Red mites suck blood from your canary at
night and then go into hiding during the day.
Tracking down and eradicating these mites in the canary cage could be a matter of life and death for your canary.
Red Mites
These external parasites are blood suckers that feed on your canary at night and go away to cracks and crevices of the cage during the day.
A few mites, as you might imagine, shouldn't be that big a deal...but mites multiply quickly and may soon become a major health issue.
They are tiny creatures no larger than the smallest pin head. Yet when they number in the thousands they can suck a lot of blood from your canary's little body...making your pet bird sickly and anemic.
Other mites that can affect your canary or other pet birds are...
But...
Red Mites are the most plentiful and the best known.
Plus, mites carry other diseases that may make matters worse and that can be spread through out your aviary if you have more than one bird.
Does Your Bird Have Red Mites?
Try placing a white cloth over the cage or fold it twice and place it in the cage in the evening. Check it about mid-morning for tiny red spots in and around the cloth. These are your red mites...full of your bird's blood.
These mites will be difficult to see if they have not had a meal recently. Without a full tummy of blood they become translucent...clear. That's why you check for them in the morning. They've just had breakfast and they're visibly red.
For more on how to "LISTEN" to your canary's body language and how to recognize subtle symptoms see CanaryBirdLISTENING.com
***Eradication of Red Mites***
G
ood canary care includes regularly treating for the red mite. There are two important treatments used to kill these mites--and other mites and lice--that WON'T harm your bird.
For the cage's cracks and crevices you MUST use a...
Mite and Lice Spray.
This spray will do a lot of good on and around the cage...but is a lot of work when trying to treat for mites on your bird. This spray will only kill the mites that are currently feeding on your canary. Even then it's hit and miss...some mites will be able to avoid contact with the spray. Plus...
The spray is not effective on mite eggs.
You'll have to spray your canary 3 or 4 times at 7 day intervals to make sure you're getting the red mite larvae as they are hatching out.
One of my favorite authors on canary care gives good advice on the use of mite sprays...
| "Pay special attention to nooks and crannies and dark corners in your birds' accommodations. When treating individual birds, apply the (spray) throughout the plumage, paying special attention to the area around the neck, the vent, the eyes or mouth." "The Canary Handbook" by Mathew M. Vriends. |
|
Click here for more about Mite and lice spray for canaries.
When treating for red mites I recommend you don't even use the spray on your bird...use it on the cage for sure but for your bird use...
SCATT.
SCATT is the best way I know to take care of a Red Mite infestation and to PREVENT Red Mite problems in the first place.
Just a drop at the base of the neck, on the skin, will do wonders...not on you--on your bird...
SCATT is ingested by the mites along with the blood. It kills mites by
interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses...causing paralysis
and death. However...
Birds--like mammals--do not have the same nerve transmission system as
mites...so-->The drug is harmless to your pet canary. It's the
perfect treatment.
If you have any questions about SCATT or would like to know where to buy
a bottle--It's very affordable by the way and a small bottle will last
for years on one or two birds. Just fill out the form below to have
your questions answered.
===NOTE===
This form is ONLY to be used to contact our off-site expert on
SCATT.
If you need to contact Darren at CanaryAdvisor.com
about some OTHER subject
click here.
==========
Fill out and send this form now so you can learn where to get SCATT or
have questions answered. I recommend it because I use it and...
It WORKS!
Use a mite and lice spray AND SCATT every 3 months even
if you don't see mites. It will help keep your bird red mite free and...
...Will keep him S-I-N-G-I-N-G!
If you haven't signed up for your free subscription to
CanaryAdvisor.com's Canary Tips! Ezine,
do it now.
Accurate, current, to-the-point info on canary care
and canary disease--like mites--delivered to your e-mailbox.
Thousands of canary lovers are enjoying
their
Canary Tips! --
Read what some have to
say and sign up...Click here.
It's FREE.
Have you read about Bird Lice yet? Please do...Although not as
devastating as red mites, these
pests can make your canary very unhappy...click
here.
Return from Red Mites to Canary Disease Main Page.
