Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 4/29/2007

Question
hi!
I was cleaning out my parakeets cage earlier today and noticed these tiny maggot-like worms (about 1/2-1 cm) crawling around thebottom of the cage.  is it possible that my parakeet could have worms and if so how can i cure him of them?  i cleaned the cage and bought him all new food because i also thought they could have come from the food.  what are these things?

thank you,
heather

Answer
Hi, Heather.

These could be fly maggots or seed moth maggots.  Seeds can contain seed moths, which are the same type of bugs you might find in old flour or other old dry goods stored in a cabinet.  If you have seed moths flying around, this could be where they are coming from.  Also, if you have any flies around, they will often lay their eggs in warm, moist areas, such as where a bird might spill water in a cage bottom and seed and other spilled food falls on top...great breeding ground for flies.  Your keet might eat these worms, which would be natural behavior and they would digest in your bird's system, but this doesn't mean your bird has worms.  For a bird to become infested with the type of worms I think you're referring to, they would need to have access to the ground outside.

If you're uncomfortable about this, speak with a certified avian veterinarian.

Chrys