Over grown beak

[alleng8304]

another picture of Vinny

 

[LaManuka]

Yes that beak does look a smidge overgrown. I’m guessing it doesn’t interfere with Vinny eating though?

 

[alleng8304]

tHANKS- He eats fine

 

[Laurasea]

He looks like a bar chewer. Doesn't look to bad to me, they go through periods when the beak looks a little rough like that. Have you tried the chewable perches? They are kindaije flavered cuttle bone soft might be more tempting, can order online. He looks cute though!!! He'll get used to getting his pic taken , as now we want a full body shot of the handsome boy!!! I think you picked an excellent bird of course I love Quakers! Fly back to the cage, well poor thing is used to the cage they call it cage bound, as he probably didn't get to spend time away from it much before.... He will get better!

 

[alleng8304]

Thank you- yes he is a bar chewer-thanks for the suggestions

 

[alleng8304]

Ellen D

As usual thank you for the excellent info. I am convinced that this bird was not taken care of. He may have fatty liver disease since he was a cheap Walmart seed addict. All he eve wanted was Sunflower seeds-which I have taken out of his diet and only occasional treat. The owner wants $ 150 rescue fee for bird and cage. Perhaps I should make him wait until I get Vinny to the vet?

 

[EllenD]

Honestly, Vinnie's beak doesn't look that bad at all to me, not indicative of Fatty Liver Disease at all. I don't think that there's anything at all wrong with the beak other than as already mentioned he's a "bar chewer"...And while I always suggest that any new bird you bring home you take to a CAV for a "wellness exam" within the first couple of weeks of having them, I don't at all suggest that you get Vinny's beak "trimmed". First of all, it's not really overgrown at all, and is nothing that you cannot correct quickly by simply buying him a sand-perch (good for keeping both his toenails and his beak trimmed) and a nice, big Mineral Block for him to eat/file his beak on. They typically will rub their beaks on the sand-perches and that will take care of Vinny's beak very quickly. Secondly, in my opinion based on both the health issues and even tragedies that I've seen, unless their beaks are extremely overgrown, the risk of having a Vet Dremel their beaks is not worth it. Like I said, a sand-perch and a Mineral Block will take care of Vinny's beak quickly.

Do you know how old Vinny is? He looks pretty healthy overall from those two photos, not that we can really see his body/feathers from them, but even if he has been fed strictly an all-seed diet, that isn't anything that you can't correct or at least modify to add fresh veggies and dark, leafy greens every day, and try to slowly transition him to a natural pellet if you can...But just switching him to a high-quality, low-fat, varied seed-mix that contains no sunflower seeds and no nuts will do him wonders.

From what I'm seeing and what you've told us, I wouldn't hesitate to adopt Vinny and give him a loving home if you're ready to do so. (You haven't mentioned any health issues that you're aware of, so as long as he's eating normally, his droppings are normal and not at all runny/watery, and as long as he's not plucking/self-mutilating, etc., then his beak certainly shouldn't be a factor; like I said, I wouldn't call it "overgrown" at all, just in need of some self-filing and use on the proper types of toys, perches, and mineral blocks/cuttlebones)...

 

[alleng8304]

Thank you Ellen-you are the best. He is 7 years old. He does not use the Mineral Block but does use a cuttle bone. I will get some sand covers. I have switched him over to Tropmix and Harrisons HP pellets both of which he loves. I also gave him some Higgins Worldly Cuisines which he likes. I feed him twice daily and take the food bowl out of the cage at night. He is eager to eat in Am. He eats all kinds of fruits- now if I could get him to eat veggies. Starting to talk a little again and likes Ray Charles music Thanks again

 

[LaManuka]

Hey Allen, I read somewhere on the forum (can’t remember where exactly but it was posted by a VERY respectable senior member) that you should leave something to eat in the cage all the time. Apparently birds don’t respond well to not having access to food, it triggers some kind of famine response in their birdie brain, which makes sense to me. My guys always have access to at least their pellets including overnight.

 

[EllenD]

Allen, at 7 years old he's got decades of life left, he appears very healthy, and the choice of both the Harrison's pellets and the Tropimix seed-mix are both excellent. I switched all of my parrots over from Zupreem Natural pellets to Tropican pellets, and they love them. Also, i have fed Higgins VitaSeed California Blend seed-mix for years, and still do, but I also now buy the Tropimix seed-mix along with the Higgins and they get a mix of both each day...The really awesome thing about Tropimix seed-mix is not only is it extremely healthy, low-fat, and varied, but the Tropimix seed-mix contains Tropican pellets in it too, so that they are getting the Tropican pellets along with their seed mix, and then again when they are just fed the pellets. I've been extremely pleased with both the Tropican pellets and the Tropimix seed-mix, as well as the Higgins VitaSeed seed-mixes (particularly the California Blend, which contains nothing fatty at all), AND the Higgins Worldly Cuisines! My guys absolutely LOVE the Worldly Cuisines!

I ordered a variety-pack of Higgins Worldly Cuisines online somewhere like 2 or 3 years ago, which came with I believe 6 different types. They seemed to like them all, but the African Sunset one that is Quinoa, Flaxseed, Cracked Wheat, Almonds, Cranberries, Papaya, Sweet Potato, and Cinnamon is the one that they all DEVOUR as soon as I put the bowl down! I will admit that I have not only tried them, but I actually ate an entire package of the African Sunset variety, because it's amazingly good! It's like a really good cinnamon/fruit oatmeal, and is wonderful!

I also leave at least pellets and/or seed mix in their cages at all times too, usually it's the pellets that they have all the time, just because they are healthy and there's no reason that they shouldn't be able to have some whenever they want. Sometimes though, due to schedules and whatnot, some people choose to only allow their birds to have food at certain times of the day and that's it, which is your choice and is fine, as long as he is getting enough total food/nutrition each day.

 

[alleng8304]

Ellen D- Thanks again. Vinny loves the Harrisons pellets and I usually hand feed them as treats as well. The Tropmix is excellent and he loves it. Vinny is getting healthy and no more cheap seed. On Saturday, I officially adopted him-bought and paid for. Sunday night, I left him out of his cage a little longer than usual. He usually goes to bed around 8 pm. At 10 pm he started a vocal marathon as he was falling to sleep. Said about 20 different words and phrases-some that I never heard before. Now, if I could only get him to do that when awake. Thanks Allen

 

[LaManuka]

That's wonderful news Allen. The former owner had a bloody cheek demanding money considering the terrible conditions he was kept in before, but he sounds very happy to be with you. Would've been so cute to hear him talking to himself

All the very best to you and Cousin Vinny!

 

[Laurasea]

Congratulations!!! Yippie Cousin Vinny is now living high on the hog!

 

[alleng8304]

We (a friend) and I also rescued 4 other birds from him-to rescue and also try to sell- two cockatiels, parakeet, and a female Quaker. Hope to find them good homes.

 

[Laurasea]

Oh my this sounds like quite the story! Poor Vinny used to have birdie friends? He's done well to befriend you and trust you after loosing, and now regained birdie friends. Good luck, great job!