Beak question?

LightJak07

New member
May 23, 2008
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Utah
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Mad Max, dilute blue parrotlet, 12 weeks old.
Hi
Max is a happy healthy little guy, active and silly. However, his beak is looking a little strange, it isn't deformed or growing funny, it just looks like it is dry, you know when your nails split at the ends and look to have two layers? Kind of like that. Is this something that I should be concerned about? He eats very well and has a variety of misc foods available, he also has his mineral/cuttlebone.
Another question I have is this, how often should his nails be clipped, he bites at them but not overly much. I wonder if they are bothering him. He is about 14 weeks old.
Thanks in advance :)
Rebecca
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
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15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
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Beak growth and flaking is completely normal. When the beak grows it will crack and flake but then smooth out again.

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rockinseattle

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Aug 16, 2007
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WA United States
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Birds do bite their nails from time to time to groom them or if they are nervous..

Have you taken Max to an avian vet?
 
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LightJak07

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May 23, 2008
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Utah
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Mad Max, dilute blue parrotlet, 12 weeks old.
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Thanks Tex...my husband said not to worry but ya know, the other one died, so I am paranoid. I am not sure if I wrote this but I went and talked to the pet store I bought the love bird from they told me it wasn't a baby and it was most likely a weak bird that the others were picking on, hence the ragged look of the bird. Wow..that was nice of them to train ALL their people on the darn birds *sigh*

I am completely in love with my parrotlet, he has a huge personality and loves to cuddle, and occasionally goes into, what I call, T-Rex mode and stomps around with his shoulders hunched up, it is so funny, it's like he's just looking for trouble, a scritch and some love and a nap usually takes care of the grumpies.
Everything seems to have worked out for the best even though the loss of the love bird was devastating.

Rocksin, I haven't yet, I plan to in the next couple of weeks, I have found an avian vet that is not too far but I am unsure about them since I have never used them, my vet (that I use for my pooches) does not see birds except on an emergency basis. Anyway..I am gonna take him over to a place here, this week, that will groom him and board him if the need arises and ask the owner about his nails, she is extremely well respected here and all the bird people I have talked to know of her and like her. She should be able to also tell me what clinic she uses for her own birds and I'll probably go to that one.

Thanks for answering my questions, I appreciate it! :)
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
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15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Having a network of people who you know are "respected bird people" will always make you feel better. That is why we join forums and seek out other bird people. I respect, and truly like, the people in my network and I know that they have a load of knowledge about birds.
 
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LightJak07

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May 23, 2008
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Mad Max, dilute blue parrotlet, 12 weeks old.
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I agree Tex, and I am very thankful to have found this place.

I have another weird question though....I have read about 20 different books and thirty websites, some of them are just about Parrotlets, a few of them say to give them grit as a treat once every couple, three days, but I have also read in several places to never give them grit. Oy Vey! Since these little birds are not quite as available as some of the other smaller birds, who in the heck do I believe? He did dip into it when I offered it but didn't consume more than a couple of the tiny pieces and it hasn't affected him in any way, either good or bad. Why so much conflicting advice? Is it like that for all the birds?

I need to post a pic so you can see my lovely little monster. :)
 

Auggie's Dad

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Dec 28, 2007
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Auggie: Dusky Conure
As Tex said the beak sounds normal. When Auggie was younger his would flake a lot. A vet, or well trained groomer, can file it down a bit to make it look nice.

As far as nails they do need to be trimmed occasionally, but the "nail chewing" is normal grooming. If he has concrete type perches he may not need regular trims - Auggie has gone almost two years without a nail trim and when he was recently at the vet she said he still didn't need a trim.

As far as grit you will get a wide variety of opinions. Birds DO need calcium which the grit can provide, however if they are on a good pelleted diet that will provide their daily requirements. Cuttle bones are also a great calcium source. So grit is certainly not NEEDED. Auggie loves diving into a grit pile as an occasional treat so I do give him some.

The risk/concern is if they get too much it can damage their digestive system.

So, like many other things grit is fine in moderation but certainly not necesary if they are on a healthy balanced diet.
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
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15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
See, I've always thought that grit was a no-no. I can think of other great sources of calcium (green leafy veggies and nuts ... Ham and Mac both love their almonds). But I do agree with the everything in moderation creed.

I just though of one other thing, Vitamin-A deficiencies first tell-tale sign always start in the beak. So, excessive flaking and splitting could signal that you need to work more Vitamin-A into your fid's diet. Sweet potato is a great source of Vitamin-A AND Calcium, and most birdies go crazy over it.

