How to Get Rid of Pigeon Mites
One of the main health concerns that bird owners have are bird mites, sometimes referred to as pigeon mites. Mites can cause severe anemia in both pet and wild birds due to their feeding habits, which center around taking blood from the birds. They are also hard to diagnose because most mites tend to hide during the daylight hours and only come out at night to feed while the birds are sleeping. An infected bird may have trouble breathing and show red, swollen skin around its eyes. Luckily, treatment of a pigeon mite infestation is actually quite simple.
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Things You'll Need
- Sevin Dust
- Bleach
- Water
- 5 Gallon Bucket
- Small carrying cage
- Measuring cup
- Sponge
Instructions
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1
Place the infected birds in a carrying cage so that the primary cage can be cleaned. Dismantle the primary cage and remove all accessories such as toys, nest boxes or feed dishes.
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2
Fill the bucket with water and add 1 cup of bleach. Using the sponge wipe down the cage with the bleach water. Focus on tiny crevices. Let the cage air dry for about 15 minutes. Rinse the cage with fresh water to remove any remaining bleach.
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3
Place the cage's accessories directly into the bleach-water solution. Let them soak for about five minutes. This will ensure that all of the small spaces that the mites hide in are drenched with the bleach water. Remove them and then soak in clean water for about 30 minutes.
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4
Reassemble the cage and sprinkle the surface of the wires and the bottom with sevin dust. If there is a nest box present sprinkle some sevin dust into the interior.
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5
Lightly sprinkle the sevin dust on the body and underside of each infected bird. Keep the dust away from the birds' faces to limit how much they breathe in. Immediately place the birds back into the treated cage.
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1
Tips & Warnings
Remember to apply sevin dust to any surface that is near the birds' cage. Mites sometimes travel far away from the birds during daylight hours.
References
- Photo Credit pigeon bird wild bird image by Pali A from Fotolia.com
