Just like any other animal, Parrots can become infected with parasites. Parasites are the largest disease-causing agents that live on or in other organisms. Some are visible with the naked eye, while others such as coccidia need microscopes in order to be seen and some are so small they can not be seen by normal microscopes and may only be confirmed in a necropsy.
Common internal parasites in Parrots include are Coccidia, Toxoplasma and Giardia. They infect the intestinal tract of Parrots and symptoms may include depression, diarrhea, weight loss and feather plucking, especially feather plucking around the crop area.
Symptoms of intestinal parasites, such as roundworms, hairworms, threadworms and tapeworms, may include weight loss, depression, loss of appetite, or althought rare, sudden death.
Common external parasites in Parrots are red mites (pictured below) and feather mites which live on feather shafts and feed off of the Parrot’s blood. They cause feather loss, flaky skin and sometimes anemia or allergic reactions.
Feather Lice live on skin like mites but feed off of skin only and feather debris. They cause itching and poor feather condition.
Internal and external parasites are typically contracted by contact with fecal samples that have the parasite present, unpurified water or by contaminated feed. If you think your Parrot may have a parasite, consult with your avian veterinarian so you can get further instruction on what to do or what needs to be done.
Parasitic infections are best prevented by keeping your Parrot’s living area clean and sanitized, especially their cage! Stay away from purchasing food from open bins. Waterborne parasites like Giardia can be prevented by using purified water such as reverse osmosis, for drinking. As well, adding Organic Figs or Organic Pepitas to your Parrot's diet will help combat or prevent parasites.
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