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Canary acting strange-- could it be air sac mites?
I have had a male canary for about six weeks now. He has been an excellent singer and very bright and alert. About two days ago he stopped singing and started making weird clicking noises. He sounds very hoarse when he chirps. He seems to be eating and drinking normally. He gets Vita-Plus Canary feed and filtered water.
We live an hour from the nearest town and only get to go in once a week. So I was doing some research on the 'net until the next trip and wondered if he might have "air sac mites".
If so, can I use the horse dewormer Ivermectin to treat it or is there some other form that is better? Or what else could it be? Is this an emergency situation for my canary? Thanks for your help!
ETA-- I also have a spray treatment for mites, ticks, and fleas on dogs and cats. I had gotten it to treat a horse that had ear mites and it worked well. Would it be a good idea to clean the canary's cage and spray it with the treatment, or could that hurt him?
Okay-- I ordered a product called Scatt that is specifically for canaries and supposed to be much safer than Ivermectin. It's supposed to be here Monday, which is two days before the next earliest day we can go to the city. Has anyone used this? Will Limoncello be okay until then since his symptoms just appeared? Thanks for your help!
3 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
I would absolutely not give him any medicine. Birds are very sensitive to any sort of cleaner or pesticide. Plus, you wouldn't know the correct amount to give him. Also, look into species appropriate keeping. Is your bird getting twelve quiet hours of sleep? Is the air humid enough? Is his cage large enough? Does he have a mate? Is he getting fresh vegetables every day? These are only a few things that can greatly effect a birds health. I suggest housing birds inside due to the risk of avian diseases as well. If things don't improve, take him to the vet.
Source(s): Parrotlet owner. - 1 decade ago
An easy way to tell if the canary has air sac mites is by projecting a white light to the trachea of the canary, if you see small tiny black or brown dots (in the size of pepper powder) then you canary is infected and you should treat him quickly by using the canary mites spray that is available in most stores.
IF THE TEST SHOWED NO DARK SPOTS YOU SHOULD TAKE HIM QUICKLY TO THE VET.
- Anonymous5 years ago
Do not put him near her. Mites are contagious to other birds. I use Scalex for scaley leg mites. Read what it says on Scatt if that is a brand name. Be certain she is completely cured before putting him anywhere near her. You must also remove her from the cage and clean it thoroughly with a 10% bleach solution. Burn her perches and replace with tree branches....him too.
