theroosternamedrooster
Chirping
- Jul 25, 2019
- 30
- 32
- 84
This DIY mini experiment list is brought to you by a curious mind’s disdain for blood suckers and love for a rooster.
WHAT I’VE DONE WITH MITES:
- put them into a bag with nothing else. Result: they lived for days, some almost a full week
- diatomaceous earth directly on rooster, under his feathers, on as much skin as possible. Result: was as if I did nothing at all
- put them into a bag with diatomaceous earth. Result: they lived for days covered in the powder, walking around as if they had no care in the world, for near the same amount of time as bag with no DE
- sprayed surface where I found mites sleeping on, with windex. Result: they appeared to die, but after the windex dried, they began to walk as normal (do they hold their breath?)
- sprayed heavy drops of windex directly onto each sleeping mite. Result: unlike the surface spray, they did not get up again and were dead. Tedious
- doused them in witch hazel. Result: might as well have been feeding them, this did nothing at all
- surrounded them with a circle of thin layer of petroleum jelly. Result: though slowed down, they could easily navigate over and beyond
- plucked them from their resting spots with a petroleum jelly-tipped toothpick. Result: they appeared to be stuck and dead, but within minutes would pry themselves off of the stickiness and scurry away
- covered them in petroleum jelly. Result: they appeared to suffocate and were incapacitated almost immediately
- 70% isopropyl alcohol. Result: even in small amounts, contact killed them almost immediately
- dish soap mixed with water in a spray bottle. Result: killed them quickly due to being trapped in thicker, more bubbly spray than windex
- Sawyer mite spray on surfaces. Result: killed them upon contact, but any tiny route where liquid failed to touch, the escaped mites found. Effective on *liberally sprayed* surfaces for about 1-2 months
- used a steamer on surfaces including wood. Result: killed them immediately so long as they are near the surface and not deeply embedded. Had to do this multiple times over plush surfaces to get the jerks that hid deep enough. Doing this at night when they surface to feed seemed to be more efficient
___
STRATEGY THAT WORKED BEST:
1. if it could be steamed, it would be — all over in the house, outdoor furniture, roost, (coop), etc
2. generously applied Sawyer mite spray (for camping and clothing) on roost bar, his bedding, door frames, most importantly - all surfaces that he may touch while sleeping
___
FURTHER ERADICATION:
A. nearing (his) bedtime, meticulously inspected his body to find as many mites as I could that he carried in from outside, and snatched them off with tweezers
B. right before putting him up to roost, caked his legs (excluding bottom of feet) and comb in petroleum jelly
C. baby mites were nearly invisible, but this may have been the only time my near-sighted vision was a tremendous help. I’d find them in clusters hiding around/behind the little bumps on his comb, and target them with PJ
D. q-tips with a thin layer of PJ wiped around the crevices of his face including nostrils, getting hidden mites out & stuck to the q-tip
___
ADDITIONAL AMATEUR (YET MOSTLY SUCCESSFUL) DIY SOLUTIONS:
*Long ago, he roosted atop our back area’s bathroom door. Mites became absolute hell as he was next to the back door where feral cats and rodents hung around outside. In desperation for a quick fix to end his misery, I…
A. coated a thick layer of petroleum jelly ring about 1/2 inch wide, horizontally around the entire door nearish the top where he slept. (think a PJ moat, of sorts)
B. directly above the ring of PJ, I stuck a “bug catcher”, - which was simple clear packing tape, sticky side up, on the door, under him
How it turned out: in the mornings I’d find mites, dead, after being stuck on the tape. They were likely scratched or shook off of his body during the night, and met their demise directly below him on the sticky surface. And mites that hid in tiny crevices during the day, tried to venture on up the door to feed, but had become stuck in the thick ring of petroleum jelly, unable to reach him. There were surprisingly lots of mites stuck in these rigged traps, and after about a week, hardly any mites remained back there.
_____
So, there’s my list. Routinely, I meticulously check him for mites. Anytime I see him uncomfortably scratching, if he wakes up with a scab on his comb, or if it just heavily rained - I’m on it.
