My parakeet looks like it has mites. When should I see a vet?

Thanks for your question, and thank you for the photo! When we see crusting around the nostrils and on the cere, it can be due to excess keratin/hyperkeratosis, or it may be actual material on the skin itself. If it is excess keratin, often suboptimal nutrition is the culprit. The most common nutrient that is involved in this is a deficiency in vitamin A. If it is material on the skin itself, this is often related to an infectious process, sort of like a runny nose with a cold. Due to this, I would recommend having Kiwi evaluated by a veterinarian. They can perform a physical examination and see if there are any other signs of vitamin deficiencies, and to see if there are any signs consistent with infection. Depending on the findings, they will recommend diagnostic testing and/or treatments that you can elect to pursue. Diets that are mainly seeds are often the culprit for a lack of vitamin A, and by adding pellets or vegetables into the diet this can be addressed. I hope that this gives you a place to start, and I hope that Kiwi feels better soon!

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.

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.

Hi, what you are describing does sound like signs of illness. Kiwi could have an infection or other disease and it is important to have him evaluated by a veterinarian. They can do an exam and any tests that are needed to determine the best treatment. Birds do get sick quickly and tend to hide symptoms, so you are right to be concerned about these changes. 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.

It's hard to tell from the photo, but it could be a spot with new feathers coming in. If the area begins to bleed, worsens, swells or a cyst/blister forms in place of a feather, or it is bothersome to Kiwi, having a vet take a look in person is best. Otherwise, just keeping an eye on the spot for now if Kiwi is otherwise doing well and healthy is best.

Thanks for reaching out about Kiwi and including a good photo. This is probably otitis externa (outer ear infection) with possible inner ear involvement. These infections are usually bacterial or yeast, so a veterinary visit is needed to determine the cause. Systemic medications are probably best. Vitamin A deficiency could be an underlying component, so a review of the diet by the veterinarian is recommended. Good luck.