# Levittown woman infested with bird mites quarantined



## TheSnipes (Apr 9, 2007)

*Can you say "EW!"?*

BY SOPHIA CHANG AND JOSEPH MALLIA
[email protected] [email protected]

June 6 2008, 10:26 AM EDT

A Levittown woman infested with highly contagious bird mites -- parasitic arachnids spread by wild birds -- was in quarantine Friday after she was evacuated from her home swathed in a hazardous material suit, police said. 

The complete article can be viewed at:http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-limite0607,0,36826.story


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

*The birds weren't pets, but pests, said Officer Adele Burke, a Nassau police spokeswoman.*

Wow, that's exactly how I think about wild birds, too.....such pests!! 

Glad I'm not that lady, hope it works out for her.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Wow, I'll bet she did a lot of scratching...

Thank God, the people didn't come across with stuff like how dangerous mites are to humans other than discomfort. Looks like there was a hole that the bird entered. That is a lot of mites to accumulate from May to today. Home looked very nice and well maintained. Sure hope the lady gets ok quickly.


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## EgypSwiftLady (Jan 14, 2008)

That sounds really icky I'm starting to itch!


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## Grim (Jul 28, 2007)

Quarantine? How about a shower and cleaning your home.


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## Guest (Jun 7, 2008)

things like this always make me itch  maybe she needs to put a little of that scatt under her arms , a little dab will do you


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

She looks like a really stupid lady.

Whay cant she have a bath or shower, sure this will reduce it alot

and also, not paying rent if she is living in misery. She should have moved out in the first place if she wasnt happy and maybe she wouldnt be in the mess she is now


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

warriec said:


> She looks like a really stupid lady.
> 
> Whay cant she have a bath or shower, sure this will reduce it alot
> 
> and also, not paying rent if she is living in misery. She should have moved out in the first place if she wasnt happy and maybe she wouldnt be in the mess she is now




Hi warriec, 


Yes...

The 'media', and all tendrils of our so-called judicial system, rely on and wish to promote hysterias and mind-sets of Victim-hood.



It is all a sort of horrific, quiet 'Munchausen's Syndrome by proxy' sort-of-thing.


I agree with your observation whole-heartedly - if the woman would simply bathe adequately, Launder the effected clothing and bedding, and clean and Mop her appartment, the 'problem' would disappear.


Also, my friendly wager on this, would be that she is B-Vitamine deficient...also.

And to elaborate further - were she to have adequate Nutrition and adequate B Vitamine intake, and eat Raw Garlic, even if everything else remained the same, the 'mites' would have left her alone...



This latter thought, would be interesting to test with Birds who have 'mites' - to supply a good B Vitamine suppliment, and feed them raw Garlic, and see if the 'mites' remain, or not...


My guess, the 'mites' would make every effort possible to find a different Host...and or to vacate or abandon the Bird in question.




Phil
l v


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

What a bunch of hysterical hoo-ha. I suspect that there is a lot behind this story that isn't being said. If one were to investigate, she probably was on the edge of eviction for non payment of rent and decided to create a bunch of fuss. If bird mites invaded homes and infested people like this article infers, we would have heard a whole lot more before now. Sure the emergency folks put her in a hazard suit. She was yelling that things were crawling and biting her. They weren't going to take a chance transporting her. And I'll bet she was admitted to the hospital for complaints of chest pain, not for bug bites! Then some reporter comes along, sees a chance to make a headline and exaggerates the whole thing another notch higher. What gets blamed? THE BIRDS! Bet the reporter got 90% of his/her information from an exterminator company as well. Yikes, I'd like to scrub both the woman and the reporter in a nice Quell bath.

Margaret


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

"Levittown Mites infested with woman.."


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## Margarret (May 3, 2007)

pdpbison said:


> "Levittown Mites infested with woman.."




M.


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I bet she is smellin too


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Shoulda read more like htis - 



"Levittown woman offers Home to wayward mites, may face charges for violating local mite hording codes"


While the gesture of kindness is not being questioned, the quality of follow-through, is...concerned citizens said.


Neighbors outraged at the conditions in which the 'mites' had been forced to live, said they hope the woman has learned her lesson and would feed and care for them better from now on.


"Well, from the looks of it, she was not caring for the 'mites' very well, nor feeding the 'mites' anywhere near enough, and, they got pretty hungry and desperate and just wanted to be warm...and, well, they had to finally settle for her. I understand 'mite-cruelty' charges are being considered, but, probably she will be let off with a warning THIS TIME..." - a local Nassau County Wildlife spokesperson said.


