# Feather Lice



## Backtrackswifey (Mar 28, 2004)

I think my motnh and a half old semi feral pijy may have feather lice. Does anyone have any advice on teatment?


----------



## Eileen (Aug 17, 2002)

You can get a spray from most pet stores. It's called Mite & Lice spray. Spray the bird, make sure you get it under the wings too, don't get it in the eyes. Put the bird aside in a box for about a half hour, most of the lice should be dead. Then you can re-spray in about 3 days, & again in 5. Your bird should be clean by then.
That's my two cents.


----------



## Nooti (Mar 14, 2002)

Absolutely!
 
Don't forget to spray the bird's living quarters too, especially in all the cracks and crevices.


----------



## re lee (Jan 4, 2003)

regular old sevin dust is cheap and works well


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

You should also make it a weekly habit for the bird to bathe, if you aren't doing so already. They love it and it is fun to watch, as well as it helps control the lice and mites. 

Treesa


----------



## Backtrackswifey (Mar 28, 2004)

*Thanks*

Thanks everyone for replying. I'll do that. I have two more questions though. How easily spread are feather lice? I have to 2 week old pijys too and I don't want them to get it. Also, are feather lice dangerous?


----------



## Snowbird (Jun 24, 2004)

It's possibble to contract some serious stuff from external parasites (Pigeon Pox from mosquitoes or Malaria from pigeon flies) but mainly parasites just harm the feathers and make the bird uncomfortable. For more detail here is Siegels synopsis on parasites:

The most common external parasites that pester our birds are feather lice, red mites, pigeon flies, and mosquitoes. Since parasites like these can occur in almost any climate they must be accounted for when planning a loft strategy. Feather lice are the least harmful of all the pests that attack our birds, because the damage they do is primarily associated with the feathers. They can, however, create serious problems within the feathers, often chewing holes into the flights or causing other types of visible damage which can affect a show or racing pigeon’s performance.

The common red mite can be a real problem in some lofts if it becomes established. It commonly hides somewhere in the loft during the day and at night comes out from its hiding place to bite and feed on the blood of our birds. Other than being a nuisance and not allowing the flock to rest properly, they can help to spread an assortment of diseases.

The pigeon fly is probably the most dangerous parasite that can attack our birds. It lives most of its life on our pigeons, leaving only to lay its eggs somewhere in the loft. Pigeon flies bite our birds often, and besides causing considerable discomfort, they can be a major source of pigeon malaria.

Mosquitoes would have to be considered the next worst parasite to prey on our pigeons, simply because they are located in almost all climates. Mosquitoes are the most common carrier of the pigeon pox virus.

There are numerous precautions we can take within our lofts to help control external parasites. In the case of lice, pigeon flies, and even mites, we can control their numbers by quarantining new birds, and dipping or dusting our birds with pesticides. By keeping our lofts clean, we can do much in not giving the mites and flies places to hide their eggs


----------



## maryco (Apr 1, 2002)

Lice are very easy to get rid of, just get a antiparasite spray and spray the bird all over (cover the head for a moment) then spray the back, chest, tail area, stomach and under the wings.. 

In 10 minutes you'll see dead lice on the bottom of the cage if you put in a white paper towel!


----------



## WhiteWingsCa (Mar 1, 2002)

Backtrackswifey said:


> Thanks everyone for replying. I'll do that. I have two more questions though. How easily spread are feather lice? I have to 2 week old pijys too and I don't want them to get it. Also, are feather lice dangerous?



Feather lice spread very easily -- but are, as mentioned, easy to get rid of.

That is -- in a small area. In a larger loft, it's a little more difficult to get a handle on.

We bath our birds regularly using either borax (the good old fashioned kind you can get in the grocery store in the detergent section), or Veterinary Grade Copper sulphate. We've also just started using a wormer that also kills external parasites (so we're told). 

And, during the worst of the lice season (hot weather), we also dust the birds if it looks like our other treatments haven't worked.

Feather lice isn't particularly harmful, but it is very annoying to the birds. You'll notice them scratching like crazy almost constantly, frantically itching. At night, you'll hear them stomping their feet, trying to get rid of the itch.

That is a problem for performance (racers, rollers, etc) bird, who need to be in top condition -- they don't sleep properly due to the constant itching. Their condition can drop of dramatically if they have a bad case of lice that isn't taken care of immediately.


----------



## santhosh_pigeons (May 29, 2002)

*Been living with*




re lee said:


> regular old sevin dust is cheap and works well


What exactly is regular sevin dust.
I have not been using any kind of anti parasitic agent for years and the fleas, the red insects all exist in my loft.
Is there any chance that i can completely get rid of this  

I let my pigeons on a bath every two days and i always find some flea with some feather wax. I have not had a problem in the years but i dont want to take any chances.  

Regular bathing and loft cleanliness definately helps!


----------

