Are mites from baby eastern starling bird contagious?

Question

i found a lost baby eastern starling bird and it looks healthy. I decided to keep him because a cat wanted to eat him. I have two parakeets, three baby turtles, and a dog. I was wondering if the baby eastern starling has mites, can they be contagious to any of my other pets? please help me!

Answer 1

I have to disagree with the others to some extent. I also rescued two little starlings that came into my kitchen cabinet. Sadly, neither survived but the mites/ or lice did.

The point where I agree with the others is that they will not survive on human blood, just about every site I've read about them on agrees to that.

However they will try their darndest too while they are starving. I'm being bitten up all over (tiny little red spots that are almost like tiny blisters, and they appear in rows..).

My strategy has been the old Army permethrin soak for my clothes sofa cover and sheets, vacuuming daily with a HEPA filter equipped vacuum, dusting the carpet with sevin dust before the vacuum, and using a good loofa in the shower.

I don't know about your other pets, but I would assume they will try to survive on their blood as well, though it's pretty widely accepted that they are species specific and will not be successful.

Unfortunately they will survive on the parakeets. Get them to a vet, I believe there is a shot that will make their blood toxic to the little buggers- sounds scary though I know..

Answer 2

They are potentially contagious to your other birds, but not your turtles or dog. You should be sure to keep the wild bird away from your parakeets and wash your hands after handling and then you should not have a problem. If you want to handle your parakeets immediately after the starling you may also want to change clothes. Mites do not live long off of their host, but they are tiny and it would be difficult to tell if any got on you. I hope this helps!

Answer 3

nope