Local Veteranarians familiar with 'mite' Health issues say that the individuals they have examined do not show any clear signs of actual physical abuse, but, appear to have been neglected emotionally, and were seen to cringe if shown generic pictures of a slender woman wearing curlers in a pink bathrobe, so there is concern...too, many of the younger 'mites' showed significant emaciation and dehydration, several appearing listless or depressed.

Local Vets also said that the fresh air and concerned attentions and little nourishing snacks provided so far, have perked up several of the more listless ones, and the others are already regaining their color and vitality.


Spokesmen from the local 4-H CLub, reminded people to be responsible 'mite' owners, and not to have 'mites' as Pets if they do not intend to care for them adequately.


The 'mites' will be temporarily relocated to various shelters in the vicinity, and a Fund raising effort with a live Rock Band, is proposed by 'PETA' for increasing public awareness of this issue.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Why, Phil, you never cease to surprise me!!

I never knew you wrote! Do you have other stories around to share? Sure would be a shame to let your imagination go to waste! 

You presented their case so well, that I was ready to adopt a few mites myself to give them a good home! However, I'm afraid that Squeaks, Dom and Gimie overruled me when I mentioned the possibility. AND, the cats said that mites were as bad as fleas and they weren't interested either...all EVEN said they would LEAVE me (can you believe that?!) if I persisted!

Well, I tried...

Love, Hugs and Scrtatch...er...Scritches

Shi


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi Shi, 




( I am really rusty, but,) Oh yea, you better BELIEVE I'd love to be a Cub Reporter..!

Oh yes, I would love to have a go at any day's "news"...


Except they'd fire me so fast you'd get whip-lash trying to track it...


Lol...


Love, 


Phil
l v


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

pdpbison said:


> Hi Shi,
> 
> ( I am really rusty, but,) *Oh yea, you better BELIEVE I'd love to be a Cub Reporter..!*
> Oh yes, I would love to have a go at any day's "news"...
> ...



AHA! I KNEW it!! Talent will out... 

Well, hey, the world needs people who "speak up/out!" Now, granted, there ARE ways...

I'd probably get fired too...sometimes my foot gets in the way of my mouth!!  

Love and Hugs

Shi


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## xxmoxiexx (Oct 2, 2006)

LOL!, Phil, you are a funny cat, oops, bird! 
Littlebird emailed this to me a while back, and i had gotten sunburned a few days earlier, so i was itching ANYWAYS, and after this, i couldnt STOP itching! I thought about ALL those times i didnt spray a bird until he was upstairs already, and just SWORE i had mites! I asked how to get rid of mites, and practically bought all the bird mite/lice spray, got lice shampoo, shampooed the carpets, used powder, WASHED everything, and what do you know, no more itching! Must have had NOTHING to do with my sunburn going away!! 
Actually, littlebird gave me an AWESOME remedy for sunburns, something we ALL have for our pijjies, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! Took it RIGHT away!
Now i keep bird mite spray in my car, just in case..


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Hi "X", 



Yes indeed, our beloved "Raw ACV", cut 50/50 with plain cool Water, is a wonderful old remedy for soothing Sunburn, rashes, and other skin discomforts.


Probably the ACV would also discourage 'mites'...!


I am confident, that if one is up on their B Vitamines, that this also discourages 'mites' from electing one for a meal.



Love!


Phil
l v


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

xxmoxiexx said:


> LOL!, Phil, you are a funny cat, oops, bird!
> Littlebird emailed this to me a while back, and i had gotten sunburned a few days earlier, so i was itching ANYWAYS, and after this, i couldnt STOP itching! I thought about ALL those times i didnt spray a bird until he was upstairs already, and just SWORE i had mites! I asked how to get rid of mites, and practically bought all the bird mite/lice spray, got lice shampoo, shampooed the carpets, used powder, WASHED everything, and what do you know, no more itching! Must have had NOTHING to do with my sunburn going away!!
> Actually, littlebird gave me an AWESOME remedy for sunburns, something we ALL have for our pijjies, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! Took it RIGHT away!
> Now i keep bird mite spray in my car, just in case..


That reminds of of my sister calling one day and wanted me to look through her hair for head lice. Her children's school had sent home a notice saying that head lice had been found on one of the students. My sister had gone through her kid hair looking for nits and found one on her daughter. After that she had changed all the bedding in the house and cleaned everything. Still, her own head was very itchy. I would over and went though her hair very carefully with one of those little nit combs she bought at the drug store. Not a nit in sight but rather than tell her so, I pretended to find some. Got it, I said and then I pretended to find another. Itching stopped immediately and she thanked me over and over. I have never told a soul, until this day, that I found no nits in my sister's hair that day. I did rescue her from another miserable night's sleep. I was a good sister.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Lol...

