How do I keep feather mites from eating

Nahachagii · 01-10-2008, 01:03 AM

How do I keep feather mites from eating my feathers?

Kwak Kway

**FluteMaker** · 01-10-2008, 02:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nahachagii

How do I keep feather mites from eating my feathers?

Kwak Kway

cedar. either get yourself a cedar feather box or get some cedar blocks to keep in with your feathers. ive also seen people spray their feathers with hair spray.supposedly it not only helps keep mites at bay but also helps with preening

**wardancer** · 01-10-2008, 05:27 AM

Cedar's the best , I think......Put them in the freezer for about 4 hours and that will kill the mites that might be on them....Then store them in a cedar box....Don't use cedar shake ( shingles)...won't work !

**billyjoejimbob** · 01-10-2008, 08:30 AM

Little nutra-slim pills!

I thought you had to freeze them for days?

apacheheart · 01-10-2008, 09:05 AM

When you get them initially,freezing for a few hours or days works real well(I prefer days).After that I like to use a commercial mite and lice spray they sell at pet shops for birds.Any one will do,and I usually give them a spritz every time I wear or carry the feathers outside for any length of time.A cedar box is the best place to store them after use,as well as putting them back in the freezer...keep smilin'1

**walela49** · 01-10-2008, 04:05 PM

if you've got a big deep-freeze that gets to zero degrees, then overnight is great, but the on-top-of-the-fridge variety may not get cold enough to kill all kinds of bug larvae, eggs, or adults...some of 'em just "go to sleep" (diapause is the scientific term) when it gets cold, only to "wake up" later and keep eating

red cedar is great for keeping bugs away from clean feathers, but cedar itself will not kill any live infestation

**FluteMaker** · 01-11-2008, 03:55 PM

yeah, i guess i should have mentioned that there are two different kinds of cedar. eastern V. western. eastern cedar is the aeromatic kind. and repels bugs. western cedar is what they use for cedar siding and cedar shake shingles. both resist rot and decay, but western cedar doesnt do much for bugs. and dont bother with the treated deck cedar either

J.L. Benet · 01-11-2008, 07:16 PM

I heard old fashioned naphthalene moth-balls will not only ward off the mites, but will kill those that are there. I also heard you could boil the feathers, but you were then supposed to rub some kind of oil on the feathers (I think it was tea tree oil).

**walela49** · 01-11-2008, 08:10 PM

ahhhh yes...good old napthalene!! it'll kill adults, larvae, and eggs...seal 'em in with your feathers inside something airtight for a few days...that'll do it!

Nahachagii · 01-12-2008, 01:02 AM

Thanks a bunch everyone for your suggestions and helping me resolve an age old dilemna. I appreciate the input from each of you.....Aho!

I also now understand "Why" my dear friend made me a cedar box a few years ago......duh!

My eagle feathers are fine, thank goodness, but I will give them a "spritz" of spray from the pet store. Think I'll pop em in the freezer for a few days just to make sure.

My initial concern, was that I made a fan last year from a Red Tail Hawk that I acquired from a roadside kill, and have just now noticed a couple feathers that were being eaten up....that's why I asked for help. None the less, it totally bummed me up. It's not too bad, but I am still bummed out. I wish I would have "fixed" the problem earlier.

As such, I'm thinking I'll give the fan to Mother Earth, as lately I have been cleaning house somewhat, and have been giving back (in a sacred way) some of those items that I've had for a long time, i.e., sage bundles, sweetgrass, broken pottery, pipestone, mineral stones, sticks, medicine wheels, feathers, etc.

Just kinda cleaning house, and making offerings to All My Relations.

Anyway, Thanks for listening and caring.

Ahe'hee'

01-10-2008, 01:03 AM	#1 (permalink)
Nahachagii Purpose Waiting To Happen Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Surf City...... Posts: 3	How do I keep feather mites from eating How do I keep feather mites from eating my feathers? Kwak Kway

01-10-2008, 05:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
wardancer Don't be skurred ! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: S.E. Kansas Posts: 11,261	Cedar's the best , I think......Put them in the freezer for about 4 hours and that will kill the mites that might be on them....Then store them in a cedar box....Don't use cedar shake ( shingles)...won't work ! __________________ *I believe blood quantums are the governments way to breed us out of existance !* *Never wrestle with a pig....you both get dirty and the pig likes it !* Have A Stress Free Year ! The parties over...Back to work ! I'm not as good as I once was , but I'm as good once as I ever was !

