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Disease
Ticks and Mites
القراد والحلم (العث)
Red Mite، Scaly-leg mite
Educational content for breeders — not a substitute for veterinary advice. Doses and treatments here are general; actual diagnosis and treatment must be supervised by a veterinarian.
External parasites that attack pigeons periodically (not permanently, unlike lice). They hide in cracks of the loft, come out at night to suck blood, then return to hiding. The most important is the red mite.
Symptoms
Irritation, itching, blood-loss damage from repeated feeding, potential vector for other pathogens.
Causes
Ticks and mite species (skin mites, scaly-leg mites, red mite)
Transmission
Spread through loft cracks and contaminated nests; they are clearly visible in the early morning hours while looking for a hiding place.
Diagnosis
Direct visual inspection of loft cracks (especially at dawn), or microscopic examination of a skin scraping in the case of scaly-leg mites.
Treatment
Insecticide dipping/dusting on the bird, thorough treatment of loft cracks and crevices.
Prevention
Regular weekly bathing, routine inspection and disinfection of loft cracks.
References
Egyptian Health Council – Pigeon Diseases 2025
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