Beak Problems / Deformities
Bird Health Care
Bookmarks: Dry / Peeling Beaks ... " Bruised" / Discolored Beak ... Overgrown Maxillas and Mandibles ... Beak Injuries or Loss of Beak ... . Beak Deformities... Scissors / Crooked Beaks ... Libraries: Avian Health ... Home Remedies
The upper beak of a psittacine is made up of a couple of bones that are attached to a hinge to the bones of the braincase and the horny tissue over it. Unlike the upper jaw of mammals, a parrot's upper beak is flexible and capable of some movement.
The beak "bones" are covered by a horny sheath. Like our fingernails, the beak is composed of live tissue and continually grows. It grows lengthwise, as well as outward. The most superficial surface is dead, keratinized tissue that flakes or chips off.
Dry / Peeling Beak
The beak and the feathers are basically made of the same material. A dry / peeling beak accompanied with a long molt suggests the bird's diet is deficient in the limiting amino acid methionine. While methionine is being diverted to feather production we shouldn't be surprised if the beak suffers a bit. Congratulations on asking this question - far too many people just accept flaky beaks as part of the natural condition of the bird. It isn't!
Supplementation with Daily Essentials3 and CalciBoost will ensure these deficiencies are prevented and should improve feather and beak condition. It takes 9-12 months for a completely new beak to grow so the flaked off material won't be immediately replaced.
Malcolm Green, Director, The Birdcare Company - malcolm@BirdcareCo.com
Online ordering worldwide: http://www.birdcareco.com/On_ord/on_ord.html
Bruised / Discolored Beak
Like a fingernail, damage to the beak leaves it bruised and discolored.
Similarly, a fungal infection of a toenail can be seen through the translucent nail tissue and may also cause the keratin to change color or texture. The same holds true for horn-colored beaks. It is possible to view underlying infections or damage. Black beaks are much more difficult to assess, but textural changes are often visible. So if a bird's beak has been bitten or punctured by another bird, or the bird injured its beak after flying into a window or mirror, it is possible to see bruises in the beak's deeper tissue.
A bruises / discolored beak – without any previous signs of injury –
... may be a sign of an ongoing inflammatory process, maybe necrosis within the damaged area. Chances are that the affected area is causing significant discomfort or even pain, which can prevent a pet bird from eating, as it may be painful for him to do so.
Any infectious process in the beak area can be challenging to diagnose as attempting to procure a biopsy or culture from the affected area is difficult, and may cause more tissue damage. But it is important to try to ascertain what kinds of organisms are likely involved, as treatment for bacteria and fungi require different types of medication. Sometimes blood tests, especially the complete blood count (CBC) and radiographs may help in diagnosing the extent of the problem.
However, regardless of what types of organisms are causing the infection, treatment most likely needs to be prolonged. Months of antibiotics and/or antifungal therapy are usually necessary when infections involve the beak tissue and underlying bones. Supportive care is also very important and the bird's weight should be checked regularly to catch any (further) weightloss. High-quality supplements, with a wide array of nutrients, may also help the tissue heal and repair. Psittacine-specific probiotics (good bacterial normally found in parrots) should be offered to help compete with potentially pathogenic bacteria. (Source: Dr. Margaret A. Wissman, DVM, Dip. ABVP Avian Practice)
Overgrown maxillas and mandibles
The maxilla tip is the most common site of overgrowth. Uneven beak wear is often noticeable, especially along the occlusal or biting surfaces of the maxilla and mandible, usually occurring on both surfaces. Treatment involves periodic trimming with a Dremel tool.
Beak Deformities
- Scissors / Crooked Beak
- Nutritional Deficiencies: Many beak deformities are caused by simple nutritional deficiencies. The most common are methionine, sulpha, biotin (a vitamin) and calcium. Without enough of these the beak material doesn't form properly and tends to bend rather than wear properly. All of these are common deficiencies in the typical diets fed to cage and aviary birds around the world. The problem is easily solved by supplementing with Daily Essentials3 and CalciBoost. Remember that the 'new' beak material will take 9-12 months to reach the 'wearing zone' so some beak trimming may be required in the meantime.
- Liver Damage: Another possible cause is liver damage. Again the beak becomes too soft to wear properly. Unfortunately the liver does not repair itself well so this is harder to solve. However we can reduce the amount of work the liver has to do and this is often more than enough for the symptom to go away completely. Methionine is again important as is another amino acid - lysine. Again Daily Essentials3 and CalciBoost should sort it out though even more of these amino acids will be supplied if Gold Label Feast (a soft food) can make up 25% or more of the diet. Your avian vet will be able to assess the bird's liver performance with simple blood tests. Remember that the 'new' beak material will take 9-12 months to reach the 'wearing zone' so some beak trimming may be required in the meantime. -
Malcolm Green, Director, The Birdcare Company - malcolm@BirdcareCo.com ...Online ordering worldwide: http://www.birdcareco.com
- Exposure to toxic chemicals has been shown to cause beak deformities in several species of birds. The second possible cause of beak deformities, mutation of a critical developmental gene, also has some support in the scientific literature. Changes such as albinism and reduced beak height occurred more commonly in Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) near the radioactively contaminated Chernobyl reactor (Muller and Mousseau 2001).
- Injuries / Infections: Finally, it is clear that injuries or infections can profoundly influence beak development. Gartrell et al. (2003) reported that a bacterial sinus infection was the cause of a beak deformity in an Antipodes Island Parakeet (Cyanoramphus unicolor) chick.
- Trauma has also been reported as a cause of beak deformities in other caged birds (Flammer and Clubb 1994). Given that normal beak development and growth is dependent upon contact between the tips of the mandible and maxilla, it is obvious that injuries to the tip of either the mandible or maxilla could result in a beak deformity.
- Incorrect Handfeeding Techniques: Too much pressure of the feeding implement against the chick's beak may result in beak deformities, as does applying too much pressure when wiping the beak.
Some beak deformities in cage birds (e.g. budgerigars) can be cured by trimming the overgrown mandible or maxilla to the appropriate length, which restores normal contact zones and thus normal growth of the beak (Boussarie 2002). - Excerpt from (pdf document): Beak Deformity in a Brown-headed Cowbird, with Notes on Causes of Beak Deformities in Birds - David A. Rintoul, Biology Division, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
Beak Injuries or Loss
Diet for Birds with Beak Injuries:
Please note the below for a good quality diet for your injured bird. Harrison's is known for their high-quality feed.
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