Is this depluming mite? Pic included

[klbaker75]

I've had some issues with feather loss but no obvious parasites and decided to collect a stool sample overnight and ran it this morning. I found this. Could this be a depluming mite? If so how do I get rid of them?

 

[klbaker75]

Think I found it. Megninia feather mite. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[aart]

Not sure what it is, but kudos for the microscope shot!
....and you should always add the magnification.
...and cite your reference with a link.

I wouldn't think that a depluming mite would be in a fecal float.
How did you process the sample?
Am fascinated with your research..hope you continue to contribute here.

Welcome to BYC!
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Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
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[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! I think if I found feather mites I would try a combo of permethrin and ivermectin.

@TwoCrows , didn't you have two treat feather mites once?

 

[klbaker75]

The first one was 100x. I thought I added my 250x image. I guess I forgot. Here it is. I suspect she was preening and ate the mite. I am in Kentucky and it's nice and sunny in spring here. I treated them with sevin and plan to follow up with ivermectin pour on once my vet gets back from vacation to give me the dosage.
Edit to say I don't think my initial comment about her eating the mite makes sense. It's more likely she was preening and the mite fell off into her poop.

 

[casportpony]

Great pictures!

@Sue Gremlin , check out this thread!

 

[klbaker75]

As for how I processed the sample, I just took her stool from overnight and mixed it with fecal flotation (sodium nitrite I think) and put it in a centrifuge. Then let it set 10 minutes. It's the only one I found so I think I just got lucky.

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

Wow, fabulous micro shots!! Very interesting! I have never had the pleasure of actually seeing a depluming mite, although I have dealt with them in the past. I hear they are the smallest of mites in the same family as Leg Scale mites, neither of which can be seen with the naked eye.

From what I know about Depluming mites is they rarely if ever get off the bird. More often than not, the bird picks up a mite outside from wild birds that have molted infested feathers, chicken dust bathes in infested dirt beneath where wild birds have molted. The thing crawls on and up into the feather shaft, lays its eggs inside the shaft during which time these mites eat the entire feather from the inside out, babies crawl out of one shaft to another, lay their eggs, live, die, new babies are born. These mites only leave the bird during a molt. They do transfer from bird to bird, but only by feather contact. They do not get off and crawl over to the next bird.

However Leg Scale Mites do more crawling. They do get off the bird and crawl to the roosting bird next to the one with the Leg Scale. So I am more inclined to think if this isn't a standard Northern Mite or some sort of Red Mite, its possible its a Leg Scale mite.

Great pictures!!

 

[klbaker75]

She was losing only 2-3 feathers a day but now that I treated her with Sevin she is losing a ton. I just picked up maybe 20 after her dust bath. Could the Sevin be causing this?

 

[casportpony]

I've never noticed feather loss after using 5% carbaryl (Sevin).