My budgie has scabies. Is the vet's treatment all I need to do?

I strongly recommend contacting a vet for treatment of knemidokoptic mange or scaly face mites. Most mite preparations or cage protectors sold in pet stores are ineffective and some may even be toxic to birds. Because of their small size, medications that can effectively treat this condition in bird typically have to be compounded for a safe and effective dose. Overdosing parasiticides can easily be fatal in budgies. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/knemidokoptic-mange-or-scaly-leg-and-face-disease-in-birds http://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/pet-birds/parasitic-diseases-of-pet-birds It is important to completely clean the cage, typically it is recommended to remove and replace any wooden perches or toys. Good luck. Thank you for using PetCoach. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=3068

Thanks for reaching out about Quiz and including photos. The mites live only on the birds, which is not to say they can't fall off, but typically treating all the animals in the habitat is sufficient to cure. The best treatment is a systemic medication called ivermectin but the benzoate works well. But this is not a systemic drug, therefore if an area is missed topically might not clear the infestation or take longer. Be careful applying around the eyes. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Angel. Is there aggression in the cage, could this be caused by other birds? If so, isolation to reduce further trauma. Scabs can also be due to scaly beak and leg mites, which are contagious to other birds, more common if this or other birds are recently acquired. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Some local pet stores could have remedies, but probably not as effective as the vet. Good luck.

Poor little guy! He very possibly has scaly mites. Ideally he should be seen by an avian veterinarian, but there is an over-the-counter product called Avimec that is a drop-on remedy for scaly mites. These mites only live on the body, so you don't have to treat the cage as well, but it would be a good idea to take it apart anyway and give it a good deep cleaning just to be safe. Plenty of soap and hot water and thorough rinsing will work. Good luck with him.

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.

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.

It's very likely to be mites but there are no natural remedies for this condition, it is treated with a medication called Ivermectin, every vet has this medication and could provide it to you. coconut oil or Vaseline won't solve the problem or even help at all.