Scaly face (Bird mites)

Bird mites.

So hear I want to cover bird mites, and the importance of looking out for the signs that your feathered friend may have mites, I have done a lot of research into this after Bella having a mild case of mites, I was totally unaware she had this until a couple of our followers pointed this out to me, I was so grateful they did, I acted quick and treated her and Bert straight away that very day.

Okay so hear we go.
Budgies and many other bird species can be struck by one group of parasites that feeds on dead skin cells: the burrowing mites (Knemidokoptes ssp.). There are two major varieties that affect different body areas. In budgies, mostly the head is affected (especially the beak, the cere, and the eyelids). Also the legs and feet can be affected and in severe cases the area around the bird's vent.

Scaly face mites (or burrowing mites)
Scaly face is a term used for an infestation of burrowing or scaly face mites (Knemidokoptes pilae). The females of this mite species are round-shaped and measure about 0.4 millimetre x 0.3 millimetre. Like scaly leg mites, they are invisible to the naked eye. Unlike scaly leg mites, however, Knemidokoptes pilae affect not only the legs but also the beak, the eyes and the area around the vent. In budgerigars, Knemidokoptes pilae affects chiefly the beak. In most cases, an infestation originates there and spreads to the legs and the area around the vent later on.

Symptoms of an infestation of Knemidokoptes pilae
If an infestation of Knemidokoptes pilae has occurred, the bird affected will experience severe itching if the mites are not limited to the upper mandible. In the initial stage, an infestation with burrowing mites is hardly visible and hardly affects the general condition of the diseased bird. There are initially crusty plaques in the corners of the beak and on the beak itself.
The mites spread from bird to bird through close contact, burrowing into the beak and under the scales of the legs to feed on keratin. These tunnelling mites leave behind a thick, scaly, crusty residue in their wake – the classic signs of Scaly Face.

Things to look out for:
In its early stages, Scaly Face usually appears as a white or grey powdery crust, most commonly on the bird’s beak. In severe cases and if left untreated, the beak, legs and feet can become grossly malformed.
Here’s a young budgie displaying early signs of Scaly Face this is my Bella.

Name and synonyms for scaly face mite infestations

If a bird carries mites of the Knemidokoptes pilae species on its body, one generally refers to scaly face. Some sources refer to the disease as burrowing mites. Yet all names refer to the same parasite infestation. Caution: If only the legs of a bird are affected by mites, it could be either caused by Knemidokoptes pilae or Knemidokoptes mutans!

Transmission 
Burrowing mites are transmitted mainly in the nest box during feeding; i.e. during direct body contact from parents unto the chicks. A transmission between adult birds has also been observed, although this rarely happens. Thus special attention should be paid in pairs of birds and flocks if an infection with burrowing mites has occurred! A couple of years can pass between the time of infection and the appearance of first symptoms. In most cases, however, a mite infestation in a budgie occurs between its 6th and 12th month of life; thus often shortly after the bird has been bought.

All the above is research I have done online

Treatment for mild cases:
For Bella & Bert I used Anti-parasite spot on for small birds **beaphar** as Bella only has a very mild case of Scaly face.

Product information:
Anti- parasite contains ivermectin (10ug per pipettes), and is suitable for use on birds weighing 20-
50g. It is effective against roundworms, feather lice, red (blood) mites, feather mites, air sac mites
and mange mites (scaly face) for up to 4 weeks after treatment.
Do not use on birds weighing less than 20g (eg small finches).

How to Use
Twist off the cap and apply entire contents of the pipette to the base of the feathers, on the bird`s neck.
While squeezing out the contents, spread the solution over as great a surface of the skin as possible.
Apply one pipette per bird. The pack contains 2 treatments. Treatment can be repeated after 4 weeks.
Use only on birds weighing 20-50g. For cage and aviary birds weighing more than 50g, use Anti-Parasite Medium or Large.
Do not use on other species of animals.
Do not use on sick or convalescing birds.
If signs of disease persist or appear following treatment consult a veterinary surgeon.

This is Bella after her treatment you can really see the difference between the before and after photos, looking at the before photo really makes me sad that this happened to her, but it can happen to any bird not just Bella, I was so grateful it was pointed out to me otherwise I wouldn't have known, her after picture is just perfect now we treated her for scaly face, so please just keep an eye out on early  symptoms  I was very lucky.

 Vitamin A and scaly face 

Vitamin A deficiency is thought to predispose birds to the Scaly Face mite. Vitamin A lifts resistance to infection and some parasites, yet seed diets are low in this essential vitamin. Used in moderation, supplements may be useful (but be careful not to overdose). Some vitamin A rich foods that are safe to feed your budgies include carrot, sweet potato, rock melon, chickweed, butternut pumpkin, and peas.

Please if your bird has a more serve case of birds mites take them to a VET!!  Even if it's mild get
them checked out, don't do what I did and just treat them unfortunately I was very lucky and Bella face cleared up with in two weeks by the 4th week it had cleared up.
Also remember if you have more than one budgie the whole flock has to be treated not just the one bird that is infected, all toys, perches will need to be cleaned in very hot water/ boiled to kill off any potential mites still roaming around, also their cage will need to thoroughly sanitised with the correct product and rinsed off.

I hope this post will be off help to others who are dealing with scaly face, I am not an expert this is
what I have learned from lots of research & other bird owners, please remember it can be really bad left untreated. I'm not the perfect budgie owner, I learn new things everyday & do my best for Bella & Bert

DONT LET THIS BE YOUR BIRD!!!!! Image I found on google images.