Cool Storey Charis...




If Dinosaurs had 'mites', would they have been Dyno-Mites?


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

pdpbison said:


> Lol...
> 
> Cool Storey Charis...
> 
> ...


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Well, you know, the so-called 'Pigeon Fly, the 'Hippoboscidae', being among the few remaining Flying Lice from very ancient times, where, all very nearly all true Lice species long ago elected to become Apterygial, to eschew their Wings and fly no more...even as had 'Ants' who are actually Apterygial Wasps.


The Hippoboscidae has likely not changed since the time of the Dinosaurs...or earlier...


Given, that the modern 'Birds' are the surviving/extant Coelurosaurs/Theropods, or, that the Coelurosaurids/Theropods were ( 'earlier' versions of ) 'Birds', were 'Feathered', even if most were not fliers...


The 'Hippoboscidae' of to-day, may very well have pestered the ancientmost 'Birds' also...or, may have been pestering them continuously, for a couple two or three hundred million years now..!


The little 'grunt' a Pigeon makes, the 'grunt' and the instant 'Biting Preen' or Leg Scratch, which a Pigeon will do when a 'Hip' bites him...is probably unchanged from an similar grunt or small cry and reaction of the various Coelurosaurs...


My guess anyway...!


There are only a few true Flying Lice remaining on Earth, and I forget now,but, one is specific to Pigeons...one, to Camels, and a couple others, I forget what they are specific to.


'Mites' are also very very ancient, and are of course very small, true Spiders.

They eschewed the making of Webs, to favor free-roving manners of forrage, and, some, became adapted climbing onto larger animals to bite them for food, and laying in wait between times, instead of eating detritis or forraging or hunting for tiny foods or prey.

Many are so small they are regarded as being below the threshold at which an unaided Human eye can even see them.




Phil
l v


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## Noisy_minor (Jun 20, 2008)

haha nice article Phil was a good read. 
what a nut case i would have loved to hear what she said to the operator when she called 911 "theres mites in my house and they are refusing to leave" i would have laughed and told her to have a shower and hung up the fone. you would think a normal human would just have a look on the internet, and with all that rent money she didnt pay go and buy the appropriate stuff and solve the problem. but no lets go call 911 and pretend we are in the set of E.T.


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## Teresa (Jul 10, 2005)

Phil's comments and 'newspaper article' are absolutely hilarious! Well deserved too, because it seems to me that the 'victim' was just trying to get out of paying the rent money she owed, and it just became another excuse to give pigeons a bad reputation. It reminds me of something that happened to us, only it didn't involve mites but woodworm.
Five years ago our tenants, who had neglected to adequately maintain the floorboards of their luxury apartment, got some unwelcome houseguests, which they tried to use as an excuse to get out of their rent contract without paying. One of them said he'd been told by his doctor he had been bitten by woodworm, and might have larvae under his skin. Before my mother or I could reply, my daughter said, 'Hang on, you're confusing me. Did they mistake you for a lump of wood or for a lady woodworm?' As you can imagine, the case collapsed.

Teresa.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Question about feather mites:

Can they be seen with a jeweler's loup? 

How long do they stay on a molted feather, IF they stay?

Many thanks...

Shi


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

mr squeaks said:


> Question about feather mites:
> 
> Can they be seen with a jeweler's loup?
> 
> ...


Hi Shi, 



I am not in the front-of-the-class on this, but...I think that the Feather eating ones are Lice - or are figurative 'Lice' - and not 'mites', and, they stay on the Feathers whether the Feather is discarded or not.

These are elongate bodied and very tiny, or that the lager adults are at the fringe of what is visible to the naked eye if one has very good detail close-up vision.


Follicle Mites inhabit the Feather Follicles and can cause a loss of Feathers or interfere with Feather growth or re-growth and are of course a different Creature.



Human Beings have symbotic Animals which live in our Eye Lash follicles, but I forget what these are or how we are supposed to come by them.

I do not think they are 'Mites', but some sort of Nematode probably...I will have to check and report back on that when I find out...


Dogs and Cats typically have 'Ear' Ites which can cause stiny Ear canals...if you have ever stuck your nise into a Dog's or Cat's ear and taken a whiff, it can smell pretty bad. These also cause itchy ears and discomfort and tenderness for the Dog or Cat and they appreciate being rid of them.

These are easily suffocated ( the 'mites' that is ) by dripping Olive Oil onto various places inside the Ear cavity so it distributes itself around by whicking.



Phil
l v


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