7month old Senegal w a Flaky beak

[Zazusmommy]

Hi Everyone!!

My first avian baby Zazu is having a flaky beak. I acquired him from a very good breeder: Simbad's Birds, in case someone lives in miami and knows the place. When i first got him 4 months ago his beak was prefect, as the pic I attached show, shiny and recently trimmed. in the past 2 months or so his beak has started flaking. I would like to point out that i researched a lot before getting him and i think I'm well versed about his dietary needs, as well as the other aspects of his life such as sun exposure, exercise, socialization etc.
his diet is consist of:
50% seed and kibble mix (unknown brand) the breeder gave me which is what he was on after weaning and 50% Dr. Harvey's Colossal Cockatiel food(ingredients listed below). To that I added dehydrated vegetables and fruits I made: apple, sweet potato, squash, zucchini, bell pepper and I will add more variety as I make them. also i added nuts: almond, cashews, walnuts, pecans and whole shelled peanuts
I also offer every day fresh fruits and veggies: cantaloupe at least twice a week because he loves it and has lots of vit. A, broccolli, grapes, berries, apples, carrots, asparagus and anything else I might have.
and finally he gets Dr Havey's holistic bird supplement(ingredients listed below) every other day

I read many times in previous posts that vitamin A deficiency was probably the cause of flaky beaks but I think that his diet has enough of it. Also i have not taken him to get his beak trimmed ever since i got him, not sure if it has anything to do with the flakiness?? he does have one small perch of the rough ones (not sanded only rough) I got at petsmart.

He is doing well otherwise.

Any thoughts or advice would be really appreciated!

Thanks in advance!!!



DR HARVEY'S COLOSSAL COCKATIEL:
Bee Pollen, Canary Grass Seed, White Millet, Safflower Seed, Canola Seed, Oat Groats, Sesame Seed, Sunflower Seed, Caraway Seed, Flax Seed, Coconut Chips, Raisins, Banana Chips, *Carrot Dices, Hemp Seed, Apple Pieces, Macadamia Pieces, Walnut Pieces, Almond Pieces, Pine Nut Pieces, Pistachio Pieces, Cashew Pieces, Filbert Pieces, Pecan Pieces, Brazil Pieces, Soy Bean Pieces, Cranberries, Mango Pieces, Orange Peel Strips, *Green Beans, *Garden Peas, *Spinach Flakes, *Celery Flakes, *Parsley Flakes *Broccoli, *Zucchini, * Red Bell Pepper, *Green Bell Pepper, Red Clover Blossoms, Dandelion Leaf, Calendula Flowers, Echinacea Angustifolia Herb, Alfalfa Leaf, Oat Straw, Thyme Leaf, Rosemary Leaf, Peppermint Leaf, Basil Leaf, Fennel Seed, Papaya Leaf, Red Raspberry Leaf, Rose Hips

BIRD SUPPLEMENT:
Bee Pollen, Spirulina, Kelp, Lecithin, Echinacea Augustifolia Herb Powder, Red Clover Blossom Powder, Dandelion Leaf Powder, Papaya Leaf Powder, Calendula Flower Powder, Oat Straw Powder, Alfalfa Leaf Powder, Red Raspberry Leaf Powder, Peppermint Leaf Powder, Thyme Leaf Powder, Rose Hips Powder, Rosemary Leaf Powder, Garlic Powder, Basil Leaf Powder


this first pic was when i just got him.... the second was on may..... and the third was today

 

[kerry]

Beaks are made of Keratin just as our hair is & feathers & fingernails.
Beaks naturally shed layers. Frequently the birds rub the layers off.
My Yellow Naped Amazon always rubs her beak on her perch to clean it every time after she eats.

"Like fingernails, parrot beaks are continually growing. “The beak grows from the base and underneath the outer layer, and the outer layer is shed as it is being replaced from underneath,” explained Gregory Burkett, DVM, an avian veterinarian in Durham, North Carolina."
Bird Beak Anatomy

 

[Karigan]

My girl's beak looks like that sometimes. I help her by scratching her beak a little now and then. It scared me the first time a larger piece flaked off, but she seems totally fine. If your worried, you can file or grind it, or better yet have a professional do it.

 

[Printer bird]

I am no expert on this but I know that the parrots I've had have beaks that look like that occasionally. If you are really concerned you can bring him to the vet but it doesn't look too worrying to me. On a not-related-to-the-beak note, the diet sounds good although I think it sounds a little heavy on seeds/dried fruit/nut mix (unless you've been advised otherwise by a vet). Normally pellets with seeds as treats as they are a little high in fat and low in nutrition. Perhaps I'm wrong on this though, someone else may chime in to correct based on more experience, especially with a senegal.

 

[suebee]

awww he looks a real cutie just give his beak a rub, he'll love you for it!

fresh fruit an veg should be includded in diet no apple seeds, advacado or asparagus these are toxic!

 

[Zazusmommy]

thank you all! i really appreciate the quick replies!

He was examined and vaccinated by an avian vet prior to me getting him, i have the certificate, i plan to take him on a yearly basis, unless he looks sick of course, but that will be in another 7 months.
I will switch him over to only Dr Harvey's food when im done with the other one, and the nuts i added were not in high amounts, hopefully just enough to add variety.

asparagus is toxic? wow! never heard before, thanks suebee! avocado, tomato and parsley are the ones i knew about.

i think i will watch him and see how it goes for the next month or so

thanks again!!

 

[upcgirl]

My vet's advice:

80% pellet, 15% vegetable 5% fruit/seed/nut.

1-2 Tablespoons of Pellet a day. Sometimes, Max eats more, sometimes not.
1-2 teaspoons of vegetable.
1 small piece of fruit/1 nut/ 1 Lafeber's Nutriberry (these have seeds in them).

 

[Bright Star]

Some flaking is normal, but I've also read that Pois with flaking beaks might need more access to chew toys - a simple fix

 

[mtdoramike]

When ever I get Tiki's beak trimmed, the mobile bird groomer always puts some type of lotion on her beak. I don't know what it is, but I'm assuming is some kind of vitamin lotion.