AAAHHH!!! My baby sparrows have a worm-like thing in their nose! What could it be?

Question

I have never seen anything like it and I have been rehabilitating wild birds for over fifteen years. At first I thought it might be food in the nostril, but that is not the case! I pulled out a very small dark, spiny, worm-like parasite, and I have no idea what it could be.......any ideas?

Answer 1

Could they be gapeworms? They're blood-red and live in birds' airways, and sparrows can get them from eating worms (that's why it's inadvisable to feed baby birds earthworms--cliche as it is they can get gapworm from it). Some pet stores sell antibiotics which will kill gapeworms.

Answer 2

it could be a tape worm. although you said it was dark. my grandmaw said to me that sometimes tapeworms stay around the nose. but i dont know if thats true. Or possibley he tried to eat a worm and the worm possibly crawled in to its nose.

Answer 3

could you post a picture?

Answer 4

Probably  Nematodes

Nematodes, also called roundworms, can be found in nearly any body system of the bird. They are most commonly associated with the intestinal tract. The infestation occurs when the bird ingests the eggs which have contaminated the food, water, toys, or soil. The eggs then hatch, the larvae develop into adults, and the adults then produce more eggs which are passed from the body in the f***s and contaminate the environment. Another bird, or the same one, can then ingest the eggs and the cycle begins again. Birds with a heavy infestation typically show signs such as unthriftiness, poor growth, or diarrhea. Some types of nematodes invade the respiratory tract causing breathing difficulties.

Diagnosis is made by seeing the worms in the f***s or, more commonly, by an examination of fecal material under the microscope. Treatment is with fenbendazole, ivermectin, or levamisole and is typically repeated in 14 days. Prevention includes cleaning cages daily including all items that have fecal material on them such as food/water dishes and toys.

Edit heres a pic of adults http://www.ucl.ac.uk/biochemeng/departme...

Take the bird to a vet asap or it will certainly die. Nematodes in the respiratory tract is pretty bad.