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| Scaly Face and Scaly Leg Mite Infestations in Aviary Birds |
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Dr Cam Day
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Scaly Face is caused by a mite known as either the Scaly Face Mite or the Scaly Leg Mite. In canaries the same mite causes a condition commonly called 'Tassle Foot'. The mite’s scientific name is Cnemidocoptes. 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 into the keratin of the bird’s beak. However, it can also be found around the vent of birds and on their wing tips.
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What will I see if my bird is affected with Scaly Face and Scaly Leg?
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When the mite infects budgerigars, the beak will look white, chalky and crusty and will have a honeycomb appearance. The crustiness can spread around the bird’s cere (the lump at the base of the beak) and eyes. The crusty, scaley appearance also appears on the legs and sometimes around the vent.
If the problem is left untreated, the infection in the growing portion of the beak can cause the beak to become permanently deformed.
Canaries generally show a different appearance. Their legs develop thickened areas that look more like corns.
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What will my vet do to treat the disease?
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Your veterinarian will probably confirm the infection by doing a scraping of the affected areas. This is easily done and if the mites are present, they are quite visible under a microscope. Ask your vet for a peek down the microscope as the mites are fascinating critters. They look much like a cross between ET on a bad hair day and a miniature mud crab with attitude!
The most effective treatments for Scaly Face or Leg mite infestations are Avomectin, Ivermectin or Moxidectin which can only be prescribed by your veterinary surgeon.
In the past many other treatments have ben used but are less effective. Most of these preparations are a mixture of benzyl benzoate and paraffin oil. One recommendation is to use such a product daily for three days, and repeat this three times with two weeks between each treatment.
Bird fanciers often treat the condition by rubbing petroleum jelly or paraffin oil on the beak, the cere, and the legs of the budgerigars on a daily basis. While this does not directly kill the mite, it is thought that it causes them to suffocate.
Paraffin oil will also help to soften the crusts and to remove them from a bird’s face and legs. In addition, the preparations should be placed around the vent and on the wing tips of each bird as the mites sometimes hide in these areas. While this is a time-honoured technique, it is falling into disfavour because it is easy to get the oil onto a bird’s feathers.
The oil is very difficult to remove, and sometime the only method is to wait until new feathers replace the oiled ones.
If you are putting any oily preparation onto the beak be careful that your bird does not swallow or inhale any of it. Use a cotton bud to ensure the oil is placed accurately.
Should a bird’s beak be growing abnormally from damage the mites have caused to the cere, trimming of the beak regularly may be needed. This needs to be done carefully as any incorrect trimming could be disastrous. Play it safe and let your veterinarian do this.
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Controlling Scaly Face and Leg Mite
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The big problem with Scaly Face is not how to treat an individual bird. The concern is how to stop the problem from affecting other ‘in contact’ birds. Scaly Face is quite contagious and if left untreated, other birds will succumb to the disease. In addition, because the infection only becomes obvious after six to twelve months, it can have quite a toe-hold on a flock of birds before the problem becomes obvious.
The mite spends its whole life cycle on the bird thus it appears to be transmitted between birds by direct contact. It is also likely that some birds are genetically more susceptible to the mite than others. It also seems able to burrow into wooden perches in the cage. Therefore, you should replace perches in an infected cage weekly, using branches from native trees.
Ivermectin can also be used to control Scaly Face in an aviary of birds. Your veterinarian will advise you further on its use and on other procedures to control the problem.
Be sure to be on the lookout for Scale Face or your beleaguered budgie may never want to show it beak in public again!
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Dr Cam Day BVSc BSc MACVSc is a veterinary surgeon, an animal behaviour consultant and media presenter. In 1995 he qualified as a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in the discipline of Animal Behaviour and is one of only 15 veterinarians with this qualification in Australia. He works full time in animal behaviour management in Queensland, consulting with dog, cat and bird owners on a daily basis as well as appearing on air as Brisbane’s radio Pet Vet, and writing for various magazines.
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