Beak deformity?

[bertsirkin]

I have a 33 year old amazon (cross between a blue-front and panama). I just noticed her lower beak is mal-shaped. It looks like one side broke off and the other side has grown too much.

Is this something to be concerned about? Should the beak be trimmed?

Appreciate any help!

bert

 

[Birdman666]

That's a very slight scissors beak. And the bird needs beak grooming.

Sally has the same sort of deformity, and has always had that as far as I know.

I get her beak groomed about once a year, or once every 18 months, when it grows out like that.

It's fairly common. Just don't let the beak get overgrown.

 

[bertsirkin]

That's a very slight scissors beak. And the bird needs beak grooming.

Sally has the same sort of deformity, and has always had that as far as I know.

I get her beak groomed about once a year, or once every 18 months, when it grows out like that.

It's fairly common. Just don't let the beak get overgrown.

Thanks for the response. There's only one bird-vet in the area, and the last time I brought my bird to the vet (for a limp), she was very rough with her, and the diagnosis was completely wrong, so I don't have a lot of faith in her.

I guess there's no easy way to handle a parrot that doesn't want to be handled, but is beak grooming a relatively simple and quick procedure?

 

[Minimaker]

I once raised a baby blue jay that fell out of it's nest in my yard that had the unfortunate luck to fall right into the chicken pen. Our rooster started stomping the poor thing trying to kill it. I ran in and grabbed it up before he managed to kill it. But the poor thing's beak was really cracked on one side. It looked like he had a permanent sneer after that. But it lived fine, ate fine despite all that. He hung around my yard for awhile and seemed to flourish anyway.

Is the same true of parrots? I know their beaks are different but do they do ok with beak problems or will it eventually kill them?

 

[Birdman666]

That's a very slight scissors beak. And the bird needs beak grooming.

Sally has the same sort of deformity, and has always had that as far as I know.

I get her beak groomed about once a year, or once every 18 months, when it grows out like that.

It's fairly common. Just don't let the beak get overgrown.

Thanks for the response. There's only one bird-vet in the area, and the last time I brought my bird to the vet (for a limp), she was very rough with her, and the diagnosis was completely wrong, so I don't have a lot of faith in her.

I guess there's no easy way to handle a parrot that doesn't want to be handled, but is beak grooming a relatively simple and quick procedure?

It's done with a dremel tool. They towel the bird and grind down the areas so that the bird can comfortably open and close its beak. Once it gets over grown like that, it starts pushing the upper and lower beak apart.

The bird will be a lot more comfortable once it's over. But she's not gonna like it. AT ALL!

This just has to be done every once in a great while.

Sally went about 18 months before needing it again last time. I just had this done for her in November/December.

 

[Scott]

I've had 3 parrots with beak issues:

A baby Goffin was born with a severely truncated upper beak. Our vet prepared a plaster-type probiscus that was attached for several weeks. Upon removal, it looked much better, and the prognosis was for a permanent periodic trimming. Wrong - it grew normally and doesn't require any attention! Whew!!

Both my Eclectus were afflicted with overgrown upper beaks. The vet had no definitive answer despite proper diet and normal blood chemistry. The male tolerated the dremel every 6-9 months. Vet staff proclaimed the female absolutely vicious thus she was anesthetized at 9-12 month intervals. When I eventually changed vets she tolerated the dremel without drama, making me wonder if she was ever sleepy during the procedure!! She, however, developed a terrible scissors-beak following what was presumed to be an infection on the bottom surface of the lower beak.

 

[goalerjones]

No, actually those are red circles drawn over your pictures.

 

[bertsirkin]

Thanks for the help - I brought her to the vet and, after a relatively painless visit, her beak was groomed and it's fine now.

I say it was a relatively painless visit because that last time I brought her to the vet (same location, but different doc), they treated her somewhat roughly, and it took her a day or more to get over the trauma, even though they do specialize in birds. I've been reluctant to bring her back after that, but now at least I know that one of the docs there is good with birds.

 

[labell]

What a beautiful bird!!!

 

[bertsirkin]

What a beautiful bird!!!

And she knows it!

She's 33 years old and we've had her since she was 6 months old.

 

[MikeyTN]

She looks really good for her age!!!!