so, I've got this bird now and...

[JaeG]

I'd go for it. Spraying her with a permethrin solution is probably easier all round or mixing up a dip. I found the dosage online for pigeons - 1 Tablespoon of permethrin 10% per gallon of water. You can mix it up a larger lot and dip her into it keeping her head well out of the water. You'll need to re treat in 7-10 days to kill off any new hatching and I'd do it again in another 7-10 days to be sure you got them all. Permethrin is toxic to aquatic life (in case you have a fish tank) and all insects so be careful how you dispose of the mix.

 

[Bug n Flock]

No fish tank, but mannnny insect colonies. Keeping a treated bird in the same room as them a bad idea, you think? Shoot, this is going to be a pain. I have a big 20 gal display tank with a whole insect ecosystem going on in there. The other ones wouldn't be so bad to move for a few weeks, but that one would suck. Maybe easier to wait till I get back and keep her out on the porch for a few weeks while treating?

 

[JaeG]

I'd just treat Artemis, maybe in your bathroom, and let her dry off completely before putting her back in her cage if she's sharing her room with bugs. The bugs should be fine as long as they don't have direct contact with the permethrin and once she's dry she can't shake any in their direction.

What insects do you have? You sure have an interesting assortment of critters!

 

[Bug n Flock]

LOL yeah I do. In this room I have 4 colonies of mealworms, 2 biiiig colonies of buffalo beetles, a few colonies of dermestid beetles(flesh eating), a few tropical species of cockroach, the community tank, a few millipedes and I think that's it. I have more colonies elsewhere in the house, too.

 

[LamarshFish]

I'd just treat Artemis, maybe in your bathroom, and let her dry off completely before putting her back in her cage if she's sharing her room with bugs. The bugs should be fine as long as they don't have direct contact with the permethrin and once she's dry she can't shake any in their direction.

What insects do you have? You sure have an interesting assortment of critters!

I second this advice. Treat her ASAP, and you should only worry about your insects if they come in contact with her, so perhaps relocate her cage after she is treated. Going forward, as a preventative measure, offer a borax bath once a week.

 

[Bug n Flock]

It is done. Hahahaha she looks so displeased.

Poor thing's tail was OVERRUN with the things. should I try to get the top of her head w a qtip or something? Should I rinse her? Im sure she can pick the dead bugs off herself, or should I try to rinse them off?

 

[LamarshFish]

Hmm, regarding how to treat the head is a good question. Let's see if others have a recommendation. I personally don't know. I'd imagine spot treating the head with a q-tip with the permethrin would work, but I'm not sure.

I recall you saying she was unable to fly. That is probably due to the lice, as I think the lice actually ruin the feathers by eating them or something like that.

 

[JaeG]

Oh, that's adorable! Hopefully she'll be feeling a lot better soon. If you want to spot treat her head I think she'd be ok as long as you avoid her eyes and nostrils but the majority of sites I looked at said not to wet their head (I found one that said do a quick head dunk but that seems a bit mean). Perhaps the lice prefer the larger feathers to feed on?

 

[BaJa]

that's a strange bird. although it most likely is a pigeon, the wattle is not big and white like most pigeon's, but that could also mean its young. young birds also have less homing instinct, which explains that it landed, skinny and exhausted, in someone's yard. thanks for caring for it though!

 

[LamarshFish]

although it most likely is a pigeon, the wattle is not big and white like most pigeon's

I thought the same thing.