Mites

[MyLittleCorner]

Hi.
I am a new Quaker owner (first bird) and rapidly finding out how much I DON'T know about keeping a bird! I have been picking your brains for a month now and keep coming up with new concerns and questions.
Now it's bird mites.
My cats have brought two fledgling robins into the house. The cats are declawed so they must just be picking them up off the ground! The fledglings seem okay - no blood or obvious wounds - so I have just been putting them outside and keeping the cats in now.
So - my question - can those robins have brought bird mites into my house and what do I do to protect my Quaker, and myself, from becoming infested.
Geez! I thought I only had fleas and ticks on the dogs and cats to worry about!
Thanks people!

[kali]

cats declawed? what, so they have had their claws removed or just trimmed? if they were removed, why would you do that???

umm i would just buy a commercial mite and lice spray, they are available in any pet store here in aust, i assume you would be able to get htem there too. i think mites (or maybe that's lice i'm thinking of, do a google search to find out) are mainly host specific so i don't think they can bother you, but spray your birds about once a month with the spray and also spray any branches that you take from outside to put in the cage.

[Ashling]

Yes, please explain the declawed cats?? Why and how?

Yeah get a bird lice and mite spray and spray your bird and the entire cage without the food and water in it, then replace the food and water after 5 minutes. Avoid the bird's eyes.
hehe my cockatiel's name is Indiana

[ccg]

I have never had a cat myself but I do know it is a common practice to have claws removed from house cats so they do not destroy the house.

[flyingfluff]

Does your quaker actually have mites or are you just asking about mites in general?

I know one way to tell if your bird has mites is to put a white piece of paper at the bottom of the cage or cover him with a white sheet. If there are little black specks on it in the morning, then yeah... you have a mite problem. In which case, I'd take him to an avian vet and they can help you take the best steps to solving the problem.

[Ashling]

"I do know it is a common practice to have claws removed from house cats so they do not destroy the house."
Common practice? I never heard of anyone having it done to their cats. It seems unnecassary to me, with no offence to anyone. If you don't want a cat destroying your home, either train it, keep it in an enclosure or cat run, or don't get a cat. I understand there are exceptions... but then it shouldn't be common.

[MicahEspudo]

Originally Posted by Ashling

"I do know it is a common practice to have claws removed from house cats so they do not destroy the house."
Common practice? I never heard of anyone having it done to their cats. It seems unnecassary to me, with no offence to anyone. If you don't want a cat destroying your home, either train it, keep it in an enclosure or cat run, or don't get a cat. I understand there are exceptions... but then it shouldn't be common.

Agreed.
nothing more to say.... rock on

hehe

[PetriTheGreenCheek]

People have really tried for a long time to portray cat de-clawing as an inhumane and horrible procedure. The truth is (and working at an assistant in a vetrinary office confirms this for me) that it's a common surgical procedure done under anesthesia. Done correctly, there will not be any lasting effects. It is just like any other surgery: there are some risks from the anesthesia and blood loss, but most of the times the cat will have no negitive long-term effects. Contrary to some opinions, declawing is not likely to drastically change his behavior or personality, nor does it necessarily predispose him to future behavioral problems. On the other hand, it creates a more rewarding experience between cat and owner because you don't have to scold kitty all the time for clawing inappropriately. It will also provide some peace to the vet who has something less to worry about... getting scratched while taking care of your feline companion.

Declawing your cat is a personal decision. Many times it is a requirement, such as some apartments or family health issues, and some times is just convenience, living in a small apartment and space can't be wasted on a big scratching post that might or might not work at keeping your kitty away from the furniture. Or a person has a busy schedule and the only time available would rather be spent playing and giving attention to the cat rather than training him. Or, as I can tell you from personal experience, rough-housing between kitty and another pet results in a scratched cornea and the risk of the other pet (my dog) losing an eye. The choice for the owner then becomes either to declaw or give up a cherished and loved pet, so it is pretty obvious here what the most humane choice would be. A person that decides to declaw his/her cat should not be vilified, instead encouraged OR IN THE VERY LEAST ACCEPTED, because they gave a cat a home and love- and HOW MANY PETS ARE OUT THERE WITHOUT EITHER?


***Because I didn't have time to write this whole thing my self but thought that a post in responce was necessary, I used exerpts from other webpages, but included my personal experiances and thoughts as well. Citation can be provided if you're interested.

[kali]

i'm moving my reply to another thread bcoz i don't want to ruin this one. if you want to talk about cat declawing come to the other pet section.