# Ivermectin for Feather Mites?



## Judy Miller (May 3, 2007)

I need to place an order for pigeon supplies anyway and thought that I would have the ivermctin on hand in case neosporin doesn't work...are feather mites blood suckers? 

Here's my dilemma:
I have 2 ringnecks who have been missing feathers for a long time (6 mos +/-). I have asked about this in another chatroom and was told to look for mites or other critters. I didn't see any so the assumption was that they are getting pulled out. I'm just not sure that's the case. It is a father and son. They are in an indoor aviary with 8 other doves. No other doves have this affliction, and I do not see them pulling their own feathers. Roscoe's have been missing since he was alone with his mate in a breeder cage. I thought it was just molt at that time. 

I read here to use neosporin to basically suffocate feather mites. I am currently trying that avenue in case I just couldn't find them. I had never heard of feather mites and don't know if they feed on the feathers or live there and are actually blood suckers. Roscoe is missing feathers on each side of his head by his ears and Boscoe is missing feathers under his right wing. I would think that if it really were mites other doves would be displaying this...

If it's not mites and it's not feather plucking what else is there? They seem quite healthy otherwise. It does make me wonder if it's some kind of genetic thing.????

Thanks!
Judy


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## Judy Miller (May 3, 2007)

One more thing...if you all think it is feather mites, should I treat all of my doves with ivermectin? Judy


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

There are different kinds of mites that can affect feathers and cause feather loss. On the other hand it alco could be a fungus, or idiopathic.
I am not sure neosporin would help, depending on the mites or a fungus they could thrive in neosporin.
I would give the ivomec a try only on those two birds that are affected, it it works then you can also treat the other birds.
Now, best would be if a vet could take a scraping from the affected area and look it under the microscope.

Reti


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Hello Judy, 

It doesn't really sound like feather mites or mites in general. I wouldn't suspect that you'd see feather loss only in certain areas like you've mentioned.

However, treating your birds with an antiparasitic should be done twice a year to be safe anyway. Ivermectin is a good choice and very safe as far as "drugs" go. Mites are often eliminated on the feet of birds using oils or thick creams to "suffocate" the mites there. If the neosporin is a thick cream, it should work on the feet but only if there are mites on the scales of the legs and toes.

I wonder if father and son are fighting up a storm..what is their relationship like...do they get along mostly or do you see them fighting often?


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## Judy Miller (May 3, 2007)

Thanks for all of the ideas. I will go ahead and order the ivermectin. 

Brad, Dad and Son get along fairly well as boys go. I had to pull some of my other males out of the aviary for misbehaving.

If it's a fungus, can I use an over the counter human antifungal cream like Lotrimin? Of course now they have the oily solution from the neosporin so it won't penetrate!

Judy


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Judy Miller said:


> If it's a fungus, can I use an over the counter human antifungal cream like Lotrimin? Of course now they have the oily solution from the neosporin so it won't penetrate!
> 
> Judy


Hi Judy, 

If you're thinking of the possibility of a fungus, I would take one or both of your birds to a qualified avian vet to diagnose this or at least surmise. Fungi are very difficult to eradicate, whether internal or external but also not as common as other reasons for feather problems...I would think it depends on your climate more than anything and if you have damp, humid conditions often.


Good luck and keep us posted.


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

You can try an antifungal.
Better use colloidal silver, it worked miracles for me and my birds.

Reti


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## warriec (Feb 2, 2007)

I am now a big fanof ivermectin - if you have a parasite problem your best bet is ivermection. if its fungus i suggest a drying agent like potassium permaganate.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I have used neosporin myself on wounds, especially babies that had been pecked by other pigeons. But my vet recently told me not to use neosporin or any oily or petroleum-based ointment on a birds skin _ever_ because it's very bad for their skin. 

I don't know what is wrong with your doves, but as others have suggested, it's a good idea to treat for parasites a couple times a year anyway. My ringnecks fight like crazy and I have to keep each pair in a separate pen because father and son hate each other so much. But if yours don't fight like that, I would guess they are not pulling each other's feathers out. 

I don't mean to discourage you, but my vet said some skin conditions can be extremely difficult to diagnose in birds. Our male canary, who lives alone in his cage, started losing feathers around his neck and chest almost a year ago. We've tried ivermectin, a cortisone + antibiotic liquid prescribed by the vet and half a dozen over the counter bird products, to no avail. He continues to lose feathers and looks terrible with a bare neck, chest, back and now part of his face. I'm afraid he'll wind up completely naked. The strange thing is that he is otherwise healthy and vigorous, sings, preens and bathes as normal. We have him on a very good diet and I keep his cage scrupuously clean. None of our other cage birds have the problem. 

The vet said in some cases like our canary's he's done biopsies and still couldn't diagnose the problem. He didn't find any parasites when he examined him. 

Are your doves' bald patches completely bare or do you see pinfeathers start to come in but then disappear? There is a stubborn type of mite that destroys feathers in that manner. One of our pigeons had a patch like that and it finally responded to Scalex.


