Will bird mites go away on their own? How do you get rid of them naturally using homemade remedies? Here is all you need to know.
If a bird mite has ever bitten you, you’ll know that you are in for it. It is worse than the bite of a bed bug.
Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Bird Mites At Home
A bird mite is parasitic, and it is mostly found among birds, in poultry, and among cattle.
It survives on the blood of these animals and is more aggressive than bed bugs. It is creepier than a bed bug because it is smaller, which makes it harder to find.
More so, its bite is more painful and produces rashes.
A bird mite is a teeny tiny hairy pest that is barely 1/32 of an inch long that has eight legs. Its body is flat and oval and becomes bright red after feasting on the host’s blood. It turns from grey to black while its meal is being digested. It has a long mouth that looks like a whip.
Symptoms of Bird Mite infestation
If you feel any of the following, you are most likely having a bird mite infestation in your home
- A painfully prickly bite with or without lesions
- Constant and intense itching of your skin that causes rashes on your skin
- A crawling sensation on your skin
- A bite mark that heals very slowly
- Increased symptoms at night and in warm weather
- An increased prickly bite in certain areas
Usually, a bird mite mark is mistaken for scabies, but when you treat yourself for scabies, the treatment just won’t take away any of the symptoms.
If you feel any of the symptoms above, I bet you already have an infestation.
Bird mite and bed bugs are similar because they are both parasitic pest that lives off a host. The difference is that bed bugs feed on human blood while bird mite prefers the blood of birds and cattle.
However, when a bird mite for some reason losses its host and finds itself on a human body, it bites sharply to test if the blood is suitable for it, I suppose.
Bird mite bites are more painful, and it takes longer to heal. More so, if your scratch it according to how itchy you feel, the sore can turn to infection.
How Do Bird Mites Get In?
Bird mites are pests that feed on birds and cattle, and I know you may be wondering how the hell they got into your home.
There are several possibilities of them getting into your home, especially if you have pets or if you own a poultry farm. They can also get into your home if you have a bird’s nest somewhere very close to your apartment.
The mites can go from birds to our pets and your home, or they can go from your poultry farm to you, and your home. They can also go from the nest around to your home.
This means that before you can think of eradicating the pest, you have to address the carriers of the parasite first.
Check your pet, treat your poultry stocks, address the birds nestling around your homes. This is the first step to take if you want to get rid of bird mites in your home.
Natural Remedies Against Bird Mite Infestation
After you confirm that you are faced with a bird mite infestation, the first thing you want to do is to use chemicals. But there are lots of non-toxic and natural ways of eliminating mites instead of using chemicals.
There are lots of natural remedies against these creepy crawlies that range from keeping a hygienic environment to using some household items to eliminate the pest.
You can try out any of the following natural methods of eliminating bird mites.
If you want to make a natural spray for bird mites, here is a guide.
VINEGAR
Another handy home remedy that can work well in getting rid of mites is vinegar. Vinegar can upset the functioning of a mite’s nervous system, including a wide range of insects and bugs.
Vinegar can help to reduce the itching and skin irritation caused by a bird mite’s bite. A spray bottle of vinegar and salt water is also useful as a mite repellent.
Vinegar is a solution made up of acetic acid and water. It is the result of alcohol and fermented acid when combined.
Vinegar is made an acidic compound because of the acetic acid content and therefore has antimicrobial properties. There are different types of vinegar, but most of them are at 2.5 pH levels. They usually serve as household cleaning agents, especially the white distilled types.
Vinegar works to destroy the nervous system of mites. it is a type of contact insecticide that works effectively in getting rid of bird mites
How to Make Bird Mite Repellent With Vinegar
Unlike chemical insecticides, homemade vinegar is much safer to use, and it is also cost-effective. More so, you can use it on your farm.
Step 1- Get an empty spray bottle, you can make use of an old container or buy a new empty container
Step 2- Pour white vinegar into the bottle. For swift action, you can add a few drops of tea tree oil, anise oil, and peppermint oil and shake properly
Step 3- Gently soak the area that has been infested, soak every crack and crevice. You can also apply this to your chickens and turkey that have been attacked by the mites.
After this, begin to spray directly at their hiding places. You will see them running out of their hiding places, but the soaked perimeters will get them down. You can also use vinegar in your poultry.
ESSENTIAL OILS
Essential oils like peppermint, lavender, eucalyptus, anise, tea tree, cedarwood, and a host of others have proven to be very useful and potent in getting rid of bird mite and a host of other creepy bugs and pestering mosquitoes
How to Make Bird Repellent With Essential Oils
Essential oils have gained a reputation for combating different types of insects, bugs, and mites. They contain properties that have a strong smell and are strong enough to eradicate a wide range of insects, bugs, and mites.
Follow the steps below to produce your kind of repellent
Step 1:Step 1- Get an empty spray bottle, you can make use of an old container or buy a new empty container
Step 2- Pour some vodka or alcohol into the bottle.
Step 3- Add some drops of peppermint oil, anise oil, tea tree oil, and Lavender oil. Shake the mixture in the spray bottle properly.
Now your repellent is ready to be used, but before you can use this on a poultry farm, make sure you evacuate the chickens first. This mixture contains properties that may be dangerous to animals.
The best option is to use it in the home only. Also, you have to keep your younger children and pets out of the way.
VACUUM CLEANER
You’ll be amazed at how effective the vacuum cleaner can be. Ordinary vacuuming could get rid of all the bird mites, including their eggs and larva mainly if it is directed to the area of infestation.
To eradicate bird mite, you have to keep vacuuming every nook and cranny of your apartment. Make sure you pay attention to every piece of furniture and household appliances.
If you think bed bugs are creepy, bird mites are creepier, so you need to be extra detailed when dealing with them using a vacuum cleaner.
BAKING SODA
This homemade product is very useful in getting rid of mites. It absorbs moisture out of the parasite just like it does to the bed bugs.
Just spread the baking powder wherever you think the bugs might be hiding in crack and holes. For better productivity, just keep reusing until you completely get rid of the pest.
DIATOMACEOUS EARTH
This is a miracle insect killer that helps to get rid of all insects, including bed bugs and mites. The diatomaceous Earth is obtained from sedimentary rock.
It is quite toxic, so you need to be careful when using it around the home. You have to keep it away from younger children and your pets.
Conclusion
Bird mites cannot survive a day without their host, unlike bed bugs that can hibernate for a long time. They cannot also live off humans. So the good news is, if you keep their source out of the way, you can get rid of them in no time.
In getting rid of bird mites, the first thing you need to do is to address their host; whether it is from the poultry, the birds nesting around your home or your pets are the carriers.
If you have poultry, make sure you do a thorough poultry mite cleaning as you take measures to eradicate bird mites.
If some birds are nesting around your house, find a means to prevent them from nesting around your home.
Since prevention is better than cure, always check for any kind of disease, especially mites in the body of any bird that you might love to purchase. This way, you will save yourself a lot of costs trying to get rid of them.