Scaly leg mites, continued

[PAJenn]

PAJenn, do you know if these predator mites would would work for scaly leg mites, assuming that the temperature was conducive?

I will consult with our entomologist to see if Knemidokoptes mutans (leg mite) are indeed part of Stratiolaelaps scimitus' diet (good mite).

[Jaye]

FYI, Knemidokoptes mutans - scaly leg mites are members of the arachnid family of creepy crawlies. Being an arachnid, it is an eight-legged beastie and is the smaller cousin of the spider, the tick and the scorpion. It burrows under the scales of the legs and sometimes into the keratin of the bird's beak. However, it can also be found around the vent of birds and on their wing tips.

[thegawd]

HECK YA! your awesome PAJenn! right on!

[PAJenn]

A good read through this article will make your skin crawl.
http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/kn ... asis-birds

[Jaye]

Do I have to (read through)? My skin crawls just looking at my poor birds' feet.

[PAJenn]

Do I have to (read through)? My skin crawls just looking at my poor birds' feet.

I know. Best to be informed though.

I developed a thick skin around the year we started releasing beneficial bugs into the greenhouses. Ladybugs have a fanciful reputation, but they are unappealing when you are releasing 10,000 at a time. They crawl all over you! We also release predatory wasps and good mites. You can't be timid about bugs, if you want to run chemical-free greenhouses.

[Jaye]

You're right. Ok, I will give it a read.

[PAJenn]

So, I talked to our Entomologist. Stacey does not think the good mites (Stratiolaelaps scimitus) will work on scaly leg mites (Knemidokoptes mutans), as the scaly leg mites do not spend time in the soil/bedding where the good mites could feed on them easily. As Ontario Chick mentioned previously, the scaly leg mites live their entire life cycle on the bird.

I suspected the Stratiolaelaps scimitus would not be useful in this regard. Nice to have confirmation from an expert though.

[Farrier1987]

Coppertox. It is available at most feed stores. It is meant for horse's feet, antifungal. It is a copper sulfate solution in some kind of gluey base. Hens with the scale, I catch on the perch and treat the area with coppertox. There is enough copper sulfate in it to kill the mites, the gluey base helps coat the leg, aids healing and stops more from coming on them. One treatment does it, you don't have to catch them daily. I hold them by the legs, upside down, dribble some into the pad area and let it run down the leg, work it in with my hands to coat and cover well.

I also paint my perches spring and fall with used cooking oil. Diatomaceous earth dust bath always available I think helps too.

I don't think there is any way to absolutely get rid of the mites, but you can minimize the effect they have on your birds. I also notice that white/yellow legged birds are more susceptible.

One final note about coppertox, its meant for external use only, and is not to go on open wounds. Not harmful to people externally, wash it off yourself with soap and water. The gluey base has some water resistant qualities.

[Jaye]

Thanks for the tip! The two of mine that had it the worst had white and slate legs.