Mites won't die, all over my house now - new question #55=grain mites?

[geebs]

I think I would ask a colleague if you have that option. Keep us posted...( I can't quit itching myself!!!)

 

[Miss Lydia]

I didn't see any bites on the birds actually I didn't even see the mites on them. but I got them on me in my hair and used the comb and they went into the sink then I was able to identify them from the pictures on here, they were very tiny and black looked like dirt specks, but there are red mites too. Just look around the vent, especially after they got on me I was able to see them on the birds because I knew what I was looking for.,and under their wings too. These things a very tiny it would be easy to miss them on your birds unless they were really infested.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I haven't had to deal with mites, but I check my chickens when I pick them up by raising a wing and examining the skin for any bugs. Also they say to look around the vent area and neck area. Also look for sores and scabs.

I THINK you have to retreat every 7-10 days until they are gone with poultry dust, is what I have read. I hope someone answers this definitively for you.

Do not take the bug to the hospital.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I was joking about the hospital thing... I would NEVER do that. I was just trying to bring humor to this dreadful situation.

So it's still up in the air what type of mite this is... I'm hoping grain. I haven't seen them anywhere (so far) except the brooder box, on the floor around the brooder box and in and near the meal worms (the beer was unfortunately near it). The meal worm container had gotten pretty moist while I was gone, and I remembered that 2 days before I left on vacation I also removed the dehumidifier from my basement so it's possible they got damp quickly too.

I don't personally have any bites. But I'm psychosomatically itching and scratching just thinking about it.

I guess I will be

this post too, lol.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I have been thinking about you all day - I hope this works out to a very QUICK resolution

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Could you pour boiling water on them? Or would it ruin things?

ETA: I don't know if that would even kill them...just an idea I had. Messy one!

 

[hoppy]

you could take some clear scotch tape, get some of the mites on that and have your vet look at it or the public health lab.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Great idea Hoppy!
Thanks to google I just found out that the University of Maine Orono has a "pest identification" service. I'm going to send them a nice sample.

Thanks for the ideas BYCers!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope they are grain mites too SCG, I just finished spraying down my chicken and duck houses again, day 10 and will treat birds this evening. Imagine I actually had them in my hair they weren't biting me but I could feel them. After I showered and shampooed my hair they were gone but I itched for days just thinking about it. Hope you can get this resolved quickly. Well off to dust the yard.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Here's an update. I'm still hoping they're grain mites, but I have no idea and will continue to treat them like the blood sucking horror show they may indeed be. The "emergency" exterminator that I called Friday at 6 PM finally called me back Monday morning about 11. I was a bit miffed so I told him I didn't need his "emergency" services. He also called them "clover mites" so this is something else for me to look into in my spare time (ha).

The rest of the original brooder box in the basement and about 345609834689734 mites have been burned. I sprayed 70% alcohol on everything I could down there because that seemed to work better than anything else I purchased. Some of them still didn't die. It required a couple of bottles just to treat the brooder area. I also sprayed with some permethrin too. I did a bomb and moved the kids out to the garage overnight for it. Afterwards I vacuumed up with the shop vac and a HEPA filter. Then I cleaned the heck out of my kitchen/upstairs area and especially where I had the meal worms/beer. I have wood floors up there plus me and the cats so I really need to be careful about what I used. On Friday I put down Sevin dust where the meal worms were. This time I also sprayed some of the permethrin spray in that area. No bug bomb. I still saw a few mites afterwards but greatly reduced. These things are tough to kill.

Then it was time for bed. I didn't care what was inhabiting my house with me, as long as it let me sleep (56 hours of work/call straight will do that to ya). I feel almost alive this morning after a full 6.5 hours of sleep, and ready to tackle the rest of the cleaning tonight when I get home.

I can't believe how much better the basement is after the original hatching and subsequent freak out.

I have also mailed some of the mites to the Pest Identification Department at UMaine, Orono. Everyone cross your fingers they're harmless mites. I'm going to be really mad at Purina (who I contacted after the bad batch of feed only to hear zilch from their customer service department) if they are, but it'll be a relief and I can finally get chickens out of my basement. If they're not, well... I'll do the best I can.

Thanks again everyone for the support and ideas.

Off to work!