How to treat cockatiel feather mites when vet advice is unclear?

Putting Ivermectin on coco is the treatment for skin mites. If Coco does not have skin mites than the ivermectin is not needed. typically if placed high enough on the back Coco will not really be able to ingest it. I would be more concerned about behavioral issues causing over plucking. I would make sure Coco has enough toys, mirrors and is located in a low traffic area to help decrease in stress. I hope that helps

Your veterinarian diagnosed your bird being infected with knemidocoptes mites, a type of scabies, that affects the legs and beak and eyes. This is a parasite. Ivermectin and the parraffin oil will kill the mites, nut it will take some time for the skin to heal and get replaced with healthy skin. The treatment your veterinarian recommended is the proper treatment and you do not have to do anything else. You may want to tell your friend to check his birds for the same signs.

Turmeric and coconut oil may help a little with dry skin, but they won't treat any underlying conditions. If you notice something such as flecks of "stuff" on the feather base, that can indicate parasites such as mites which need to be treated with a mite spray. Visible wounds, redness, sores, etc, can indicate other problems such as fungal or bacterial infections that should be treated by a vet (and you should keep your bird from scratching at it with the use of an Elizabethan/cone e-collar). Making sure your bird is on a balanced diet for cockatiels can also help keep the skin and feathers healthy. You can add in some treats such as fresh fruits and veggies as well.

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.

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.

Clean and sanitize the cage, bowls, toys and perches. Discard anything that cannot be sanitized. Use ain paper on the cage bottom and change it daily or more frequently if needed. Bathe or mist Ashy in warm water to promote preening and healthy plumage. Without a firm diagnosis of the underlying cause, it is difficult to provide more specific advice. Potential causes include infection (bacterial, fungal, viral or parasites), boredom, stress/anxiety or even malnutrition.

Check for mites and lice. If you can avail of a veterinary doctor, take your parrot there for treatment. If you do not have a veterinary doctor available, you need to get an acaricidal dust for poultry/birds or ivermectin to treat your bird. One drop of ivermectin onto the skin between the wings on the back will probably work. Do not do this if you do not find lice or mites. There is a veterinary hospital in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh 454446, and one in Bagri, Madhya Pradesh 454001