Picked up a couple of male rescue budgies today that had been abandoned. They didn't have a cuttlebone when they were found and the people that took care of them for a few months provided them with one. Of course, we don't know their ages, history or anything but one of them, Sky, the guy with the beak is quite friendly. I will be getting him to my avian vet as soon as possible for a beak trim but any idea what caused this? Sorry for the poor quality of the picture but I didn't want to distress them.

 

An overgrown beak can be the result of health problems including trauma, developmental abnormalities, nutritional imbalances, polyomavirus-like infection (finches), or liver disease (especially in budgies).n It also can be a site of mites too or more serious issues. Not only should beak be trimmed because a bird can starve but so should the underlying illness.

 

This was the information I found on the net.

Edited October 14, 200717 yr by Elly

:ygbudgie: Thankfully, him and his buddy look in pretty good shape as the people who took them in took reasonably good care of them as far as hygiene, etc. My poor rescue budgie Freddy had an endocrine disorder that caused his beak to grow like that EVERY WEEK!!! I am just hoping this is a lack of cuttle bone issue. But then, as you have pointed out, it could be other things, will take him to get his beak trimmed as soon as possible so he can eat and groom better. Thank goodness I was given a small sum of money when I picked these two up so it will cover the cost. I went far, far out of my way but don't mind at all.

Regardless of the stories about cuttlebone, if there is a beak issue I doubt it would be because there was no cuttlebone.

as Kaz said Robin very unlikely it is a case a no cuttlebone because as long as they have perches they can rub their beaks down on that. Vet exam with your vet will probably find the underlying issue.

:ygbudgie: I mean you wouldn't let it get to this stage in your own flock Kaz but have you seen beaks like this before?

:ygbudgie: I mean you wouldn't let it get to this stage in your own flock Kaz but have you seen beaks like this before?

No, I havent had one like this before amongst my own flock.

I have never seen a beak that long, in a Budgie, of course some birds have problems with beaks & toes growing long for various reasons that hopefully a vet could diagnose. As Kaz said it wouldn’t be anything to do with not having cuttlebone. Of course the worse case scenario is that it could be beak & feather disease, which I believe is very contagious, so I would keep it well away from other birds till you are advised whether it is or not. I can’t see any feather problem from that photo, but I’m not sure if they can have trouble with this disease without feather loss being included. Luckily I haven’t seen many cases here of late, I had seen years ago many Sulphur Crested Cockatoos with it, but I think because of the noise they make & issues of keeping birds in small cages, they are not such popular pets these days. Some one had a picture of one on this forum some months ago that was visiting their backyard, in Canberra I think.

 

It's sad that anyone could let a bird get in that state without doing something, as trimming would be quite easy if they were careful.

Oh no!!! I have this pair separated across the room from the other quarantine birds but they are still in the same room. Aside from the beak, feathers all look well. The people that found that had them about 4 months or so. I really have no where else to put them but will put them in the meantime in a very tiny, dark. depressing room filled with boxes until my vet has cleared them.

Oh no!!! I have this pair separated across the room from the other quarantine birds but they are still in the same room. Aside from the beak, feathers all look well. The people that found that had them about 4 months or so. I really have no where else to put them but will put them in the meantime in a very tiny, dark. depressing room filled with boxes until my vet has cleared them.

 

Hopefully it’s a more simple problem, not the worse…it’s only a possibility, but I think you will find it is the more simple case.

Oh no!!! I have this pair separated across the room from the other quarantine birds but they are still in the same room. Aside from the beak, feathers all look well. The people that found that had them about 4 months or so. I really have no where else to put them but will put them in the meantime in a very tiny, dark. depressing room filled with boxes until my vet has cleared them.

 

Hopefully it’s a more simple problem, not the worse…it’s only a possibility, but I think you will find it is the more simple case.

Yes hopefully it's the after effect of trauma, did some reading today. Checked out both of them today and their plummage looks very good. Oh yes, you can't see it in the photo but Sky is missing some tail and wing feathers as their pug dog grabbed him one day. :rip:

:ygbudgie: I am so thankful for this forum and the advice that they give, I cannot understand why others see fit to argue with folks that have dozens or even hundreds of budgies when they, themselves have no experience!!! Anyhow, have washed this pair's dishes and flooring and made a path in the spare room. It is even messier than usual as the furnace people are doing maintenance and vacuuming vents next week they do have a light for the evening and will be able to see out of the window when I open the blinds and I have turned on the heat in the room. I will get to all this stuff one day but it's always on the back burner..............

