# Please help with external parasites



## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

Hello all,

We have a pigeon that we got a couple of days ago from grazyna. She seems to be healthy -despite a problem with deformed feet-, but yesterday I spotted a parasite when I was handling her.

It is aproximately the size of a fly, gray, and has what appears to be two small wings. At first I thought that it was a fly, but then I saw it jumping from the pigeon's body to the floor. 

I've been looking on the internet and it seems that the parasite may be either a tick or a pigeon fly, but none had pictures.

Does anyone know if any site that shows pictures while describing these pests? Any suggestions on how to treat it? 

Thanks so much

Turkeyman


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Hi,
You're definitely describing what I call the pigeon fly. It has a scientific name and does molest other animals. This fly is built like a tank. It isn't even easy to crush it. 
The fly is responsible for sapping a bird's strength from blood sucking and also carries the organism that gives pigeons a form of malaria so it's important to dust the bird down and get rid of not just that insect but all insects.
I use a product sold by Foys called Ectoban D and found it to be quite effective. It's an artificial pyrethrin powder and as long as nothing goes into the mouth or eyes, I use a pretty good amount of it, pouring it on both the underside of the body and the top from the neck to the tip of the tail and from the base of the wings to the tips.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

I have e-mailed you a photo. If anyone else wants a close-up view of these beasties, please e-mail me.

And I am so relieved to know Grazyna's pigeon is with you!

Cynthia


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

Hi again,

Cynthia, thanks for the info and the pictures. The parasite that I saw had smaller wings and it wasn't as dark. As I mentioned earlier, just gray. Perhaps it is a younger "fly", still in larvae stage?

Fred, where do you get the product that you mentioned -Ectoban D-? Can we get it in the petstore?

We also got the other pigeon from grazyna, the one that wasn't eating on his own. He seems totally fine, eating and drinking normaly and often. We are keeping them in separate cages and not allowing direct contact between them. Should we also spray this one with Ectoban D?

Thanks again

turkeyman


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Hello turkeyman,

That's what I told Cynthia by email after asking her to send me the pic also.

I was assuming that was the one but the pic looks more like a house fly and the one I saw was very grey and dull looking..He had shorter wings and was more flat and not so clear looking.
He jumped off one of the pigeons I am caring for onto the curtain and it was so scary








After my grandma crushed him and put him down the toilet, he still wasn't dead!! They are so hard to kill.
I have not seen anymore and even after spraying the pigeon I didn't notice any dead flies only little long bugs..I'm thinking either there are none left or they just won't die









Hope the product that Fred told you about will work!

Mary


[This message has been edited by maryco (edited November 05, 2002).]


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

They are called hippoboscid flies, and they can infest any species of bird. Try not to let one settle on you and burrow down to your skin. Their intense itching will drive you insane!


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Now you are scaring me Helen!...They will do that?!?!?!?!?!?!!??

Mary




> Originally posted by Nooti:
> *They are called hippoboscid flies, and they can infest any species of bird. Try not to let one settle on you and burrow down to your skin. Their intense itching will drive you insane!*


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

Hi,
The toll free number for Foys is:
(877)355-7727

Mary, you never knew that those flys could bite people?


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

No!!!








I never knew that and now I am even more scared!








I hope he didn't bite my mom...

I looked up afew websites on external parasites on birds..I think it's best NOT to know about them so I closed the window because I won't be able to ever touch a pigeon knowing what those bugs are like..And of course I know people have little bugs on them too







That's why I never watch those shows about them or I won't ever sleep again!

Mary



> Originally posted by fred2344:
> *Hi,
> The toll free number for Foys is:
> (877)355-7727
> ...


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## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Now you are scaring me Helen!...They will do that?!?!?!?!?!?!!??

************************************
I had it happen to me once!


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## raynjudy (Aug 22, 2000)

"..And of course I know people have little bugs on them too







"

Are you referring to those microscopic animalcules that crawl enmasse over human skin, all day, every day, round the clock--especially while we sleep? Are those the ones? I've often wondered when the errant zap of a cosmic ray might drive a pivotal mutation, and a collective consciousness would evolve... Eek indeed!


















(I could never post that as a moderator. This is fun! Whee!)

Actually, a huge percentage of household dust is sloughed off human skin. And a surprising percentage of that dust is of cosmic origin. But the vast majority of household dust allergies are in reality, triggered by inhalation of the fecal material of dust mites. In fact, the antigen injected by your allergist to treat that allergy, is made from an extract of mite droppings. Curiouser and curiouser...

--Ray


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Yup, I was talking about those, Ray











> Originally posted by raynjudy:
> *"..And of course I know people have little bugs on them too
> 
> 
> ...


