Content
- The red louse in the canaries
- How do I know if my canary has red lice?
- Canary Lice Treatment
- Canary Lice Prevention
There are many people who decide to opt for birds when it comes to welcoming an animal into their home, and there are several species of birds that we can adopt as a pet and among the most characteristic and friendly we can highlight the canaries.
These are happy animals that are easy to keep in excellent condition, however, they are also exposed to several diseases and are especially susceptible to parasitic infections.
In this article we talk about prevention and treatment of head lice in canaries, in order to offer the best care to your canary.
The red louse in the canaries
Canaries can be affected by lice, being especially susceptible to lice. parasitic infection caused by red louse, a parasite that feeds on the blood of mammals and other vertebrate animals and that attacks the weaker birds first, starting with the offspring, if any.
It is a parasite whose presence can be difficult to detect since its habits are nocturnal and only manifest at night. Continuous surveillance will be essential in order to detect red louse in time, since the later the treatment starts, the more difficult it will be to completely eradicate this parasite.
How do I know if my canary has red lice?
To detect the parasitic infection caused by red lice, it is essential to observe the canary's cage and behavior at night. There are several methods that allow us to confirm the presence of this parasite:
- Inspect the cage during the night, approaching with a flashlight, noting if the canary has any restlessness and desires to scratch itself repeatedly.
- Cover the cage with a white cloth overnight, the next morning you can see the white cloth with small red spots, and it may even be that some parasite has been attached to it.
- During the night we can also leave a small container with water and a few drops of vinegar, the next morning we can find some parasite drowned in it.
Another sign that we can see in our canary is a characteristic paleness of the skin which indicates contagion by blood-consuming, blood-sucking parasites.
Canary Lice Treatment
Red louse is very difficult to eliminate, especially if it is not detected in time, so it is necessary to use a broad-spectrum antiparasiticIn this case, ivermectin, an active ingredient that can be applied to internal and external parasitic infections.
However, an overdose of this antiparasitic can cause neurological symptoms in canaries and can even cause death in some cases.
Therefore, it is vitally important that don't self-medicate your canary. Your veterinarian will tell you how to administer the antiparasitic, what dose to use and how often it is necessary to apply it.
Canary Lice Prevention
To prevent your canaries from being affected by lice as well as other external parasites it is important to follow these tips:
- Periodically clean and disinfect the cage as well as all canary accessories.
- Add apple cider vinegar to the water your birds use for their bath, this way you'll be able to repel some parasites and also give more shine to your plumage.
- Apply an insecticide or acaricide on a regular basis. Your veterinarian can advise you on the most suitable product.
- Periodically monitor your canary's behavior, it is important to detect parasitic infections with as far in advance as possible.
This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.