[sussexchook]

do red mites have any sort of natural preditor that i could try

[Paul Plots]

A hammer doesn't work 

[sussexchook]

thans for that ill remember not to try it

[GrannieAnnie]

Well, blow torches work, so what about dragons? 

Seriously though, no I don't think they do.

[geoff s]

often wondered why the girls dont eat them as they seem to enjoy scrubbing around and eating every other type of bug/insects

[GrannieAnnie]

Probably because they only come out to eat in the dark, and the chickens are sleeping???

[Paul Plots]

As I'm planning to set up an aviary next year I'm concerned about red mite too..... so have had a little search for information.

Apparently it is "rumoured" that the zebra finch may help eradicate red mite because: a) it eats them or b) the zebra finches blood is toxic to them.

I have my doubts about b) as I think someone may have investigated that theory by now in order to produce an organic red mite cure.

Anyway... try this link it mite might be useful: Things You Maybe Didn't Know about Red Mite but Should


Just remembered... found this info too:

Coca Cola  - the coke sticks to them and the Acid in the coke breaks down the Red Mite's outer shell, killing them.  A very sticky, but apparently effective treatment!

[splash101]

I've got a eucalyptus tree and i rake the leaves and put them in the run for the chooks to scratch around. Even when the leaves are dry they give off an quite an aroma.
I've never (touch wood) had a problem with red mite but after reading that link i can see how a few can become an infestation in a short space of time.

I've also got some zebra finches so that interesting, maybe its because they are just too darn fast 
You can get some spray for aviary birds for lice an mites, catching them is the hard part.
I wonder if i should put some garlic in their water too

[Paul Plots]

I've never (touch wood) had a problem with red mite but after reading that link i can see how a few can become an infestation in a short space of time.

I've also got some zebra finches so that interesting, maybe its because they are just too darn fast 
You can get some spray for aviary birds for lice an mites, catching them is the hard part.
I wonder if i should put some garlic in their water too

Personally I wouldn't put garlic into foreign finch's water supply unless you are 100% sure it won't upset their digestive tract. All the more so as it seems (although unproven?) that zebras don't get mite.

[splash101]

Oops, it was kind of a tongue in cheek comment  :blink:

I have other aviary birds in there other than zebras

I've also got quail in there and they have garlic in their water.

[Paul Plots]

Oops, it was kind of a tongue in cheek comment  :blink:

I have other aviary birds in there other than zebras

I've also got quail in there and they have garlic in their water.

If garlic in water works for your birds ignore me. I have never kept quail and I've not kept any aviary birds for 40 years. As I hadn't heard of using garlic before I was concerned that you might follow the advice when I wasn't sure having only recently read the information on-line.

(I'm going to be busy trying to find the best way to build a new bird-house / aviary from an existing shed. I am keen to insulate against the cold but avoid creating an idea habitat for red mite.)  

[joyfull]

you can buy predator mites which will attack redmites but not the chickens, not sure what happens when they have eaten all the redmites.

[ehs284]

As Joyfull says (there is a thread link about a month ago); you can get predators, but they need a certain level of prey maintained or they die out themselves - think of lions and antelope; once the antelope have all been eaten the lions will starve - so, unless you actually want to have a few mites around all the time, this isn't an answer. Even if you work on the idea of renewing the predator population, there will still have been a few mites which escaped when the predator died out. I do wonder about the possible use of viruses or specific bacteria, but haven't seen any research of practical use.
Coca cola sounds fun, but is likely to interest flying insects and ants. Ah well back to vegetable oil and DE.

[ANHBUC]

If red mites don't like the smell of garlic, spreading crushed garlic on the inside of the coop and perch ends might work.   

[joyfull]

A friend of mine is having a little problem with red-mites and is just trying this out. She is going to let me know how she gets on with it in a few weeks time