Post by Delilah on May 21, 2019 9:48:44 GMT
benn... yes, I, too, have been the unwilling host of bird lice in the past and a not very pleasant experience! We were driving home a few years ago and saw the traffic had all backed up along the river's edge - there was a sorry looking bird in the middle of the road, flapping about. No one would get out, so I did and picked the poor creature up meaning to bring it back to ours where I would see what could be done. Within a few seconds of my husband driving again, with me cradling the bird, I was aware I was crawling all over.. had to get husband to stop the car asap and I jumped out and had to leave the dying bird in some long grass in peace - to cut a horrible itchy story short, by the time we got home I just jumped in the shower with all my clothes on and took them off under very hot water - the lice were even inside my underwear and shoes, and all over my hair of course. All clothes, even my shoes, went in the washing machine. The car had to be sprayed, too. I found out later that clearly the poor bird had been dying and the lice knew and were off to fresh pastures.. whilst I know they cannot live on humans alone for long, they will bite and I was covered in hundreds of tiny red marks all over. So I feel for birds, I really do!