Can mites live off people/ infest their house??

[Quiltslikecrazy]

My hens and I have been battling northern fowl mites ( the ones that live on the hens 24/7) for three weeks now and I had someone tell me to be really careful not to let the mites get in your house or they can live off me! If anyone could tell me if this is true?

 

[Quiltslikecrazy]

Does anybody know? I am kind of freaking out!!

 

[homesteadlizzy]

Mites that normally infest birds also bite people. The northern fowl mite (Ornithonyssus sylviarum) and chicken mite (Dermanyssus gallinae) primarily infest chickens, but also pigeons, starlings and sparrows. The northern fowl mite cannot survive for more than a month off its host, while the chicken mite hides in cracks and crevices near bird nests during the day and feeds by night. Cheyletiella mites infest both birds and mammals. They may prey on other mites and insects living on the host’s skin. They can cause a mange-like condition in pets, and itching in people who handle infested pets. They do not stay long on humans.

link is at http://www.idph.state.il.us/envhealth/pcmites.htm

 

[darin367]

get ivermectin pour on for cattle..... 3 or 4 drops from an eye dropper ON THE SKIN... then treat your coop with whatever dust you use..... throw eggs away for 3 weeks (precaution)...dust coop n birds in 10 days........ you can do it this way 1 time or fight em for months with just dust.... good luck...p.s.. kills mites, fleas, worms them also...

 

[chkn]

I have to say I had this problem that almost destroyed me. I finally got rid of all the carpet and put in a good wood floor. Then I treated the problem areas. My computer desk I put mothballs in the drawers and the leather couch cushions I bought bedbug protective covers and put them on the the cushion underneath. I got a 'puffer' and puffed the inside of the leather cushions with some sevin. Then puffed the couch underneath (turned it upside down) into the springs and straw.

I went through months of torture before this. I use frontline on my indoor pets and my outdoor pets (chickens). I'm sure everyone thought I was nuts. Every once in awhile, I'll feel 'buggy' but it's usually because the house could use a good vacuum. I use a vac with allergen bags and will tape the opening between vacuums when necessary. The other problem was we never took care of the filter in the heating/air conditioning system. I keep hypo-allergenic filters in there.

To tell you the truth, I never did see them. I know they bother my animals. I assumed that they're some type of depluming mite or for the house, maybe even dust mite explosions and maybe I'm just allergic. I came to this conclusion because I used a Bayer dust mite spray and that would knock them out. Best not to spray chemicals though. I went nuts with it but it was always temporary. I went through washing all the cloths, etc. Do only what you have to.

For like my box spring I used the puffer inside there once or twice. I puffed the mattress. I'm doing so much better. Anyway, dust mites are a possibility because I still sometimes feel that way when the house is dirty and dusty so I never let it go too long.

Toward the end I did notice that some of the sensation was positional. Once I had done all these things and had a big improvement, I'd still have that feeling around my knees. Change position and, poof, sensation gone. My dermi said it was dry skin so I use a little lotion on my legs. It makes sense since dust mites eat skin flakes, etc., well, I had plenty of that.

So 1) some small mite, possibly depluming or dust mites, 2) possibly some neurological/menopausal/dry skin. It was easy to get freaked out at the slightest sensation.

Like I say, I was affected, my animals affected, and the problem comes back slightly once in awhile. In my chicken house I use the cedar chips even though people worry about toxicity. I don't think the 'critters' like it. I also considered wood mites of some type since we burn wood in winter and originally the problem started when I used the 'deep litter' method one winter with those pine shavings. Never again!

I also mix sand and wood ash and put that in the hen house and run. Also, D.E. every once in awhile when I have some. Probably my biggest problem was that dirty old carpet we had. Dirt mounds underneath, etc. I needed underlayment for the wood floors so I used cork. They say it has anti-mite properties. I also cleaned out major dust pockets, like vacuuming the coils of my fridge and opening up my dryer and vacuuming underneath the lint drawer housing.

Each time I'd do one of these things, I'd get that 'buggy' feeling so whatever they were they loved dust and lint. Thank God it's over is all I can say.

