My Parakeet's Mite Infestation: A Bumpy Road to Recovery

I recently brought home a young parrot named Archie as a gift from my family for International Women's Day. He's been a bundle of joy, mastering a few words and charming everyone in the family with his antics. However, things took a turn when I noticed scabs forming on his beak during the juvenile molt.

After some research, I identified the issue as a mite infestation. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any local ornithologists for guidance.

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Mites are a common parasite that can cause problems for birds. They can pick them up from anywhere - branches, grass, and other food sources.

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The good news is that mites can be treated with a 100% success rate if done correctly and promptly. In more complex cases, they use special drops on the bird's head.

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General Information

Aversektin S is a natural avermectin complex isolated through microbial synthesis using a culture of Streptomyces avermitilis. The Aversektin cream has a broad spectrum of insecticidal and acaricidal activity against sarcoptic and demodectic mites, lice, fleas, and ticks. The mechanism of action involves disrupting the transmission of nerve impulses, leading to paralysis and death of the parasite.

Name: Aversektin Cream 0.05%

Manufacturer: PharmBiMed

Price: 130-150 rubles

Where to buy: veterinary pharmacies

I initially found it on Ozon, but the delivery was painfully slow, and I couldn't find it in city pharmacies. Then someone told me about another pharmacy, where I ended up buying it. I decided not to order from Ozon in the end. Firstly, the cream took more than a week to arrive. Secondly, it can't be stored in warm temperatures, and we're experiencing 40 degrees Celsius outside. Thirdly, it was twice as expensive on Ozon.

Volume: 30 g

Shelf life: 2 years

Storage conditions: between 0 and 20 degrees Celsius.

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Composition

Avermectin paste - an insecticidal and acaricidal agent in 1g contains 0.5mg avermectin B and auxiliary components.

Packaging, labeling

The white plastic bottle with a screw-top lid had very little information on the packaging. I didn't even get any additional instructions from the pharmacy. Although, I probably didn't need them - the specialists I consulted with sorted me out.

The pharmacy staff member just told me: 'Use it no more than once every five days - it's toxic.'

Color, smell

The paste has no smell at all - it's just a paste. It's incredibly thick, especially after being in the fridge. The consistency is greasy and slightly sticky. The color is white.

Due to the paste's thickness, it's used sparingly. This bottle should be enough to treat a flock of parrots.

Indications

I have to admit, I was a bit skeptical when I saw the product claims, but I was convinced it could work despite some of the negative reviews I'd read.

It's actually designed for treating dogs, cats, small mammals, and rabbits for various skin issues like notoedrosis, sarcoptosis, and demodectosis, as well as ectoparasites like fleas, ticks, and lice.

Contraindications

I found out that it's not suitable for animals with individual sensitivity to the ingredients, and it's not recommended for pregnant or nursing females, or animals under 2 months old.

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Application

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When it comes to treating mites in birds, I applied the cream to the beak and legs - basically, any exposed areas. I even smeared some around the beak area where the mite had formed a kind of growth. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of it, as I was too preoccupied with my poor pet's condition to think about taking one.

I applied the cream directly to the affected skin area or ear, using about 0.2 to 0.3 grams per square centimeter. When dealing with acaroz, I cleaned and dried the affected skin areas, cleaned out earwax and scabs, and shaved the affected areas. I applied the cream using a spatula, glass stick, or cotton swab. When applying the cream to the ear canal, I folded the ear back and massaged the base. For other body parts (head, torso, paws), I rubbed the cream in vigorously using a brush or wide cork. To make things easier, I could melt the cream in its original container in hot water and apply it warm. For psporoptosis, otodectosis, and notoedrosis, I used the cream twice, with a 5-7 day interval. For demodex (scabrous form), I used it three times, with a 6-7 day interval; for the papular and mixed forms, I used it seven times, with a 7-day interval, and for multiple infections, I used it every 5 days. It's worth noting that treating the papular and mixed forms of demodex requires a comprehensive approach, including not just this cream, but also immune system correction, antimicrobial, and antifungal therapy.

