Warning: This article is intended solely for informational purposes. Only a veterinarian doctor is competent to confirm the diagnosis and choose the appropriate treatment.

 

In birds, especially psittacidae, only mange of the beak and feet is mentioned. Initial descriptions were mainly made on parakeets and canaries.

 

1) Source:

 

The condition is due to an external parasite of the arachnid class, arthropods of the Sarcoptidae family. The body has the shape of a spherical disc.

 

There are several types of this parasite:

 

• Cnemidocoptes mutans which especially infects chickens, turkeys, pheasants, and all galliformes.
• Cnemidocoptes pilae mainly infecting parakeets and canaries.
• Cnemidocoptes jamaicensis essentially infecting canaries.
• Cnemidocoptes gallinae mainly concerning chickens, geese, pigeons, and pheasants.

The parasite infecting birds belongs to the species Cnemidocoptes.

2) Lesions:

 

We will only discuss the two most common forms of mange:

 

a) Cnemidocoptes pilae:

 

Contamination from C. pilae is very slow before the appearance of initial signs, which are visible as a white powder, a whitish or yellowish granular mass, or invasive crusts at beak commissures.

 

 

The legs can also be infected; moreover, in canaries or Gouldian finches, only the legs are infected. The bird does not scratch itself or very rarely.

 

b) Cnemidocoptes gallinae:

 

This strain of mange is less frequently mentioned as infecting psittacidae. It is nicknamed the “depluming itch mite”. The feathers are brittle or the bird plucks them out by simple scratching. The skin is inflamed (red and irritated) and the bird scratches itself.

 

 

Beginning of mange in a female Eclectus

Mange in a male Eclectus with lesions from scratching and abandoned grooming.

 

3) Diagnosis:

 

Scratching the skin and a microscopic examination can confirm the presence of parasites.

 

4) Treatment:

 

Several treatments are possible including mineral oil and benzyl benzoate emulsion, but Ivermectin currently appears to be the most effective and easiest to use. In any case, it is essential to visit your veterinarian, who is the only party competent to prescribe the appropriate treatment.

 

In addition, cages, aviaries and all utensils coming into contact with the sick bird should be cleaned. The sick bird must be isolated. If this is not possible, the treatment could be, of course after consulting your veterinarian, applied to all birds that could have been contaminated.

 

It should be noted that there is in principle no risk to human health from contact with a bird infected by this parasite.