 

[chkn]

BTW, I do use Ivermectin pour on the chickens too. It's good for a quick kill. I even used it on myself although I wouldn't recommend it. I swear I could feel an internal parasite 'die off'' the first two times I did. As far as the mite sensation, it seemed very temporary. Doesn't seem they would bite me enough. Anyway, it was interesting to come here and see TWO threads about this invisible bug thing. Maybe this is something new I don't know. But it doesn't seem like your typical mite. In the summer when it's hot, I mix a strong batch of Lime Sulfer Dip for my chickens. It really seems to get all the little itchies because it kills bugs, bacteria and fungie. That seems to actually work the very best on them. But I also use occasionally the Frontline Plus for Cats on them. Expensive but worth it. No, I never worry about withholding the eggs. Just my preference. Frontline is topical, Ivermectin has also been used for people parasites. I no longer sell eggs like I used to though because of it.

Just make sure with the Lime Sulfer Dip you hold their beak above water. And I'll hold them submerged in a bucket of it for a minute or two because it takes awhile for the mixture to penetrate their downy areas (you'd be surprised). I try to get all the way up to their ears and wattles, keeping the eyes and beak from going in the mixture.

 

[kikky]

My hens and I have been battling northern fowl mites ( the ones that live on the hens 24/7) for three weeks now and I had someone tell me to be really careful not to let the mites get in your house or they can live off me!  If anyone could tell me if this is true?

 

[chunkyonchia]

I have to say I had this problem that almost destroyed me. I finally got rid of all the carpet and put in a good wood floor. Then I treated the problem areas. My computer desk I put mothballs in the drawers and the leather couch cushions I bought bedbug protective covers and put them on the the cushion underneath. I got a 'puffer' and puffed the inside of the leather cushions with some sevin. Then puffed the couch underneath (turned it upside down) into the springs and straw.

I went through months of torture before this. I use frontline on my indoor pets and my outdoor pets (chickens). I'm sure everyone thought I was nuts. Every once in awhile, I'll feel 'buggy' but it's usually because the house could use a good vacuum. I use a vac with allergen bags and will tape the opening between vacuums when necessary. The other problem was we never took care of the filter in the heating/air conditioning system. I keep hypo-allergenic filters in there.

To tell you the truth, I never did see them. I know they bother my animals. I assumed that they're some type of depluming mite or for the house, maybe even dust mite explosions and maybe I'm just allergic. I came to this conclusion because I used a Bayer dust mite spray and that would knock them out. Best not to spray chemicals though. I went nuts with it but it was always temporary. I went through washing all the cloths, etc. Do only what you have to.

For like my box spring I used the puffer inside there once or twice. I puffed the mattress. I'm doing so much better. Anyway, dust mites are a possibility because I still sometimes feel that way when the house is dirty and dusty so I never let it go too long.

Toward the end I did notice that some of the sensation was positional. Once I had done all these things and had a big improvement, I'd still have that feeling around my knees. Change position and, poof, sensation gone. My dermi said it was dry skin so I use a little lotion on my legs. It makes sense since dust mites eat skin flakes, etc., well, I had plenty of that.

So 1) some small mite, possibly depluming or dust mites, 2) possibly some neurological/menopausal/dry skin. It was easy to get freaked out at the slightest sensation.

Like I say, I was affected, my animals affected, and the problem comes back slightly once in awhile. In my chicken house I use the cedar chips even though people worry about toxicity. I don't think the 'critters' like it. I also considered wood mites of some type since we burn wood in winter and originally the problem started when I used the 'deep litter' method one winter with those pine shavings. Never again!

I also mix sand and wood ash and put that in the hen house and run. Also, D.E. every once in awhile when I have some. Probably my biggest problem was that dirty old carpet we had. Dirt mounds underneath, etc. I needed underlayment for the wood floors so I used cork. They say it has anti-mite properties. I also cleaned out major dust pockets, like vacuuming the coils of my fridge and opening up my dryer and vacuuming underneath the lint drawer housing.

Each time I'd do one of these things, I'd get that 'buggy' feeling so whatever they were they loved dust and lint. Thank God it's over is all I can say.

Aren't mites horrible?
I feel like I'm absolutely insane with it, and have to check myself constantly, even though I'm 90% I'm being paranoid...but now I know to shower as soon as I've dealt with any of the chicken areas. It's so horrible though, and totally feel your pain.
They may not live long on a human, but they definietly make their presence known...

 

[chickenmommainchesapeake]

I hate those little buggers! I am bitten up by them...

 

[Charlie0928]

I hate those little buggers! I am bitten up by them...

by chicken mites? How did you get rid of them?