Posted: Fri May 18, 2007 6:24 am Post subject: Whats with Batfink's itchy bald patches? please help
I'm worried about my beautiful male Batfink. He is the first Kakariki I've owned and hes so precious to me, that I'm distressed to see he has a bald patch behind his head. He too scratches this area with his feet like a dog, and also the tops of his wings, like the shoulder joint part of each wing, looks like plucked chicken skin. Looking closely I couldn't see any mites or bleeding, and his face is fine, no scaly skin or anything. His appetite is fine but hes more sleepy than usual.
I'm sure its not boredom as he has free flight of the house and only returns to his cage when he feels like it. He has loads of toys, he loves to keep busy.
What could be causing this constant itching and bald patch? I've been spraying him with mite and insecft spray for parrots but I don't think its helped much. I'm too scared of taking him to the vet as I don't want to risk him getting frightened and never trusting me again. Should I just take him to the vet? Or does anyone know of a home-treatment way to spare him the ordeal?
When I bought my first Kakariki I noticed he became bald. Other breeders told me that it was a common phenomenom with Kakariki when they moult. After a couple of months there were now signs of improvement. So, I decided to take him to a bird vet. He found that the bird had a feathermite infection.
Feathermites are microscopic and perfectly to treat with Ivermectine pour-on. Mitesprays are not effective.
The predisposition to become bald is a common problem of Kakariki in Europe. Some breeders think it has a genetical cause and builded up a strain of birds without this predisposition.
Anyway, I treat my birds 2-3 times a year with Ivermectine pour-on and they never become bald.
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I'm too scared of taking him to the vet as I don't want to risk him getting frightened and never trusting me again. Should I just take him to the vet?
Kakariki are verry stress stable. There is no need be afraid of taking him to a vet.
Thank you very much for your useful advice Peter. We took the name of the medicine and Batfink to the vet and he was treated with exactly that. The vet agreed that it was the best treatment and to throw away the mite spray. Although Batfink cheekily bit the vet then flew around the room, he was fine after thee ordeal and is now back to his old happy self. We were told to wait 2 weeks to see an improvement and have booked another appointment for then.
Thanks again, your advice really helped and me and Batfink are grateful!
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