PS
I’d love to hear any less-mainstream ideas for mite eradication that anyone here has tried and has success with
@roo.in.our.house
*photo of my sweet man on the pre-rigged bathroom door/old roost
WHAT I’VE DONE WITH MITES:
- put them into a bag with nothing else. Result: they lived for days, some almost a full week
- diatomaceous earth directly on rooster, under his feathers, on as much skin as possible. Result: was as if I did nothing at all
- put them into a bag with diatomaceous earth. Result: they lived for days covered in the powder, walking around as if they had no care in the world, for near the same amount of time as bag with no DE
- sprayed surface where I found mites sleeping on, with windex. Result: they appeared to die, but after the windex dried, they began to walk as normal (do they hold their breath?)
- sprayed heavy drops of windex directly onto each sleeping mite. Result: unlike the surface spray, they did not get up again and were dead. Tedious
- doused them in witch hazel. Result: might as well have been feeding them, this did nothing at all
- surrounded them with a circle of thin layer of petroleum jelly. Result: though slowed down, they could easily navigate over and beyond
- plucked them from their resting spots with a petroleum jelly-tipped toothpick. Result: they appeared to be stuck and dead, but within minutes would pry themselves off of the stickiness and scurry away
- covered them in petroleum jelly. Result: they appeared to suffocate and were incapacitated almost immediately
- 70% isopropyl alcohol. Result: even in small amounts, contact killed them almost immediately
- dish soap mixed with water in a spray bottle. Result: killed them quickly due to being trapped in thicker, more bubbly spray than windex
- Sawyer mite spray on surfaces. Result: killed them upon contact, but any tiny route where liquid failed to touch, the escaped mites found. Effective on *liberally sprayed* surfaces for about 1-2 months
- used a steamer on surfaces including wood. Result: killed them immediately so long as they are near the surface and not deeply embedded. Had to do this multiple times over plush surfaces to get the jerks that hid deep enough. Doing this at night when they surface to feed seemed to be more efficient
___
STRATEGY THAT WORKED BEST:
1. if it could be steamed, it would be — all over in the house, outdoor furniture, roost, (coop), etc
2. generously applied Sawyer mite spray (for camping and clothing) on roost bar, his bedding, door frames, most importantly - all surfaces that he may touch while sleeping
___
FURTHER ERADICATION:
A. nearing (his) bedtime, meticulously inspected his body to find as many mites as I could that he carried in from outside, and snatched them off with tweezers
B. right before putting him up to roost, caked his legs (excluding bottom of feet) and comb in petroleum jelly
C. baby mites were nearly invisible, but this may have been the only time my near-sighted vision was a tremendous help. I’d find them in clusters hiding around/behind the little bumps on his comb, and target them with PJ
D. q-tips with a thin layer of PJ wiped around the crevices of his face including nostrils, getting hidden mites out & stuck to the q-tip
___
ADDITIONAL AMATEUR (YET MOSTLY SUCCESSFUL) DIY SOLUTIONS:
*Long ago, he roosted atop our back area’s bathroom door. Mites became absolute hell as he was next to the back door where feral cats and rodents hung around outside. In desperation for a quick fix to end his misery, I…
A. coated a thick layer of petroleum jelly ring about 1/2 inch wide, horizontally around the entire door nearish the top where he slept. (think a PJ moat, of sorts)
B. directly above the ring of PJ, I stuck a “bug catcher”, - which was simple clear packing tape, sticky side up, on the door, under him
How it turned out: in the mornings I’d find mites, dead, after being stuck on the tape. They were likely scratched or shook off of his body during the night, and met their demise directly below him on the sticky surface. And mites that hid in tiny crevices during the day, tried to venture on up the door to feed, but had become stuck in the thick ring of petroleum jelly, unable to reach him. There were surprisingly lots of mites stuck in these rigged traps, and after about a week, hardly any mites remained back there.
_____
So, there’s my list. Routinely, I meticulously check him for mites. Anytime I see him uncomfortably scratching, if he wakes up with a scab on his comb, or if it just heavily rained - I’m on it.
PS
I’d love to hear any less-mainstream ideas for mite eradication that anyone here has tried and has success with
@roo.in.our.house
*photo of my sweet man on the pre-rigged bathroom door/old roost
