QUAILS AND MITES | DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Have your quail got swollen, puffy eyelids? Does it looks like those little Coturnix have been fighting and they always have eye issues? Well, it might be the last thing you’d think of - mites.
We all know Coturnix quail can be devils when it comes to beating the living daylights out of each other. One day there’s harmony. The next they descend on a loner like velociraptors, scalping the poor thing in minutes. It’s the downside of keeping these birds for their beautiful eggs. And, by the way, if you’re an egg and backyard poultry lover, check out this amazing book on the subject - pics, recipes and keepers tips galore. But back to the subject … ongoing swollen eyelids, torn rings and eye infections may actually be something less sinister than a mob of attacking quail. In fact, it can be caused by a microscopic creature you’d not even thought about.
Swollen eyelids caused not by pecking, but an explosion in mite population
I first came across the issue of quails and mites when I housed my coturnix in an aviary with other pet birds. I couldn’t work out why their eye rings always seemed large, nobbly and sore. I did a little research, though about what caused eye issues in my other birds (cockatiels, for example) and turned to mites. Unlike lice which are commonly noticed amongst feathers and large enough to be seen with the naked eye, a build up of tiny mites can go unnoticed. Luckily it’s very treatable.
Chemicals
There are numerous chemical treatments available for pet birds, either in sprays or drops that can kill lice and mites relatively quickly. If you’re looking for a quick fix, then head to Amazon and search for such a product. However, most, if not none, are licensed for use in quail where you could be eating eggs and even the birds themselves (though mite build-up should not be an issue if you’re raising quail for meat and dispatching them at the appropriate age). I prefer to use natural methods.
Natural Methods
I like using natural methods because not only do they still work without the need for chemicals, but instead of just dosing your quail, you actually need to spend some time with them. I mean, after all, isn’t that point of wanting to raise animals?
I highly recommend using diatomaceous earth - a fine, white powder made from the hard shells of diatoms. So hard, in fact, that when used in dust baths, pieces of the skin of lice, mites and other parasites and basically dries them out. There are lots of great, well priced diatomaceous earth products on Amazon which you can get delivered to your door quickly.
Adding diatomaceous earth into the dust bath provides a natural mite deterrent and killer
Simply make up a sand bath for your quail and pop a liberal sprinkling of the diatomaceous earth on top. They’ll soon take to dust bathing and get all those dead diatom skins amongst their feathers where it will start to work it’s magic. If you buy food-grade, you can also add it to their feed and it’ll help kill internal parasites too.
I mean, what’s not to love? Organic, cheap, easy and providing enrichment for your quail and you - I mean, watching your birds bath is SUPER cute.
Unlike chemical applications, it will take some time to work but if you use this method from the outset, it should keep mite populations in check so they never become a huge issue.
Within a week or two your quails eyes should be back to normal.
Using this method has really helped me get the mite population in check. When it comes to livestock, it’s reasonable to think that most animals will have some degree of parasite load whether that’s worms, lice or in this case, mites. But it’s important to keep levels controlled so they don’t affect your quail or exacerbate other hidden conditions.
Please feel free to check out Brimwood Farm’s Quail Playlist (below or on YouTube) and our other quail articles.
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