My new bird's feet look dirty. Is it just dirt or could it be mites?

Follow directions for application on the container. Some sprays can be used directly on the bird (avoiding the eyes, nose and mouth), others cannot. Clean and sanitize her cage, bowls, perches and toys. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Change the cage paper or substrate daily. Provide a mineral block, pumice stone or cuttlebone to maintain beak length. Your avian veterinarian can trim the beak if necessary. Concrete or textured perches can also be used as they promote healthy feet as well as provide natural beak trimming opportunity.

Some scaling is natural, however making sure Pixel is on a balanced diet and doesn't have parasites are two things you can do. Malnutrition can sometimes cause problems with the feet, such as with low vitamin levels. Some parasites such as mites can also cause scaling of the feet, so if you suspect this may be the case (IE he's itching a lot, you see flecks of stuff, etc), a mite spray can be used to treat it. If he doesn't like baths, you might see if he enjoys being misted with a warm water bottle set to mist as this may be less scary than a bath and still encourage him to preen and stay clean. If the scaling worsens or you see any visible wounds or injuries on the feet, having a vet take a look to rule out any more serious issues is best.

I can't see the white blisters clearly, it could be mites but it could also be a medical condition called gout which is an accumulation of uric acid in the joints (very painful condition). you can try to treat Elsa for mites first, there is either a spray or a spot on- both should be available over the counter. if this isn't helping you will need to take him to an avian vet specialist ASAP.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This appears to be a problem caused by mites, called scaly mites. This can also be a nutritional problem or other type of skin infection. Please have Blue seen by a veterinarian who sees birds and is experienced. A physical exam and possibly some tests (skin scrape, cytology) will determine the cause and treatment can be started. Mites in birds are often treated with a drug called ivermectin or similar. Sometimes antibiotics are given if there is evidence of a bacterial infection also. Good luck with Blue! I hope y’all get a speedy recovery.

Your bird may have a skin infection, like from a bacteria or fungus, or he may have skin mites causing him to be so itchy. I would recommend taking him to the vet to be checked out so that the underlying problem can be treated and he will stop being so itchy. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Hello, Parakeets do commonly contract the external parasite Knemidocoptes. I would recommend taking Pineapple into your veterinarian to be seen. They can examine her, weigh her, and determine the best anti-parasitic medication for her case. It generally requires a few doses of the medication over a period of weeks to kill every life stage of the mite. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Keep an eye on her. If she will allow, you can clean it daily with a mild antiseptic cleanser. Provide perches of different shapes, textures and thicknesses to condition her feet. Having only round perches of one size can lead to sores on the feet and overgrown nails.