Beak question

[Loyal]

I've read that I should try coconut oil but Indy is not found of hands and does NOT like to be touched... so in the meantime, any other suggestions on what to do about her beak looking so dry and peeling?

I live in orange city fl, and don't know of a good avian vet, but the vets at banfield in Lake Mary fl, will see her... don't know if that's worth it?

Her diet consist of a pellet/seed mix (I got from a breeder in West Palm beach, however, he was not Indys original owner) harrisons pellets, and Nutraberries (a few a week) and fresh fruit and veggies.

 

[friedsoup]

Add fresh baby carrots and citris (oranges, lemons,kumquats) try beak rubs close your fist and reach out with the thumb and fore finger knuckle let your bird put it's beak in the space inbetween then rub, if this works then put the coconut oil on your hand and rub the beak.

 

[Loyal]

Will definitely try the beak rubs!!!! Thank you!

I thought citrus should be given in small quantities?

 

[Karigan]

Maybe rub some aloe on it?

 

[kc_y0]

Have you thought about trying a sandy perch? My bird has the beak pealing problem as well, as she wont groom her beak on her wooden perches, but rather the metal bars on the cage which doesn't do anything but scratch her beak up. I'm going to try a sandy perch myself, but thought I'd give you the idea as well!

 

[MollyGreenCheeks]

I highly recommend Pedicure Perches and their concrete perches. My babies love to clean their beaks on them after their meals and the perch is not overly abrasive as to cause problems with the birds feet.

 

[Karigan]

Same with mine. Her beak always looks freshly sanded since we got it!

 

[MaraWentz]

I just file it with a nail file. It's easy fast, and my bird is too lazy to take care of itself. I recommend the coconut oil- I use lotion, but that's just because I'm not a fan of oils, but ti turns it glossy and brand new looking lol

 

[Loyal]

Thank you all. I have a concrete perch, but she only uses it right after meals. I'll get a sanding perch too. As far as oiling her beak, I tried the knuckle rub with nothing on my knuckles and was meet with a nice warning bite, just enough to get her message across and break the skin slightly.

 

[kc_y0]

Could you put some oil on a tissue and rub it on? Maybe it would be easier then using your hands, even if he bites, it might not hurt as much lol

 

[Mozzie]

Coconut does work wonders on their beaks. I just started using it on my fids and I can not believe the difference already! It works great. My fids love beak rubs so it makes it easy for me to apply.

 

[madatter]

I use olive oil, Billy likes his head scratching so I get him to come to the cage side for a head scratch then put the oil on while his trying to get his head through the bars for a scratch.

 

[WannaBeAParrot]

After bath is a good time to see what might entice Indy to groom her beak. Does Indy have a routine for "scraping" or cleaning off beak after eating wet or moist food like fruit?

Pritti seems so happy to let me smooth it out with my fingernails when it's softend by the water (I keep them short and unpainted all the time). Most of the time thouh he'll sit on his eating perch and groom it after a bath (I think he is used to that perch for rubbing because he uses it to clean up after eating too).

 

[Loyal]

Add fresh baby carrots and citris (oranges, lemons,kumquats) try beak rubs close your fist and reach out with the thumb and fore finger knuckle let your bird put it's beak in the space inbetween then rub, if this works then put the coconut oil on your hand and rub the beak.

She loves the baby carrots by the way. I was buying carrots and slicing them, but you've saved me a ton of time...she also likes throwing whats left of the baby carrots out the cage to the dog (who loves carrots) so thank you

 

[DebsFlock]

You could also try offering a hair more fat in the diet, say an almond or a couple of pistachios every couple of days.

It seems to work with Capes, not sure about Senniie's.

 

[Zuzu]

don't show him your fear, mine used to do the same thing, til showed him it doesn't bother me. now he'll purposely grab a finger or knuckle of mine and try to lift it up for a beak rub, esp when he shakes hi ( like a dog gimme paw). then eventually if your bird gets comfy allowing that u'll b able to stroke your finger on the back of the head. remember your bigger than him, granted his beak is strong but were not talking a macaw here were ur liable to lose a finger lol. but first you should defiantly get the concrete or sandy perches. we did for ours, helped alot esp with the sharp claws he had when first got him. also let him know its alright and your not going to hurt him when u do a beak rub or scratch of the head, and pretty soon he'll be Loving it, ours will cuddle up under our chin and we stroke his head feathers in opposite direction and he makes a lite clucking and clicking noises. if yours goes to bite and starts really pinching just say OW, NO; but don't try yanking away he'll get ya then.

 

[Zuzu]

also for a treat but to get him to actually use the sandy perch give him a kids fruit snack one that says REAL FRUIT. whoops i just re-read your first post, its a girl sennie, sorry, seen indy and figured like indiana jones, lol

 

[Loyal]

I'm not so worried about being bitin. I just don't know Indys history, so I don't want to open a can of worms by doing things she's had a bad experience with. She'll climb on my hand from a perch, but she becomes very distressed when you try to put your hand directly on her. We've only had her since July (that's where her name came from Indy, for Independce day) but she's coming around. But like I said, I don't know her exact age, or how many previous owners she's had, I only truely know what her life was like while she was with my father.

 

[Zuzu]

It takes some time for them to let you do whatever you want. We got Zeus in June, and its now Nov. at first we could just pick him up with step up. But now we can pet him, grab or rub his beak, he'll growl n play tug-a-war when we do that sometimes. He sits with us at dinner time and if someone has a biscuit or crossant he'll screech and pace back and forth if you don't give him any. We can take and lay him on his back and rub his belly or play with his feet. Before bedtime he likes to cuddle up on our pillow or bury himself under our chin and do a clucking, clicking or purring noise. If he's on top of his cage and you walk over to it, and snap your fingers he'll walk over and climb on up. but when the kids get to loud with yelling or fighting over toys, he'll start screeching and yelling at them, its either he don't like the noise or wants to be included in the screaming lol. But you need to try at least an hr a day with indy and eventually she'll get used to you esp if you do it like a routine of outta cage or up on your shoulder time. Also offer her plain dry roasted saltless peanuts as a treat, ours loves em, Zeus will dance or do flips in his cage if he sees us coming with one for him.