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

Hello again,

Just wanted to let you all know that when we were bathing "Boots" today (we called him after the "boots" he needs to wear to realign his feet) the fly died. 

I am a bit concerned about this THING having laid some eggs in the pigeon before dying...

Is there any way of knowing whether there are eggs in between the feathers?

Thanks a lot

Turkeyman


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Oh yes! That's what I was going to do..I was sure that that thing would die and suffocate if he was put in water.

As for the eggs, it could be because when I got my pigeons I am sure there was no bugs on them at all but after afew days and since it's warm in here I noticed lice and 1 of those huge bugs.
I was thinking maybe the eggs were on the pigeon after the adult bug died outside in the cold and when I brought them in the eggs hatched since the lice looked smaller..


I also read that lice will jump onto a pigeon fly so when he jumps to another pigeon they can get a ride around, I also found a drawing of the lice sticking to the abdomen of the big fly







..EWE..

Anyway maybe you could bath him often to see if any new bugs hatched or spray him.

Mary




> Originally posted by turkeyman:
> *Hello again,
> 
> Just wanted to let you all know that when we were bathing "Boots" today (we called him after the "boots" he needs to wear to realign his feet) the fly died.
> ...


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## fred2344 (Jan 9, 2002)

They don't lay eggs on the birds but do in their roosting and nesting areas.


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

Hi Fred,

Good to hear that these THINGS don't lay eggs in the birds.

I'm trying to keep the cage neat, cleaning once a day. And bathing her often. I've read two weekly baths is good, should I bath her more often? 

Thanks for the info,

Turkeyman


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

We have also been bathing the two in a boric acid solution( I believe we had seen that on here somewhere). It see to work on the pigeon fly- not sure if it was because ofjust the soaking. But wanted to make sure that was ok.


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## Eileen (Aug 17, 2002)

I've only had the pleasure of seeing one of those things once and it was totally gross.
It caught me by surprise because I never knew about them. Beginner's luck, I saw able to catch it with a surgical instrument.

I also couldn't kill it and though I hate to torture anything, some kennel guys in the vet's office burned it.

It was as sneaky and nasty as a cockroach, that little bugger.


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## Mathew (Jun 16, 2002)

Two of the pigeons I rescued had these creepy little things on them. I found that frequent bathings and a mite-spray for birds I purchased at a pet supply store did the trick pretty quickly.


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

Well, the dilute boric acid solution that I'm using seems to be doing the trick so far. We're bathing both of them in it. Them bathing them again with a dilute baby shampoo. Doing this once a week. They really seem to like it!


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## Hyeflyer (Nov 13, 2002)

A cheap and effective solution for all externals is good old rose bush dust.Its about 6 bucks fo 5 pounds. Put some on your hands [not too much] and rub down the bird.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hello Hyeflyer and Welcome to pigeons.com!

You are entirely correct .. good old Sevin dust works well.

Terry Whatley


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## aloft (Mar 1, 2002)

Turkeyman,

I'm interested to try that boric acid solution. Can you please get into details about it, like what quantity of boric acid used for how much water. Thank you for sharing this info with us.


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## Hyeflyer (Nov 13, 2002)

Another old time trick for feather lice and pigeon flys is to boil potatoes and save the water for the pigeons baths.The starch from the potatoes will suffocate the little buggers as they breath through their extoskeleton\shells


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## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Oh I really like that idea!!!


Thanks!









Mary

p.s Will I end up with one starchy stiff pigeon?
Just wondering?




> Originally posted by Hyeflyer:
> *Another old time trick for feather lice and pigeon flys is to boil potatoes and save the water for the pigeons baths.The starch from the potatoes will suffocate the little buggers as they breath through their extoskeleton\shells*




[This message has been edited by maryco (edited November 14, 2002).]


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## turkeyman (Jul 23, 2002)

As far as the boric acid goes- I don't use that much- maybe 1 tablespoon to about a half gallon of warm water. Weaker is better to be on the safe side.

Wherecan I find some "Rose bush dust" and "sevin dust" if I wanted to buy some?Never heard of this stuff.

The potato water idea sounds good. But aern't they going to stink aftewards?

thanks Hyeflyer


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Sevin dust can be found in just about any home improvement store in the garden department or at any plant nursery. Here, even the larger drug stores and grocery stores have it.

Terry Whatley


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## Hyeflyer (Nov 13, 2002)

No the birds dont smell from the potatoe water.Sevin dust can be found at most home and garden stores and also the corner hardware store.I have a friend who uses lemon oil in the nest boxes and on the perches and he has not had any bugs for the two years he has used it.The lemon oil repels bugs but does not kill bugs from what I've been told.So you have to dust the birds first then use the lemon oil.By the way the fellow using the lemon oil lives in Florida where it can be had regulary.


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