Urgent Mites? Please help

[Rambosmother]

I have had my Quaker parrot for 26 years. I have had 3 emergencies with him and 5 tumour removals. We have both survived these situations but right now I am frantic. I can't deal with bugs. Was cleaning the cage and saw some really tiny, almost microscopic bugs moving around. They were really tiny. I squished one with my finger and it was red. I don't know if that means they just had a midnight snack on my bird. Or, I read could be just the red pigment of the mite. I have no idea but I am freaked out. I put him in the carry cage and took the cage outside and hosed it down with bleach. I replaced his perches and cleaned his water and food bowls with hot water. So I am confident the cage is now clean but what about my bird? Where are these mites living because I can't see them during the day???? My bird is not scratching and is acting completely normal. I called the vet and I have appointment Noveber 5. They are busy and said this is more of a nuisance but not an emergeny. Really? Easy for the vet to say. What do I do until the vet appointment? I am so freaked out. There are no other animals in the house. Where did they come from??? Please help.

 

[Mizzely]

Is it possible they are clover mites?

Little red spiders | Orkin

Clover mites often look like little red spiders. Connect with an Orkin Pro to inspect, identify & get rid of clover mites in your home.

www.orkin.com

clover mite - Bryobia praetiosa Koch

 

[Rambosmother]

I am not sure. I couldn't get a good look up close. I panicked and just crumpled the paper in a bag and sprayed Chlorox bleach on them. They were only in the bird cage. I couldn't see them anywhere else. If they are nocturnal then will need to check tonight if any more are around. I am not seeing them now because it is 4 pm where I live will check overnight. The bird cage is next to a window but the window is on second story and there is no lawn. I have put an insect catcher sticky paper on the floor under his cage. He can't get to it so no risk of him getting stuck on it. I want to see what is crawling there are night. Is there a safe spray for birds that I can use to wash by bird with to kill any mites possibly on him?

 

[Mizzely]

If they are feather mites you'll usually see them on their wings. They will be near the shaft or in-between the ridges.

 

[Rambosmother]

Is that a picture with mites? I'm not sure if you are showing me the where the shaft or ridges are to look or if this is an actual picture of feathers with mites. Please let me know. I will go check to see what I can find. I was going to order this spray. What do you think? I need something to actually spray bottom of cage in the mornings when I see them start moving around.

Dyna-Mite - Lice & Mite Repellent Spray

 

[Mizzely]

Is that a picture with mites? I'm not sure if you are showing me the where the shaft or ridges are to look or if this is an actual picture of feathers with mites. Please let me know. I will go check to see what I can find. I was going to order this spray. What do you think? I need something to actually spray bottom of cage in the mornings when I see them start moving around.

Dyna-Mite - Lice & Mite Repellent Spray

That's a picture of mites. The little dots are mites.

I wouldn't use anything unless you find something on your bird.

 

[Rambosmother]

I'm not seeing anything on him. And he is not scratching. He does have a few spots on his wing where he had surgery that he picks and makes bleed, like today. He pulls out a tiny blood feather from his wing and makes it bleed. When it gets bad I put a collar on him and when it heals I remove collar. A week or two goes by and he starts again. It's always only the one wing but I don't see any other bites on him. I tried to take a good look at his neck and head. His legs look fine too. If I hadn't actually seen the mites at the bottom of his cage I would have never known because his behaviour is otherwise normal. And, it is day time over here and they will most likely come out over night again. I was thinking of getting that spray so I can actual spray his cage and put him back in it. I have no other place to house him so the spray seemed ideal. It looks safe. If not, I wouldn' t know what else to use to spray the cage to kill these bugs.

 

[Mizzely]

Maybe call and ask your vet? I would be especially worried about using it in his cage if he has any open wounds.

 

[Ripshod]

They're not mites. Mites are microscopic and you certainly wouldn't be able to see one to squash it. They'd be on the bird feasting, not running around the cage.

Is it possible they are clover mites?

Little red spiders | Orkin

Clover mites often look like little red spiders. Connect with an Orkin Pro to inspect, identify & get rid of clover mites in your home.

www.orkin.com

clover mite - Bryobia praetiosa Koch

is much more likely.

 

[Rambosmother]

just wanted to give an update since you were all so responsive and helpful during my panic. After I fully cleaned his cage the bugs never reappeared. I don't know what they were but I figured out they came from outside. The paper I used to line his cage was left outside on the porch. I left the stack of papers outside and they must have got inside the papers and then not realizing I brought them to his cage when I lined it. Thanks to all. This is such a great site!