|
|
Post by avinet on Jun 14, 2008 21:37:03 GMT 10
I have several birds that come into the shop regularly to have their beak trimmed - birds that have some sort of deformity of the beak meaning that it can't grow properly. A male cockatiel with a split lower beak has been coming in regularly now for some 10 years. However I hadn't seen him recently until today, and apparently his elderly owner have been very ill and the bird was being looked after by a daughter who was not a bird person and who had worries about her mother to occupy her. As you will see in the photo it had got pretty long - almost to the point where it was curved back into the throat of the bird. In spite of the length of the beak the bird was otherwise pretty healthy with good weight so he was still managing to eat OK. The photos show a before and after view as well as a bottom view to show the split lower beak that is the cause of the over-growth. This bird had the split beak when purchased as a baby by the owner - she had failed to notice the split on purchase and the breeder didn't want anything to do with her afterwards. So I have been trimming it regularly now for 10 years. This sort of beak problem is not that unusual - probably caused in the nest by a careless parent feeding it and accidently damaging the growing area in the process. I have a cockatiel, JJ, at home with the same problem - now 13 years old and also needing regular trims. Oh, and the elderly owner is on the mend and expected home soon. cheers, Mike    |
|
Karen
Addicted Member
Posts: 97
|
Post by Karen on Jun 14, 2008 22:49:41 GMT 10
darn! haven't seen a split that bad before!
|
|
|
|
Post by silvercloud on Jun 15, 2008 12:10:57 GMT 10
Oh wow, how was he able to eat?
|
|
|
|
Post by AussieBirds on Jun 15, 2008 14:05:19 GMT 10
That's pretty bad Mike, can I ask what you use to trim the beak and what do we have to be careful of when trimming such thing as this, is there a limit to how far you can trim or is it your personal judgment.
John
|
|
|
|
Post by rainbowfeathers77 on Jun 15, 2008 16:07:08 GMT 10
Wow....that looks painful! Poor bird! Never seen anything so bad.
Good on you mike, for your care and commitment!!
|
|
|
|
Post by avinet on Jun 15, 2008 21:42:22 GMT 10
That's pretty bad Mike, can I ask what you use to trim the beak and what do we have to be careful of when trimming such thing as this, is there a limit to how far you can trim or is it your personal judgment. John I use some modeller's side-cutters, from a shop that sells model planes, model railways etc. Very sharp and very strong. A photo of an old pair I have at home is below - now a bit rough on the cutting edges and used mainly for wire cutting now. They are useful for both beaks and claws. The only disadvantage is the sharp point to them but I have never had an accident. Just in case, I have a hand cauterizer, which I have had to use at times on claws but never on a beak. As for how much, well the beak has blood going into it as well as nerves, so you have to be careful not to cut into the blood. In a light coloured beak the blood can be seen so it is easy to avoid - in a dark beak it is a matter of learnt experience, staying on the side of caution. The cockatiel could have had more taken off, but I prefer them to bring it back in a couple of weeks to give it a bit more of a manicure. I don't allow any of our staff to do beaks, unless it is an emergency when I am not there - the cockatiel for instance would have had a temporary short trim to last it a few days if I was not in the shop. They can do claws if necessary, but in fact claws rarely need trimming - usually it is a matter of giving advice on correct perches etc so they wear naturally. Claws are usually too sharp and not too long so trimming is not a good option in most cases. Such beak trimming is not something we ever charge for - same with wing or claw clipping. If we had a charge for such services I worry that people would try to do it themselves and make a mess of it and injure the bird. Or leave it too long between visits. cheers, Mike  |
|
|
|
Post by vankarhi on Jun 18, 2008 18:36:56 GMT 10
OMG how does the bird eat??? Would it be possible to have surgery to correct the beak?? I realise it would cost a fortune, but I was just wondering and I am talking in general not specifically about the tiel in the pic.
The reason I ask is that I read that the beaks grow like our fingernails and providing a damaged beak is not a genetic problem then with proper treatment they can be corrected if not cured.
|
|
|
|
Post by Jane on Jun 18, 2008 18:47:31 GMT 10
Oh that is soooo terrible  |
|
|
|
Post by avinet on Jun 19, 2008 22:09:46 GMT 10
OMG how does the bird eat??? Would it be possible to have surgery to correct the beak?? I realise it would cost a fortune, but I was just wondering and I am talking in general not specifically about the tiel in the pic. The bird is around 10 years old and has had the problem since a baby so yes it can eat. Even with the beak as bad as it was this time it hadn't lost any weight so was still managing to eat OK. Some beak problems can be fixed, such as a scissor beak in larger parrots, but in this case the growing area at the base is damaged and nothing can be done to fix that. Besides the bird has coped very well over the years. We have seen some real spectacular ones over the years. We were given a SC2 some years ago that had no top beak - it had been totally pulled out in a dog attack. So the birds mouth, tongue etc was visible with the lower beak in place. The bird managed pretty well on soft foods - sprouted seed, vegies, etc and had good weight, and we eventually found it a good home. cheers, Mike |
|
|
|
Post by courtzrocks on Jun 20, 2008 10:45:36 GMT 10
I tamed a baby tiel with scissor beak but she ended up dying, it was so sad, she was so sweet. Also my vet a few weeks ago had to operate and remove the top beak off a budgie.
|
|
|
|
Post by ghorbani77 on Apr 16, 2019 4:00:38 GMT 10
hi , im from iran , i have a 6 moths old cockatiel with deformity in buttom of her beak , buttom beak was splited two pices like pictures in here , i dont know what i should to do for her . he cannot eat Millet grain , and im cocking some rice for it .  . what i can do for it ? thanks for read and your post about break beak in cockatiels . |
|
.