Ectoparasites

RED MITE

Dermanyssus Gallinae otherwise known as red mite is a small mite less than 1mm in diameter and can vary in colour from black/grey to red depending on when the mite last fed.

It lives in the environment and comes out at night to feed on perching/nesting birds. It can also bite humans and may cause a rash. Outbreaks in lofts are rare.

Symptoms

• Poor performance.
• Ruffled/ poor feathering with irritated skin.
• Pale birds with anaemia.
• Increased susceptibility to other disease as their immune system is compromised due to increasing stress and irritation from biting red mites overnight.

Diagnostics

Upon seeing the symptoms in your loft, investigate for the mites in any cracks or gaps around perching and nest boxes. In wooden lofts they may also hide in between wood panels.

Treatment

The environment must be treated thoroughly. However, red mite is nearly impossible to eradicate completely and therefore ongoing preventative management is necessary.

There are a variety of products that will help combat red mite including sprays and powders.

Diatomaceous Earth is a fine silica sand which desiccates/ dries out mites as they walk across it. This product can be used liberally on all perches and nest boxes to help control red mite numbers.

Prevention

Reduce the contact between backyard chickens and pigeon lofts.
Clean and disinfect lofts regularly.

LICE

The whole life cycle of this parasite occurs on the host bird.

They are elongated, brown/yellow in colour, around 2mm in length and survive off of blood, feathers and skin debris. They have 6 legs.

Symptoms

• Birds scratching against objects.
• Poor feather cover.
• Poor feather quality or damaged feathers.

Diagnostics

On visual inspection you may see small lice darting about at the base of the neck, vent or back areas.

Treatment

Spot on treatments are available for application to individual birds, such Ivermectin or Permethrin.

Prevention

Limit pigeon exposure to other birds.
Maintain a regular and thorough loft cleaning and disinfection routine.

SCALY LEG MITE

Caused by a mite known as Knemidocoptes that burrows under the scales of a birds’ leg. They are extremely small (<1mm).

Symptoms

• Raised scales on the legs
• Crust accumulating on the legs
• Irritation

Diagnostics

From the symptoms.

Treatment

Using an anti-mite spot on such as Ivermectin.
Washing the legs in methylated spirits and then applying Vaseline daily until there are no visual abnormalities to the leg. This can take a long time (2-4 weeks).

Prevention

Regular cleaning of the lofts and perching will help to reduce mite numbers.

FEATHER MITES

There are several different species of mite that survive by eating blood, feathers or skin debris.

The mites that cause the most problems are the northern fowl mite, depluming mite and quill mite.

Northern Fowl Mite

A brown/grey mite <1mm in length. It lives solely on the bird and feeds on blood.

In severe infestations a bird may show signs of:

• Poor performance.
• Poor feather condition.
• Increased susceptibility to other diseases.

Quill Mite

A very small mite that spends its whole life on the bird. It feeds on feather pulp and can cause severe damage to growing feathers by burrowing into the shafts.

Birds with severe infestations may show signs of:

• Poor feather condition.
• Horizontal lines in the shafts of affected flight or tail feathers.
• Irritation and itchiness
• Feather loss.

Depluming Mite

A very small mite that spends its whole life on the bird. It burrows under the skin around the feather shaft causing inflammation and irritation around the base of the feather.

Severe infestations can result in:

• Feather loss.
• Irritated and itchy birds.
• Poor feather condition.

Diagnosis

From visual inspection or examination of the areas that the mites live under microscopy (e.g. feather pulp for quill mite).

Treatment

All these mites are susceptible to spot on treatments like ivermectin.

Prevention

Maintain regular and thorough cleaning and disinfection within the lofts.
Isolate and treat new birds entering the loft.