 

 

I hope it's just an overgrown beak, not a disease

Can be a number of things why its grown like that. Once its trimmed you must keep an eye on the regrowing rate, thats when something could be seriously wrong.

 

One of my budgies has a beak that I have to trim every 3 weeks but unfortunately he has just be diagnosed with cancer.

:ygbudgie: Sorry to hear your budgie has cancer Boomberry, it seems these precious little birds can get everything going unfortunately. When my Freddy developed this problem, he had to be taken in every 3 weeks as well until he passed away during a trimming. Vet thought it was an endocrine disorder but I guess it could have been cancer as well. Don't know how old he was either as he was unfortunately found, like Sky, in an abandoned building.

I think the most common causes of an overgrown beak like that is either liver disease or a vitamin/mineral deficiency. A healthy budgie will not ever need a beak trim, as they keep growth in check through everyday behaviors (ie chewing up toys, eating, investigating their surroundings, etc). If the bird has not ever had anything wooden to chew maybe it could grow out like that??????, but I think a bird that felt well would probably find a way to chew something. I'd keep the quarantine in effect for at least 30 days, maybe longer (at least until whenever ALL testing results the veterinarian does have come in and he/she has had a chance to look at them and tell you what exactly is wrong). I think it might take several trimming sessions, as I'll bet the blood supply in that beak reaches down pretty far.

 

Just keep the lights on for them so it is not so dark all the time. I hope it something correctible, they are precious. You are such an angel to do the work you do. Bless you.

:ygbudgie: Thanks Rainbow, they can see out the bottom portion of the window during the day, and now I have closed the blinds with the one light (will buy one of those energy bulbs tomorrow and put in a larger lamp) but you can hear them singing like mad behind closed doors. Avian vet appointment @ 1515 tomorrow so I hope we can get this cleared up, she knows my situation so should be on the cautious side. Ironically, the people that took care of these guys for a few months gave me a book on budgie care!!!!

Just returned from the vet and Sky was a very good boy when his beak was clipped. Cancer or a tumor has basically been ruled out but the vet says we should know more in a couple of weeks if the beak begins to grow back. As well, she would like me to keep them separated from the other quarantine bunch for a bit which I shall plus Sky sneezed a few times in the car. As the beak does not curve nicely, even when cut, and tends to angle out a bit, she feels this may be due to a congenital anomaly or a sequelae of mites many years ago. She also feels Sky is not really young and perhaps, Pickle, his buddy is much younger. So it is just watchful waiting. Most of my birds get really quiet when I take them to the vet but this happy pair of males sang loudly all the way there and back and in the vet's office. As I was leaving, I heard the comment from somebody waiting with their rat claiming they would NEVER get a bird as birds are too noisy!!

A hen I have in the aviary that came to me with scaly face issues, has a funny beak that has never grown exactly right since. Not long like yours but a "little strange" just the same. Maybe yours is from previous scaly face issues ?

:ygbudgie: Yes, that would be one of her diagnoses, if Sky had never been treated for scaly mites in his youth (and from his background, unlikely), this could happen, am praying the beak doesn't grow back. I never hold my own birds when I go to the vet (can't explain it) but I did hold Sky and he was very, very good. Will try him out of cage tomorrow after all the excitement has died down.

Sadly I would think that once a beak has grown large like that it would continue to grow again & will probably need regular treatment. Like you say it’s probably not a young bird.

Oh dear, I hope you are wrong Norm, but, if that be the case, Sky will have to become a resident budgie at the rescue so his beak can be clipped on a regular basis. Tried to get him out of his cage tonight but he just jumped off my finger, awful cramped space they are in but at least they have a window during the day and a light once I get home. :ygbudgie:

Phoebe, once you know how the beak isnt hard to trim yourself. I was shown by my vet and now I do Max's myself as being sick and needing it doing every 3 weeks its not really ideal to take him out all the time, especially with the winter approaching too.

:ygbudgie: Yes, shall do if I have to but I fear this budgie will never be suitable for adoption and stay at the rescue forever. And he and his buddy are such happy guys!

Edited October 19, 200717 yr by Phoebe

I would think that there would be someone who would be willing to do regular beak trims if necessary who might want to adopt a "special needs" budgie. :budgiedance: Fingers crossed that it's a deficiency in his diet, and once on better food and veggies it won't need regular trims.