Disease Control
The aviary birds must be treated for lice, mites and worms regularly. Aviaries experiencing deaths and infertility require veterinary assistance.

Lice & Mite Control
The treatments for lice, mites and flies concentrate around the breeding season when the weather is warm and the number of young birds is high. The treatments of the past (e.g. O/P insecticides such as malathion) are very toxic to birds. Unknowingly, bird enthusiasts were poisoning themselves, their young birds and the breeding performance of their birds. These toxic insecticides have now been replaced by safer products, such as ivermectin, appropriate insectide treatment and a special water cleanser. These three products are used in combination to control lice, mites and biting flies in finch aviaries.

Ivermectin
Ivermectin is a remarkable product given in the drinking water which not only kills lice, mites and flies, but also roundworms and the blood parasites found in the parrots of Queensland. It is perfectly safe to use in breeding birds and during the moult. Ivermectin kills those ectoparasites which live on the bird, suck blood or skin scale, but it does not kill quill mites.

appropriate insectide treatment
It is a natural insecticide (permethrin is extracted from daisy flowers) powder which is mixed in water and sprayed throughout the aviary or used as a bath to "break" the life cycle of the ecto-parasites.

Its residual action kills the eggs, nymphs and those parasites which do not suck blood/eat skin scale (e.g. quill mites) nor live on the bird (e.g. red mite, biting fly, mosquitoes). It is used the day Ivermectin is given to break heavy infestations of ecto-parasites.

Water Cleanser
It is used in the bath water to kill ecto-parasites and clean the feathers of dead quill mites after ivermectin is used. It is also used as a dual purpose aviary disinfectant and insect repellent when flies and mosquitoes are a problem. It is especially useful in self cleaning ornamental ponds. It is toxic to fish, plants and reptiles.

Detailed information on disease control and troubleshooting in gouldians and other finches is available in the clients only section.

Copyright © 2004 Rob Marshall, All Rights Reserved.