Air sac mites

[bunyip1]

Hi all, Can air sac mites be a problem for other types of finches beside Gouldians?

Many thanks,
bunyip1

[Pete Sara]

cordons ,african fires (ruddies), canaries to name a few....pete

[MadHatter]

One of our more knowlegable members might feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I would assume all bird species can be infected with ASM, it's just that the smaller species suffer from them more acutely due to their smaller lung capacity.

[natamambo]

One of our more knowlegable members might feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, but I would assume all bird species can be infected with ASM, it's just that the smaller species suffer from them more acutely due to their smaller lung capacity.

Yep, MH's right. Some birds have them for years but only show it if they get huge numbers or sick for some other reason.

[murf]

Query members. First time I've kept parsons. They are forever preening themselves or each other, or scratching. I have dosed them twice in the past fotnight with ivomectin with a drop behind the head. The birds still display the same tendencies. Is it likely to be Air Sac Mites or sometime else? I thought ivomectin was the answer??

[natamambo]

Not sure about ivomectin for ASM, I've always used moxydectin. However ASM won't make them itchy, it's in the lungs (hence the 'air sac" bit of the name). If they have a mite it's likely to be feather mite, red mite or something similar. get an bird safe insecticide spray, move them in a small cage (initially without water so it doesn't get contaminated) and spray them. Keep an eye on them to make sure the don't have a reaction.

If there still at it after that then either decide that their just preening and allo-preening or see a vet. However unless they're a related pair an allergic cause is unlikely to be affecting both birds.

[murf]

Thanks natamambo, both birds came from the same sale, but different vendors. Will try an insecticide. I must admit they are rather delightful watching each other nibbling one another around and under the chin. There are other birds in very close proximity that don't display any scratching, preening so I wondered whether this maybe a trait of the parsons.

[Nathan Morleyy]

I agree MadHatter,
I recently had a young Zebra Finch die of air sack mite.

Thanks Nathan

[jusdeb]

Have only seen it once in a hand reared quarrion . Had no idea what it was and by the time I got a vet to help she got over it without meds .
Yes it was diagnosed as ASM . So I think the small size of the birds does play a big part in the severity of the symptoms and recovery times.

Just my one and only experience with it to go on .

[natamambo]

Thanks natamambo, both birds came from the same sale, but different vendors.

In that case a mite is a good bet as any airborne critter could have spread like wildfire - one reason many breeders of exotic birds stay away from sales. It also emphasises the importance of quarantining new birds from your existing collection (you did do that didn't you?) Since i suspect you didn't quarantine them it's now time to treat your entire collection.

I've never had parsons but I've kept longtails for nearly 30 years and and allo-preening is a big part of their day.