Mites on my cockatiel

Hi what makes you think your little beauty has mites?
It's relatively rare in indoor birds. The cage would need totally scrubbing.
Is it that he's itching? It's moulting time at the moment so lots of itchy ticklish feather shafts flaking and needing readjustment.
@AngieL
 
He is lifting his right leg constantly. At night he is worse. Irritated. Lifting both legs pecking around his thighs. I sprayed a lemon peel mixture on him last night made it from a recipe I got off internet. It stopped him lifting his legs. Today I’ve made a mixture of apple cider vinegar and a splash of lemon to spray on him. He is eating okay. I cannot find any mites. I have steam cleaned the cage today. I have ordered blast off mite powder as I only want to use natural powder. Thanks for replying much appreciated. It’s not moulting. I looked after a wild hedgehog and got him well again and released him so if it is it could have come off him. He has also got a few feathers missing around his thighs. You can’t see them until you part his feathers
 
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I'm not sure what others might say but food grade diatomatous earth powder is good for mites etc - we use it for our chickens. Although thinking about it it needs to be used as a dry powder so possibly not the best thing.
 
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Hedgehog fleas and mites only live on hedgehogs they can survive two maximum three days elsewhere but that's it - have reared a few in my time too adorable critters.
I wouldn't spray him with anything as the things your mentioning are acidic any open grazes will sting and feathers will be stripped of oils that keep them in condition.
Perhaps better to get it checked out at the vets as self diagnosis and treatment for the wrong thing can cause more issues rather than cure.
 
Thanks for everyone’s interesting input. Much appreciated. Took sunny my cockatiel to vets. They said nothing wrong with him. Some birds keep lifting their leg!! Took him back next day to say look at skin on legs and he is biting it making it worse. Gave me antibiotics and pain killer. Finished course. Not working. Took him back they took a swab from his leg and said to take his back for ex rays and they wanted to take some fluid of his knee to check. By this time sunny is very ill so was not having him being knocked out by latest tests. Gave me another course of antibiotics.. The antibiotics have finally kicked in. I have syringe fed with baby cockatiel food and poly aid but only enough to keep him going as I wanted to encourage him to eat by himself. Put Manuka on his legs. He is finally taking the road back to recovery. The Manuka honey, as soon as his leg bothered him and he started pecking on it I put a little honey on it It WORKED. It did make his feathers around his leg look a mess but they are starting to grow back. I have done an awful lot of research. Found out it’s a lot to do with diet. Have completely changed my birds food. But that Manuka honey is amazing. Hopefully he will continue. I have not had the results of the test back but will post it on here when I get them. I believe it’s a feather condition he had not mites. Thanks again for your support.
 
Funnily enough one of my friends birds a Cockatiel has had exactly the same condion at the same time as sunny. They have not been near each other. He has changed his birds diet and I given more calcium in his diet. He also was on antibiotics and is better. So hopefully my darling sunny will be there soon.
 
So pleased to hear that Sunny at long last is recovering.
I also swear by Manuka, and use Activon medical manuka gel on any cuts/bites etc that I often get myself.

Do keep us up to date.
 
Thankyou. To be a member of this forum is really helpful. A friend said to me it’s being going on so long now with your little bird. 3 weeks that it’s not fair to him and don’t you think it’s cruel to keep trying. My answer is I will fight tooth and nail for my pets. It’s not just a bird and folk on this forum understand this. When your feeling sick cos your bird is very ill the support I get on here is just what I need. Discussion is great. You guys are always here to give that support. And he is in the cage at the min with his partner Ziggy and she is scratching his head. Never give up and keep this advise coming. Thankyou . ps. the poly aid too added to his syringe brought him back from near death. Amazing product and it works
 
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