Does your dog or cat have fleas? Or maybe your bird has been itching a lot lately or losing feathers, and you’re wondering what’s going on! It may have you asking yourself: Can fleas affect birds?
In this article, we’ll talk all about fleas and other parasites that affect birds, and what you can do to prevent and treat them. We’ll also discuss other conditions that may be mistaken for fleas.
Can Birds Get Fleas?
Birds can be bitten by fleas that infest other pets, such as dogs and cats. However, they’re usually not the hosts of these fleas.
While the most common flea found on cats and dogs is Ctenocephalides felis, or the cat flea, these fleas aren’t as common in birds.
The most common flea seen in poultry is the stickfast flea. Other species of pet bird may be infected if they’re exposed to poultry or from other household pets such as cats or dogs. Fleas can also transport themselves indoors by jumping onto humans, though this is less common.
External Parasites in Birds
Other external parasites seen in birds include lice, mites, and ticks. Below, we’ll discuss each and how to tell if they’re causing problems for your bird.
Lice
Bird lice typically nest in and feed on bird feathers. A bird with lice may appear normal, or they may show symptoms such as itching, overgrooming, lethargy, feather loss, or scabs on the skin. Although bird lice don’t suck blood like other types of lice, they can lay hundreds of eggs, which cause irritation.
You’re unlikely to see the lice on your bird since they’re very small, but you may notice their eggs, which they tend to lay under a bird’s wings or tail. They’re small, round, and white.
Luckily, bird lice aren’t the same as the lice that infest human hair. However, while they aren’t contagious to us, they are highly contagious to other birds!
Mites
Unlike most bird lice, mites can be seen with the naked eye. They’re brown or gray in color with eight legs.
While there are many kinds of mites that infest birds, the most common are northern fowl mites and chicken mites. Infested birds may show symptoms such as restlessness, weight loss, itching, coughing, or sneezing. If your bird has a nest, they may avoid it. Birds that lay eggs may see a loss in productivity.
While bird mites can bite humans, they can’t continue to reproduce without drinking bird blood.
Ticks
Types of ticks seen in birds include the fowl tick. Fowl ticks can cause reddened skin, anemia, weight loss, depression, toxemia, and paralysis. Symptoms may be more present at night since the ticks are nocturnal. You may also notice fewer eggs from egg-laying birds.
While fowl ticks rarely kill birds, they can make them very sick, and it’s important to have them treated by a veterinarian quickly.
Other Causes of Feather Problems in Birds
According to the RSPCA, external parasites are over-treated in birds. If you think that your bird has a parasite due to feather damage or loss, there may be another explanation.
Rather than trying to self-diagnose or provide at-home treatments, it’s best to see an avian veterinarian. They have the education and experience needed to help your bird become healthy again!
That said, here are some potential causes of feather issues in birds:
- Molting: Regular molting can, of course, cause feather loss in birds. If your bird is showing other symptoms or losing more feathers than normal, it’s time to see a vet.
- Fungal infections: Ringworm, yeast infections, and more can cause feather and skin issues that may look similar to parasite infestations.
- Nutrient deficiencies: Either the bird isn’t getting the right nutrients in their diet, or their body isn’t processing the nutrients correctly. This may be caused by genetics or an underlying disease.
- Underlying diseases: Thyroid disease, arthritis, and other ailments can cause birds to pick at their feathers, as can injuries.
- Behavioral causes: Stress can cause birds to damage their own feathers. Common stressors include small cages, lack of time outside the cage, and lack of toys and mental enrichment to keep the bird from becoming bored.
Prevention and Treatment of Parasites in Birds
Preventing Parasites in Birds
Birds kept indoors have a very low chance of contracting parasites. Always bring new birds to an avian veterinarian for a check-up before allowing them near your resident birds, and keep pets that go outside, such as dogs and cats, on year-round parasite prevention medications.
Most avian veterinarians don’t recommend year-round treatment for pet birds housed indoors since their risk of developing parasites is low. However, it’s important to seek help from your veterinarian if you think your bird has parasites so that they can provide treatment and you can prevent the problem from becoming worse.
If your bird is housed outdoors, talk to your avian veterinarian about preventative treatments.
Treating Parasites in Birds
When it comes to treating birds who already have parasites, the first step is always to see an avian veterinarian for a proper diagnosis. They will give your bird a visual examination, ask about their symptoms at home, and may run other tests if necessary.
Then, they’ll prescribe an antiparasitic medication, which may be given orally, topically, or via injection. If your bird is at high risk of developing parasites again, your veterinarian may want to discuss preventative treatment options with you as well.
If you have multiple birds, treat them all at once to remove the parasite infestation from your home entirely. While it may seem better financially to treat one bird at a time, this may lead to them passing the parasites back and forth or catching them again from the environment as soon as their treatment has ended.
If your bird has a parasite that can be caught by other pets in the home, you’ll want to treat them simultaneously as well. You may also need to do some extra housekeeping or cage cleaning to remove the parasites from the environment.