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rockinseattle

New member
Aug 16, 2007
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WA United States
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2 large macaws 1 CAG, 1 mini macaw, 1 amazon, 1 cockatoo
A BIT ABOUT GRIT

Do Birds Need It?
by Carol Highfill


Do birds need grit? This is not only a common question of concern to bird owners, but a source of disagreement as well. Understanding what grit is, its purpose, and the possible problems which may result from its use, can help us in deciding whether or not to offer it to our birds. Most of the information presented here has been gathered and summarized from the well respected book Avian Medicine: Principles and Application by Ritchie, Harrison and Harrison.
The Purpose of Grit
Grit is used by birds to aid in the digestion of whole, intact seeds. Birds' digestive enzymes work well in digesting the inner portion of seeds, but have difficulty with their fibrous coating. The fibrous hulls of whole seeds, such as sunflower seeds, act like a barrier, preventing digestive enzymes from reaching the nutritious seed within.

Grit, in the ventriculus, aids in grinding and wearing away the outer shells of the seeds, enabling the digestive enzymes to reach the valuable inner portion. If there is any other purpose for the use of grit by birds, it is not yet known.

What Is Grit?
The term grit is applied to two different groups of substances - insoluble grit and soluble grit.

Insoluble grit, the type being discussed here, is composed of minute stones such as silicates and sandstones and is used in digesting unhulled seeds. Birds, such as pigeons and doves, which swallow the entire seed, require such grit. Insoluble grit cannot be digested and will remain in the body until expelled.

Soluble grit is organic and includes crushed shells (such as oyster shells) or cuttlebone. Soluble grit is mostly limestone (calcium carbonate). Since it is easily digested by acids found in the proventriculus, there is little danger of it accumulating in the digestive system. However, while soluble grit is a source of calcium, it does little in aiding the digestion of whole seeds. Further, instances of heavy metal toxicity have been reported with the feeding of soluble grit which has come from areas with polluted waters.

Which Birds Require Grit
Since the purpose of grit is to remove the outer coatings of whole seeds, it would seem that only birds which consume intact seeds, such as doves, require grit in their diet.

Grit is not required in normal, healthy, psittacine (parrots) or passerine (canaries, finches, starlings, mynahs) birds. Since these birds remove the fibrous hulls from the seeds in the act of eating them, the digestive enzymes have no barriers to prevent them from acting upon the seed. In fact some species of parrots have ridges on the inside portion of their upper beak which are believed to aid in the shelling of seeds. The seed is held in place by the ridges, while the lower beak is used to crack and remove the hull. Birds on a formulated (pelleted) diet also should not require grit.

Avian Medicine: Principles and Application reports that there have been many examples of healthy birds which have not had grit for periods of 15 to 20 years and show no signs of poor digestion.

On the other hand, it is believed that birds with pancreatic or physical digestion problems, may benefit from some grit. However, in such cases an avian vet should be consulted.

In the US, the use of grit is usually discouraged, especially if offered freely (ad libitum) which may lead to obstructive gastritis. In Australia, where grit is frequently given to pet birds, few problems have been reported. At the moment there is no explanation for these geographical differences.

If an owner does feel that grit should be given, Avian Medicine: Principles and Application recommends that it not be offered freely, but as a compromise, cockatiel size birds can be given 5 grains of grit biannually (every 2 years) and cockatoo sized birds may be given 1/2 teaspoon biannually.

Potential Problems Caused by Grit
If given free access to grit, some birds may overconsume it, leading to crop, proventricular or ventricular impactions. According to Avian Medicine: Principles and Application "This problem is reported commonly in North America but appears uncommon in Australia. The cause for a regional variation in the occurrence of this condition is unknown. Birds showing compulsive grit consumption should be evaluated for hepatopathy, pancreatitis, renal dysfunction and general malnutrition."

It is also important to check the contents of any grit mixtures purchased for the presence of charcoal. Charcoal can affect the absorption of viatmins A, B2 and K, resulting in deficiencies.

Regarding birds on formulated diets, Avian Medicine: Principles and Application also states: "Studies in poultry indicate that the addition of grit increases the digestibility by as much as 10%, but similar studies have not been performed in companion birds. Given that obesity is more of a problem than maldigestion in companion birds, increasing the digestibility of a formulated diet that exceeds suggested nutritional requirements is probably unnecessary."

In conclusion, the benefit of grit for parrots and softbills has not been demonstrated, but potential risks have been observed. If it is offered at all, it should be given in moderation.
http://www.birdsnways.com/wisdom/ww58eii.htm
 

TexDot33

Bird poop and baby poop
Dec 26, 2006
2,576
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4
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New Hampshire USA
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15 year-old Sun Conure: Hamlet &
14 year-old Green-Cheeked Conure: Mac
Great article Rocks!! Very informative. Thank you for that!

I would advise everyone to take a look at that, lots of great information there.

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Tracy842

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Jan 12, 2007
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Alberta, Canada
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Popsicle the Senegal Parrot &
Pepsi the Mealy Amazon
Popsicle has a flaky beak, always has since I had her. It can be a sign of vitamin A deficincy so check with your vet and make sure she is eating foods with vitamin A.
 

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