Catching Air Sac Mites

[Leigh]

Just wondering how your birds can catch Air Sac Mites?
If i never introduce a new bird and im the only one that ever goes in their cage can they still get it?

[GregH]

Quarantine is certainly your first defence but it won't gurantee freedom unless you're running a C5 containment facility and if you're absolutely sure that none of your original stock were't carrying sub-clinical (hidden) infections. Most birds can carry ASM asymptomatically but only a few are susceptable because of innate sussceptability (eg Goundians or canaries) or if they already have compromised immune systems (from poor nutrition, metabolic disorders or if they are already sic from some other infection). ASM is a small and modile arachnid so if your aviaries are visited by wild birds, even non-finches, sneezing near or on your aviary, where the mites can be carried on air currents or crawl towards their nearest available host - your birds. You may go years without symptomatic infection but that doesn't mean you haven't got ACM and that it isn't depressing your breeding success or that you won't have an outbreak in the future for the reasons already out-lined. A yearly treatment of all birds with Ivamectin (it's a good wormer too) is a very good idea (unless you are keeping them in the underground bunkers of the C5 animal health laboratory in Geelong).

[Leigh]

Hmmmm underground bunker would be great, bit pricey but. Thanks for the info, might give ivermectin a go just to be safe, would this totally replace my other wormer or would i still have to use it as well?

Thanks

[E Orix]

Think long and hard before giving your birds medication on the basis that they may get infected.
No one has been able to this date tell me one item of medication that will only destroy the particular bug.Good bugs are needed for you birds balance health and medication also kills good needed bugs.
Air Sac Mite is an insect if your birds have been isolated and were clean when you got them the only way they can be infected if you happen to carry one in which is highly unlikely or a wild bird may introduce them by accident.Very few of our local birds seem to be infected.
If you see one of your birds gapeing then that is when you attack them with a Moxidectin based medication program.
If you have a clean air(non dusty) aviary then the birds seem to be far more resiliant to airsac mite.Good management seems to keep most nastys away