My parakeet has crusty legs and beak. Is it mites? How to treat?

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.

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.

Your parakeet could be suffering from a mite infection caused by the bird mite cnemidocoptes, The infection would show up the beak as well as the legs. You should have your bird seen by a veterinarian who can easily diagnose a mite infection and then treat it with ivermectin, You should bring both birds, as both need to be treated.

Angel is beautiful, thankfully his cere looks a nice healthy colour. It is not uncommon for the beak to flake a little depending what part of the keratin cycle he is in . As for the crusts, these are most commonly due to a little mite that borrows under the skin. Known as scaly beak, it is caused by knemedicoptes mites. To treat it you need an ivermectin based drop, many vets stock a product called xeno which you apply to the skin. I would weigh him to ensure appropriate dosing. If you are concerned he seems dull or symptoms are worsening you should take him to an avian vet.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely an infection site. This warrants a veterinary evaluation for further assessment and treatment. If they determine that antibiotics would be best, they could prescribe them at that time. Good luck and have a great day!

This is suspicious of mites causing the cere and cheeks to look like this. There is effective treatment for this condition, but it will have to be prescribed by a veterinarian. It's also good to have a vet check Kiwi, so they can definitively diagnose his condition and make sure that nothing else is responsible for this. I hope that helps and Kiwi gets better soon.

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