It's also crucial to disinfect the cage constantly, get rid of any wooden perches, toys, clean out the sebum, stones, and anything else where mites might be hiding.

My Experience

I started with disinfecting the cage. First, I tackled the smaller one - it's a travel cage for moving the parakeet around the house or taking it outside. Then I moved on to the main cage. I purchased a specialized disinfectant called 'Lina' for the job. I removed all the wooden toys and other items. I replaced the wooden bars with plastic ones, but that was a disaster - the parakeet was against it, hanging upside down on the cage and refusing to budge for the whole evening. I had to soak the wooden bars in the disinfectant solution, clean them, and then put them back. Now we use wooden bars, but we replace them every 3-5 days with a new set and disinfect the old ones.

The hardest part was lubricating the beak and feet. Archie is a hand-raised parakeet, but he's absolutely opposed to being handled from above. He would scream, squirm, and flail his wings. I applied the lubricant to a cotton swab, and he immediately grabbed the swab with his beak and started chewing on it. I was terrified!

The lubricant is toxic, and the cotton swab on a stick was a nightmare to work with!

It took some coaxing, but I managed to lubricate the beak partially and a bit of the feet. However, getting the feet to cooperate was a different story - he just clenched them shut. I tried using a plastic perch, applying the lubricant, and convincing Archie to sit on it. He did, but then he started sliding and flew away. Now his feet are also lubricated!

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After that, I turned off the lights to prevent him from eating anything and to calm down faster.

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I spent the whole night worrying and getting up, fearing that he would die from the toxic lubricant he ingested with the cotton swab. The next morning, everything seemed fine, but Archie was subdued and didn't sing or greet me as usual. He even bit my hand when I offered it to him. He was upset for three whole days.

I quickly realized that the cotton swab wasn't cutting it. It was a real pain to apply, and I'd often end up snapping the cotton in a fit of rage and fear. Someone suggested using a paintbrush, and I remembered I had some new makeup brushes that would do the trick.

After cleaning and drying the brush, I applied the treatment for the first time. Five days later, it was time for the next application, and to my surprise, the wart was gone. It only took one application! The bump had disappeared, and I was thrilled that the treatment was working.

The second application was a breeze. The bird was still squawking and flapping around, but it was nowhere near as aggressive as before. Using the brush to apply the treatment was much easier, and I was able to do a great job on the beak, even if I didn't do as well on the feet.

My husband had been holding the bird for me while I applied the treatment, but for the third application, I had to do it myself. Afterward, all the remaining growths fell off, leaving behind some rough tissue and small holes on the beak.

We've managed to get rid of all the growths with just three applications, but we'll need to continue treating the bird until it's fully recovered. We'll need to do two more follow-up treatments after that.

I've also been giving my parrot liquid calcium from the pharmacy, dissolving it in water. I'm still researching the content and nutrition to make sure I'm doing everything right. If my parrot had a normal immune system, he'd be able to fight off the mites on his own. It seems we're dealing with some underlying issues. My parrot won't eat fruits or many vegetables, so I've added some oats and allowed him to try various approved herbs to mix things up.

When the mites first appeared, Archie became lethargic, stopped singing, and would often sit and scratch his beak on the perch. Now he's back to his old self, happy and energetic, and he's even started singing 'Hello, Archie' again. I'm relieved.

Pros and Cons

I don't see any major cons. Of course, treating a parrot can be challenging, but at least I don't have to apply the Avermectin ointment every day like I do with petroleum jelly. It's also used for treatment, but it's not very effective.

There are many pros:

+ it works quickly

+ used every 5 days

+ non-toxic if used correctly

+ cost-effective

+ low cost

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Conclusion

Avermectin ointment is toxic and requires careful use. You shouldn't apply it too frequently. In severe cases, you can apply it to the affected areas every 3 days for a few times, then no more than once every 5 days. If you use it correctly, it should work. It did help us quickly, and now we just need to deal with the aftermath of the mites and make sure to prevent re-infestation.

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Great decontamination method for the cage

My parrot's favorite treat

Don't Even Think About Feeding Those Parakeets This Stuff