 2004)

Hello Brocky. What kind of ivermectin for feather mites? I only know the liquid kind. Is it the one for sheep? Thank you.


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## LisaNewTumbler (Jun 24, 2013)

brocky bieber said:


> Yes,almost all species of mites do suck blood. And ivermectin is one of the safest products to kill feather mites. Dusting give instant results as 15mins after its application,mites fall on ground but ivermectin is one of the safest product to kill them.


Ok thanks  then since there is no itching I am going to asume they are in the clear!


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

LisaNewTumbler said:


> Ok thanks then since there is no itching I am going to asume they are in the clear!


You can keep them all clear always, by adding half a teaspoon of ivermectin per 3litres or gallon of pigeon's bathing water once in 15 days regularly to keep ectoparasites away. I've been using it for years and I don't find any ectoparasites on my pigeons. I dust my birds once in like six months or so... I think its 8 months since I dusted my birds. Today while posting I checked my birds and not even a single ectoparasite was found. Thanks to ivermectin of which I put one drop on back of the neck,in wingpits and one drop in the tail feathers on the SKIN and add it in bathing water regularly.

Way back,once an insecticide powder burned my hands so..


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

hamlet said:


> Hello. To jr brown: the person recommending li sol: does he/she fly the birds regularly? Thank you.
> I use poultry dust for lice and flies: it kills all flies but not sure about all lice. I guess it needs to be used repeatedley, kind of like roach sprays because the eggs may hatch new live lice.



The poultry dust will work for a couple of weeks, if you don't let them bathe.


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## Jass SamOplay (May 29, 2012)

hamlet said:


> Hello Brocky. What kind of ivermectin for feather mites? I only know the liquid kind. Is it the one for sheep? Thank you.


Hello hamlet,
I use ivermectin oral suspension which is intended to be given to the birds via mouth. Its one fantastic product. Yes you can use the one for the sheep but it shouldn't be the injectable form, but should be oral suspension instead.
I hope you also get great results like me...
People use many insecticides on birds,OMG without caring that it can get into bird's eyes and can burn their skin. And these dangerous insecticides can also give respiratory irritation to birds,which I experienced with my birds. So I'm very careful when dusting my birds.


> *taken from avianweb.com*
> Lice & Mite Control
> The treatments for lice, mites and flies concentrate around the breeding season when the weather is warm and the number of young birds is high. The treatments of the past (e.g. O/P insecticides such as malathion) are very toxic to birds. Unknowingly, bird enthusiasts were poisoning themselves, their young birds and the breeding performance of their birds. Fortunately, nowadays, safer and more effective products such as Ivermectin type medicine, appropriate insectide treatment and Water Cleanser have replaced the "old" toxic insecticides. These three products are used in combination to control lice, mites and biting flies in parrot and finch aviaries.
> 
> ...


In the link they say, it doesn't kill quil mites but it does kill quil mites also when added to bathing water.


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