Mite control in birds Protection against blood mites and Varroa

Mites in Birds – Recognize, Prevent, and Act Effectively

Mites are among the invisible dangers in bird keeping. These tiny parasites are often barely visible to the naked eye but can cause serious health problems. Particularly critical is the Red Bird Mite (Dermanyssus gallinae), also called the chicken mite. It is active at night and hides during the day in cracks and crevices. Severe infestations can drain up to five percent of a bird's body weight in blood, leading to weakness, stress, and anemia.

What Are Mites and Why Are They Dangerous?

Mites are tiny, spider-like parasites that feed on blood, skin flakes, or body fluids. Birds provide ideal conditions due to their dense plumage and warm habitats. An infestation can cause skin irritation, feather loss, weight loss, anemia, and a weakened immune system. Additionally, mites often transmit pathogens, promoting further infections. Affected birds are often restless, excessively preen, or scratch themselves, which can lead to skin injuries and broken feathers. Prolonged stress can even impair reproduction.

Common Mite Species in Birds

• Red Bird Mite (Dermanyssus gallinae): nocturnal, sucks blood, and can transmit infections.
• Northern Fowl Mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum): lives permanently on the bird, causes itching and blood loss.
• Air Sac Mite (Sternostoma tracheacolum): infests the respiratory tract and can cause breathing difficulties and whistling or clicking sounds.
• Knemidokoptes Mites: burrow into the skin and horn substance of legs and beak, causing scaly, crusty changes.
  

Important: Varroa mites infest only honeybees, not birds.

Symptoms and Diagnosis

An infestation often begins inconspicuously. Early signs include restlessness, nighttime scratching, and feather problems. With heavier infestations, breathing difficulties, weight loss, or reduced breeding activity may occur.

Simple diagnostic methods include the night test, where a cage or nest box is covered in the evening with a white cloth that shows small red or gray spots in the morning, cardboard traps placed in cracks, or a veterinary examination of skin or feather samples.

Controlling Mites – Hygiene and Measures

A combined approach helps against mites. Hygiene is crucial: regularly clean cages, nest boxes and perches with hot water or steam, remove old bedding, and seal cracks. Temperatures above 45 °C reliably kill mites if the material allows.

Natural remedies like diatomaceous earth can dry out mites, UV light can disinfect accessories (not to be used directly in animal areas). Chemical agents should only be used after veterinary consultation; essential oils like tea tree or eucalyptus are highly toxic to birds and therefore unsuitable.

Biological Control – Mites Against Mites

A promising method is the use of predatory mites that eat other mites but are harmless to birds. Examples include Androlaelaps casalis, which lives in the same hiding places as the blood mite, and Hypoaspis miles, originally used in horticulture. These methods leave no residues, work without resistance development, but act more slowly and should always be combined with hygiene measures.

Prevention – Better to Prevent

Prevention is key. Regular cleaning and disinfection, sealing cracks, smooth surfaces, humidity below 65%, quarantine for new arrivals, and avoiding contact with wild birds or rodents significantly reduce risk. A balanced diet strengthens the immune system, and regular veterinary check-ups further ensure animal health.

Many keepers additionally use home remedies like diatomaceous earth or UV disinfection in empty cages. While these do not replace veterinary treatment, they are a valuable part of a comprehensive control concept.

Conclusion

Although mites are tiny, they can have serious consequences for birds, from intense itching and feather loss to life-threatening anemia. To ensure the animals' long-term health, it is important to combine all measures: consistent hygiene, regular checks, targeted treatment in case of infestation, and the use of biological methods like predatory mites. Combining these approaches creates a stress-free and sustainable bird keeping environment and ensures the animals remain healthy and vital.

Sources

• Flochlay, A. S. (2017). Poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) infestation. PMC.
• Hoppes, S. M. (2020). Air sac mites (Sternostoma tracheacolum): What they are and how to treat them. Bird Pal Products.
• Rich, G., & Axelson, R. (2020). Knemidokoptic Mange or Scaly Leg and Face Disease in Birds. VCA Hospitals.
• Schiavone, A. (2022). Dermanyssus gallinae: The long journey of the poultry red mite. Parasites & Vectors.
• Williams, R. (2010). Northern Fowl Mite Management (Ornithonyssus sylviarum). Mississippi State University Extension Service.