Mites? Lice?

[Lollipop]

Quote:
There is a very good chance that normal preening would get the dust all over the head. I`ve never really had this problem, but using my imagination, I would buy the Sevin spray, or Permethrin spray, or Adams Spray, and spray a little in a cup, or the lid to the spray can. Then, using a Q tip, treat all the areas you are concerned about........Pop

 

[welasharon]

I just took a pinch of it and put it on the head. The lice egg casings gross me out so I found out that using unrefined coconut oil warmed just enough to liquify it will dissolve the casings.
sharon

 

[TinyBirds]

I haven't read through all the responses, but just wanted to mention what we do since it works so well. We got an 8 oz bottle of neem oil from on-line (rose mountain herbs I think). I just put a drop of the neem oil right above the vent area, and one drop behind the neck of each bird. Then repeat every couple weeks. The living bugs will die almost immediately from the neem oil. With the white nits/larva, you can remove them using olive oil and picking them off with your fingernails trying not to pull the feathers out at the same time. We did that on one bird, but now I don't bother and I just use the drop of neem whenever I see a problem. I think Sevin dust works too but I haven't used it since I don't want to breath the dust myself (I'm sensitive). The neem smells strong but works very well. They use it in shampoo for human and dog lice treatment also, so you could do the shampoo thing for each bird in a full bath, but I just use the drop above the vent instead since it's the easiest.

 

[TinyBirds]

Quote:
For the head area, use the drop of neem oil right at the back of the neck. Works like magic! We get the neem oil from Rose Mountain Herbs (4 oz is plenty and will last a long time).

 

[ryan820]

Quote:
For the head area, use the drop of neem oil right at the back of the neck. Works like magic! We get the neem oil from Rose Mountain Herbs (4 oz is plenty and will last a long time).

Thanks for the info! I happen to have neem oil on hand! I use it to make a soapy mixture for my orchids and such as they are very sensitive to chemicals and the neem oil will pretty much knock out any orchid bugs....except mealy bugs, which I think are indestructible.

 

[Justhatched]

Does it matter what kind of Neem oil? I've seen some at health food stores and I've also seen it at Lowe's home improvement store.

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/en/browse/sku_detail.jsp?id=2O-1017

http://www.lowes.com/pd_86891-316-H...t=neem+oil&N=0&langId=-1&storeId=10151&rpp=24