I've had this hen, Sorcha, for over a month now. She could come out of quarantine, but I'm not so sure about her beak. I've been trying and trying to get a good clear shot to post here for opinions, but I am no good with a camera. So I finally decided to just put up the best I've got and hope it's good enough.

 

When I first got her, I didn't notice it at first, but then later I saw that the tip of her beak seemed crusty. I thought it might be scaley face, so I went out and got some Ivermectin and put a couple of drops on the back of her neck. After about a week, her beak seemed slightly better, and she had perked up some. But I can't say whether it's from the meds, or if it's just because she is now living in a better environment than where I got her from. (She was living in a darkened room, and she seemed to squint a lot and be fluffed up a lot when she first got here.)

 

Even though her beak seems to have improved a little, it's not like it was even really bad to begin with. I can still see that it looks a little rough at the tip, and it also seems to me like it's too long. (Compared to my other budgies beaks.) I've also been scrutinizing her feet, but I can't see anything unusual there.

 

One other thing, she is in quarantine with 2 other birds from the same place, and Mystery, who was just unlucky enough to have to share his quarantine cage with them due to space limitations. Sorcha and Mystery have been treated with the ivermectin, the other 2 have not. I was planning to treat them only if it seemed neccessary. I'm not really sure how many times the ivermectin treatment needs to be applied, or how long it takes until they would be considered "clear". They are living upstairs, and have never been downstairs where the rest of my flock is, so I'm sure there has been no cross contamination. And there is no urgent need for them to join the others. They can stay in quarantine as long as they want to. (Or I want them to.)

 

Sorry to be so wordy, but I figured better to supply as much info as possible in case it helps. Now for the pictures. Maybe I am being over anxious for nothing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If these aren't clear enough, maybe I can get my husband to help me, or try using a flash. Well, thanks to anyone who can help me.

-Finnie

The beak is excessively long. Whether its from scalyface or a liver issue ( I dont really suspect scalyface for the length of beak ) ........it needs trimming back to correct length and shape.

The beak is excessively long. Whether its from scalyface or a liver issue ( I dont really suspect scalyface for the length of beak ) ........it needs trimming back to correct length and shape.

Hi Finnie, as Kaz said beak is long but don't know how to trim it, never had cause yet but maybe someone could advise. As to Ivermectin vet said treat birds every three months, depending on what your treating for. If you have done some, I would do all, so if there are any concerns, you would not be controling it by only doing some, the untreated birds could reinfect the others.

Went and did a search for Budgerigar liver disease. It sounds like it is a result of obesity and lack of vitamin D3. Basically, the bird gets too fat, and doesn't get enough sunshine. As a result, the liver cells become replaced with fat cells, and then the liver function decreases. One of the symptoms (among many, including illness and eventual death) is an overgrown beak. If this is the case with Sorcha, then hopefully her improved living conditions and diet will help relieve the condition. But her beak will still need to be trimmed, though, because even if her liver improves, the beak won't just go back to normal.

 

As far as scaley face goes, I've never been sure she had it. I just did the ivermectin in case. And I only tried it on 2 of them, because I was afraid I might poison them. That didn't happen, so if I need to do all four over again at once, I won't be so worried the next time. So, out of curiosity, if she had it when she came, and it got on the other 3 birds before I treated her, how long before I would start to see problems on their beaks? Because if I don't treat them, and they never get it, that might tell me that she never had it either. I guess I will have to do a search for scaley face, and learn more about that, too.

 

I guess I was hoping someone could tell from her pictures a definite yes or no, and then I would not have to be in the dark about it anymore.

I caught Sorcha up yesterday and trimmed her beak. (Just a tiny bit, I'll do some more every week until I think it's right.) I took the opportunity to get some better close up pictures while I was holding her.

 

Before:

 

 

 

 

And after:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not sure if this one is from before or after. It still looks pretty bad:

 

 

 

 

 

And back in her cage after her ordeal.

(Actually, I held her in a cloth, and she was calm the whole time. Never even flinched as the dogs do! :flowers: )

 

 

 

 

I used nail clippers first, and then the dremel tool that I use on the dogs. I could tell that the whole lower portion where I was clipping was dead dry material, so I had no worries about clipping there. But I'm not sure if I dare clip it back as far as is really going to be necessary. I think that next time I will only use the dremel, and work on shaping it as I go. In the meantime, I put some sandpaper perch covers over a couple of the cage bars, where she likes to hang out. Hopefully she will play with those and wear her beak down a little on her own.

 

So, with better pictures, does anyone think it looks like scaley face?

You could afford to take more off than you have. If worried do a little at a time...nail clippers are fine for that. I have done it for other peoples birds I was helping with.

Sandpaper is not a good move...its a fallacy that birds use sandaper for beak trimming and claws.

Just having some sandpaper hung on some cage bars wouldn't hurt, though, would it? It's just like having an extra toy- not like they have to stand on it all day. :flowers:

Just having some sandpaper hung on some cage bars wouldn't hurt, though, would it? It's just like having an extra toy- not like they have to stand on it all day. :flowers:

I truly do NOT think it will acchieve what you are hoping it will. Your choice.

Just having some sandpaper hung on some cage bars wouldn't hurt, though, would it? It's just like having an extra toy- not like they have to stand on it all day. :flowers:

I truly do NOT think it will acchieve what you are hoping it will. Your choice.

 

 

Oh, okay. I'm sure your are right. But I will just leave it until the next cage cleaning. I bought those perch covers when I was a newbie budgie owner, thinking they were necessary. Once I learned better, they have just been sitting in a drawer wasting space. At least now I've done something with them before I throw them out.

 

I do plan to keep trimming Sorcha's beak myself. I figure a little bit each time, and I will eventually get it where it should be. (That is, unless whatever her problem is worsens the beak faster than I fix it. That is something I will have to keep an eye on.)

