Bird Lice

[Jen]

Anyone know of any product that is safe to use on mice to kill bird lice?

 

[nuthn2do]

There's stuff like oral ivermectin or pyrethren based washes but it's going to have a withholding period before you can feed them off to your herps.
I was under the assumption that bird lice can't live for more than a couple of weeks without an avian host, you sure thats what they are?

 

[Bourbs]

Mice and rats can get a very similar form of mites to what birds get.. There is a product called "small animal mite & lice spray" available from most pet shops, otherwise quite a few people use "bird mite & lice spray" on mice and rats. It seems to have the same effect, and the bird stuff comes in a bigger bottle, is made by the same company, and from memory is a little cheaper. The small animal spray hasnt been around for all that long and to be honest I think it is a bit of a gimmick. If your mice have mites, I would also suggest worming them as worms and mites usually go hand in hand, and make sure you spray the cage and change the mouse bedding stuff daily (if you aren't doing this routinely anyway) until the mites have been gone for atleast a week or so. Hopefully this has helped

 

[Bourbs]

Oh yea.. with any mite & lice treatment you should allow a whitholding period to be on the safe side.

 

[mysnakesau]

Can you hang those sticky pest strips outside their cage. Otherwise cut a piece off (without touching it) and place it in a jar. Put some holes in the lid so the vapours can escape. Haven't tried it myself but have heard it works wonders.

I have also used ivomec for sheep - put a drop on the skin on the back of the birds neck. This also works for scale face and feet mite, too.

 

[Jen]

Thanks all, pretty sure they are bird lice, as i know what they look like. Cheers Boo