01-10-2008, 08:30 AM	#4 (permalink)
billyjoejimbob Fat Singer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: white guy land Posts: 1,525	Little nutra-slim pills! I thought you had to freeze them for days? __________________ There are 2 types of people in the world... Really stupid people who think they are smart and Really smart people who think they are smart.

01-10-2008, 04:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
walela49 the legal plumes lady! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: www.walela49.com Posts: 1,156	if you've got a big deep-freeze that gets to zero degrees, then overnight is great, but the on-top-of-the-fridge variety may not get cold enough to kill all kinds of bug larvae, eggs, or adults...some of 'em just "go to sleep" (diapause is the scientific term) when it gets cold, only to "wake up" later and keep eating red cedar is great for keeping bugs away from clean feathers, but cedar itself will not kill any live infestation __________________ See my trading post ads See my photo gallery See walela49's myspace page

01-11-2008, 03:55 PM	#7 (permalink)
FluteMaker PowWows.com Addicts Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: somewhere between chicago and DC, what day is it again? Posts: 2,458	yeah, i guess i should have mentioned that there are two different kinds of cedar. eastern V. western. eastern cedar is the aeromatic kind. and repels bugs. western cedar is what they use for cedar siding and cedar shake shingles. both resist rot and decay, but western cedar doesnt do much for bugs. and dont bother with the treated deck cedar either __________________ No bomb is smart enough to not kill the innocent.

01-10-2008, 09:05 AM	#5 (permalink)
apacheheart Teen Dancer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Peekskill,NY. Posts: 261	When you get them initially,freezing for a few hours or days works real well(I prefer days).After that I like to use a commercial mite and lice spray they sell at pet shops for birds.Any one will do,and I usually give them a spritz every time I wear or carry the feathers outside for any length of time.A cedar box is the best place to store them after use,as well as putting them back in the freezer...keep smilin'1

01-11-2008, 07:16 PM	#8 (permalink)
J.L. Benet Northerner in Florida Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa, FL Posts: 88	I heard old fashioned naphthalene moth-balls will not only ward off the mites, but will kill those that are there. I also heard you could boil the feathers, but you were then supposed to rub some kind of oil on the feathers (I think it was tea tree oil). __________________ J.L. Benet Last edited by J.L. Benet; 01-11-2008 at 08:18 PM.

01-11-2008, 08:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
walela49 the legal plumes lady! Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: www.walela49.com Posts: 1,156	ahhhh yes...good old napthalene!! it'll kill adults, larvae, and eggs...seal 'em in with your feathers inside something airtight for a few days...that'll do it! __________________ See my trading post ads See my photo gallery See walela49's myspace page

01-12-2008, 01:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
Nahachagii Purpose Waiting To Happen Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Surf City...... Posts: 3	Thanks Guys....Appreciate the Info Thanks a bunch everyone for your suggestions and helping me resolve an age old dilemna. I appreciate the input from each of you.....Aho! I also now understand "Why" my dear friend made me a cedar box a few years ago......duh! My eagle feathers are fine, thank goodness, but I will give them a "spritz" of spray from the pet store. Think I'll pop em in the freezer for a few days just to make sure. My initial concern, was that I made a fan last year from a Red Tail Hawk that I acquired from a roadside kill, and have just now noticed a couple feathers that were being eaten up....that's why I asked for help. None the less, it totally bummed me up. It's not too bad, but I am still bummed out. I wish I would have "fixed" the problem earlier. As such, I'm thinking I'll give the fan to Mother Earth, as lately I have been cleaning house somewhat, and have been giving back (in a sacred way) some of those items that I've had for a long time, i.e., sage bundles, sweetgrass, broken pottery, pipestone, mineral stones, sticks, medicine wheels, feathers, etc. Just kinda cleaning house, and making offerings to All My Relations. Anyway, Thanks for listening and caring. Ahe'hee'

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