 

Kaz, I'm assuming that if the new pictures showed scaley face, you would have said so? What do you think?

Kaz, I'm assuming that if the new pictures showed scaley face, you would have said so? What do you think?

There are no obvious tunnels from scalyface mites. I dont think the bird has scalyface. Kidney issues or vitamin A deficiency maybe causing the beak issue.

okay. So for now, I won't worry about putting more ivermectin on anybody. At least now I have enough for 1,000 budgies, if I do need it later :flowers:

 

I'm hoping better diet and excercise will help improve any nutrition related health issues she has. (My vitamin drops have vit A, Vit d3, and all the other stuff.)

 

And now I will go learn more about Kidney problems, as well as liver problems.

 

Thank you very much.

I meant liver not kidney sorry :flowers:

I meant liver not kidney sorry

 

 

Oh, good. That will save me some time. I'll worry about kidneys some other time :flowers:

Thanks!

it can not hurt to apply a drop of ivermectin onto her neck, looks a little crusty to me at the bottom of the cere

I thought it might be scaley face, so I went out and got some Ivermectin and put a couple of drops on the back of her neck.

it can not hurt to apply a drop of ivermectin onto her neck, looks a little crusty to me at the bottom of the cere

Reading back, this has already been done.

My bird Shamrock seems to have the same issue. I was wondering whether or not the issue seems improved. I have trimmed his beak twice and now going back to the vet for the third time. I have been giving him a lot more fresh foods and working on getting a calcium block (all I have been using are cuttlebones). Just wondering if your bird's health has improved from the above advice. Thanks!

My bird Shamrock seems to have the same issue. I was wondering whether or not the issue seems improved. I have trimmed his beak twice and now going back to the vet for the third time. I have been giving him a lot more fresh foods and working on getting a calcium block (all I have been using are cuttlebones). Just wondering if your bird's health has improved from the above advice. Thanks!

In my personal opinion people often have far too much faith in cuttlebones and calcium blocks as far as conditioning or shaping beaks goes. You are far better offering safe and chewable branches in a cage than expecting results from cuttlebones or calcium blocks. :rofl:

Oh I have branches and other wooden toys too for chewing and such, but I was going more for the nutritional aspect of things. I read somewhere about traces of mercury in cuttlefish and I figure a mineral block would offer more minerals that could not hurt, only help.

My bird Shamrock seems to have the same issue. I was wondering whether or not the issue seems improved. I have trimmed his beak twice and now going back to the vet for the third time. I have been giving him a lot more fresh foods and working on getting a calcium block (all I have been using are cuttlebones). Just wondering if your bird's health has improved from the above advice. Thanks!

 

 

Shamrock, I think it's going to take a long time to tell whether an improved diet helps or not. I read your post, too, so now I'm going to watch and see if her beak overgrowth outpaces my trimming. At first I had just thought it was too long, and I'd shorten it. Now it sounds like it might continually grow too long. It's too soon to know, yet. How often have you had to trim Shamrock's beak?

 

When I trim Sorcha's beak the 2nd time, I will take some pictures again and post them. Maybe it will help to have a pictorial record of her progress.

I noticed his beak was long towards the end of September/beginning of October and since I have trimmed twice, now going for a third time. So about once a month? I don't mind going and getting it trimmed, it just costs about $18 (US dollars) to trim it at my vet each time. I am not sure if this is a good price or not. I think posting pictures of her progress would definetly help. I have always noticed with Shamrock his beak seems fine until it isn't. I should take a picture of him to show his beak condition. It also seems he is in a molt because he has a lot of pin feathers on his head, but the feathers seem not to grow in as quickly as they used to. I guess a sign it might be a liver problem?

Edited December 16, 200915 yr by Shamrock19

It's been about 3 weeks since I trimmed Sorcha's beak for the first time. I meant to do the second trimming a lot sooner than this, but at least I have done it today.

I wanted to be able to compare how she looked 3 weeks ago with how she looks today, so first I 'm re-posting the pictures from before, and then the new ones from today.

 

Last time:

Before:

 

 

 

 

And after:

 

 

 

 

 

 

This time:

 

Before

 

 

 

 

 

 

And after today's trim:

 

 

 

It's obvious that it grew quite a bit in the 3 weeks, even though I know I didn't trim it short enough last time.

It's shorter this time, but I think I need to take it down a little bit more, still.

It was hard to use the dremel, because she kept closing her mouth, and then the dremel would get the bottom beak as well.

I'll wait a week or two and give it one more shot, and if I don't seem to be able to trim it well, then I will have to take her to the vet for a trim.

I think this is fine, the second trimming

okay, then I will watch her to see how quickly it grows and how often it needs to be redone. Thanks

Hello, I have a bird with a very much enlaged liver and he has the same symptom. Besides this he is liveley. He was x-rayed.

 

There is no medicine for the liver you just can help her doing her job well.

Some points:

- avoid fatty food, no oilseeds at all (sprouted seeds or grass sends have very low fat levels)

- supply the vitamin of the B-complex (almost cannot be overdosed)

- supply amino acids (!!) I do not know if "Volamin" or "Amynin" or "Alamin" is available around the world but I'm sure there will be something you can use

- supply Biotin, maybe also Cholin (dont know if the words are exactly correkt, but you will understand...)

- supply extract from the milk thistle - Silymarin (from the pharmacy)

 

The beak has to be shortened regulary, otherwise the blood vessels will grow with the beak and then you will not be able any more to short it to the right shape (but this process goes slowly).

 

Best wishes,

Sandra

Edited January 2, 201015 yr by Spooky

Thank you, Spooky. I have been told about the milk thistle, and I'm looking into finding it. I will also have to check about the amino acids, too then.