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

Birdmom4ever said:


> I have used neosporin myself on wounds, especially babies that had been pecked by other pigeons. But my vet recently told me not to use neosporin or any oily or petroleum-based ointment on a birds skin _ever_ because it's very bad for their skin.
> 
> I don't know what is wrong with your doves, but as others have suggested, it's a good idea to treat for parasites a couple times a year anyway. My ringnecks fight like crazy and I have to keep each pair in a separate pen because father and son hate each other so much. But if yours don't fight like that, I would guess they are not pulling each other's feathers out.
> 
> ...


Just a thought, Birdmom4ever, but could your canary *need a mate*? Recently read an article about parrots who had feather problems due to sex related issues. Many times they plucked their feathers out and were almost bald. Maybe same with canaries? Other birds??

Hugs
Shi


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

I don't think so. Unlike pigeons, canaries are usually content as solitary birds. He's in a room by himself but he can hear all our other cage birds (finches, lovebird, cockatiel and budgies) across the hall and the wild birds outside. He was a rescue and I'm not supposed to breed him--I had to sign an agreement when I adopted him that I wouldn't use him for breeding. At this point, however, I'm almost tempted to get him a hen just to see if it helps. He's definitely not plucking; the feathers just fall out.


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## Judy Miller (May 3, 2007)

Birdmom4vr, maybe it's my imagination but it looks like Roscoe's feathers on each side of his head may be growing in a little. I have only used the neosporin one time about 5 days ago. Sometimes it does look like there's a pin feather so hopefully it's not some rare disease. I saw him scratching the side of his head today but that's the first time I've seen that in him. Don't know if it's new or I've just been missing it. And thanks for the warning. I'd rather know that they may be naked some day than to be frustrated watching them get balder and balder.

Judy


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## flitsnowzoom (Mar 20, 2007)

Birdmom4ever said:


> He was a rescue and I'm not supposed to breed him--I had to sign an agreement when I adopted him that I wouldn't use him for breeding. At this point, however, I'm almost tempted to get him a hen just to see if it helps. He's definitely not plucking; the feathers just fall out.


Well, maybe the bird needs a friend. Just because you get a hen, doesn't mean anything will happen. You're not breeding him, you're supporting his frail mental state  I understand why these rescue places make you sign these agreements, but that sure does make it a more difficult life for a bird.

Poor baby, I can't imagine living a solitary life within earshot of all those other birds. Heck, even canaries have to have canaries to make more canaries


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Birdmom4ever said:


> I have used neosporin myself on wounds, especially babies that had been pecked by other pigeons. But my vet recently told me not to use neosporin or any oily or petroleum-based ointment on a birds skin _ever_ because it's very bad for their skin.


Hi Cathy, 

Not to second guess or question your vet but why does he feel that oily ointments are bad for a pigeons/birds' skin? 

When I made that statement about oils or creams that are used to suffocate mites on their legs, I was talking mostly about 'non' petroleum based things. Any oils can be used on a pigeons' legs & feet such as olive, corn, vegetable or even mineral or cod liver. The effect is still the same and these oils and creams will kill the mites on those parts of the skin and once the parasites can no longer breathe or move. 

Neosporin I don't really know if it's "petroleum" based or not but it's antimicrobial properties are good aren't they and often this ointment is mentioned on this forum as a beneficial thing to various degrees.


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

He didn't say why it was bad. As I said, I've used it on scalped babies and they recovered just fine. Seems to me it's better to use neosporin to prevent infection (if that's all you have) than to do nothing. I don't think there's any problem using oily stuff on their feet, just their skin. I actually had another vet tell me not to use oil-based products on birds' skin, come to think of it. 

Judy, there's a product I tried on the canary (though in his case it didn't work) that might help your doves. I bought it from one of the pigeon supplies--I think it was Foy's, but I'm not positive. It was either Foy's or Global. It's imported from Belgium and it's called "Borst-Oke Cream. " It's used to treat feather rot.


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## Pigeonpal2002 (Jul 27, 2002)

Birdmom4ever said:


> . I actually had another vet tell me not to use oil-based products on birds' skin, come to think of it.
> 
> .



Hi Cathy, 

Thanks and I just needed to clear that up. I was only suggesting the use of these creams and oils on a bird's legs & feet anyway.


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## pdpbison (Mar 15, 2005)

Judy Miller said:


> I need to place an order for pigeon supplies anyway and thought that I would have the ivermctin on hand in case neosporin doesn't work...are feather mites blood suckers?
> 
> Here's my dilemma:
> I have 2 ringnecks who have been missing feathers for a long time (6 mos +/-). I have asked about this in another chatroom and was told to look for mites or other critters. I didn't see any so the assumption was that they are getting pulled out. I'm just not sure that's the case. It is a father and son. They are in an indoor aviary with 8 other doves. No other doves have this affliction, and I do not see them pulling their own feathers. Roscoe's have been missing since he was alone with his mate in a breeder cage. I thought it was just molt at that time.
> ...




Hi Judy, 



Can you post some images, and close-up images showing the effected areas?


Phil
Las Vegas


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

Pigeonpal2002 said:


> Hi Cathy,
> 
> Thanks and I just needed to clear that up. I was only suggesting the use of these creams and oils on a bird's legs & feet anyway.


Yep--on the legs and feet it's okay.


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