Zebra Finch Leg Disease

The most common cause of leg disease among zebra finches is an infestation of knemidokoptes mites. A veterinarian can diagnose this condition and can recommend a course of treatment.

  1. Knemidokoptes Mites

    • Knemidokoptes mites are also called scaly leg and face mites. The mites burrow and create tunnels under the bird's top layer of skin.

    Symptoms

    • The symptoms of scaly leg mites are crusty scales on the bird's legs. The bird may also have itching or feather loss.

    Transmission

    • Scaly leg mites, also known as knemidokoptic mange, is transmitted from one infected bird to another. Some birds are more sensitive to the effects of the mites than others. This sensitivity can be genetically inherited.

    Diagnosis

    • A veterinarian can diagnose the condition by taking a skin scraping from the affected area and examining it for the presence of mites.

    Treatment

    • Birds with scaly leg mite disease are treated with a drug called Ivermectin.