# My new cockatiel(pix)...Concerns about beak and feet



## johnny0313x (Apr 7, 2012)

I just got my new cockatiel...shes very sweet and active...I don't doubt her health and I knew about her feet when I purchased her. However I noticed her beak is a bit off too. The center of the lower portion seems to have an indent in the middle and the left lower portion rises just slightly to the side of the top portion of the beak. The right side seems very normal. Its hard to notice but I've attached some pictures of what makes her special lol. I just wanted some feedback on this. Do you think this is scissor beak? It doesnt seem that extreme...


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## Cryren8972 (Oct 3, 2007)

It does appear as if she has a very minor scissor beak. This is something I don't have experience in, but I'm very sure one of the amazing moderators on here will help you with her....if she needs it.

She's very cute, btw. =)


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## RexiesMuM (Sep 7, 2011)

Im not sure on the beak . Do her toes look like that when she perches ? If not it could just be the flat surface making her stand like that


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Hi, and welcome to the forum 

It looks like your tiel has mild scissor beak. But beaks grow out like out fingernails, so eventually it can look like the pix below (click for a larger view)

Can you post a pix that is a front view like the pix's I posted. This way I can get an idea on how much of a misalignment there is and suggestions to fix it.


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## johnny0313x (Apr 7, 2012)

here is the best front facing pic I could get...hope this helps


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## TropicalTalk (Apr 10, 2012)

She is very cute!! I'm sorry to say I have no experience in scissor beak (I'll have to educate myself further!) or in cockatiels, but have done approx 72 hours (Over a week and a few days) on cockatiels, and some basic illnesses. Her feet don't look very good for climbing, but only ou know, so 
1. can she climb fine?
2. Can she perch fine?

If her fewet have been like that from when she was hatched, she would be used to it and know how to get around perfectly, because she would have learnt to walk and climb like that. If that's the case, then she should be perfectly fine with her feet, but I would just watch her while she climbs around.
She is a very cute bird, I envy you lol!


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## johnny0313x (Apr 7, 2012)

Thank you, Yes she was born that way with her feet. She walks around just fine and can perch but she has bad balance and if things get shaky she usually flaps her wings to try and keep balance. i'm hoping over time it will get a bit better for her/him. I don't forsee her being much for climbing...she can a little but its very clumsy. My biggest concern is when she jumps out of hands occasionally that when she lands it will damage or break her legs/toe. It makes me pretty nervous when she lands


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## WendyBeoBuddy (Dec 12, 2011)

Her feet look as thogh one of my finch babies did,this usually comes from a tight box and the last chick born gets sat on.our finches name was gimpy heheh
As long as she perches fin,it should be alright.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

From looking at the feet and the beak you bird had problems as a baby. the feet are a result of malnutirtion. These does not mean that the parents did not feed her, but the types of foods fed may have not had a good balance of nutrients. Feet like this can be a result of the youngest chick in the nest that is fed more solid foods and not enough nutrients. The beak is either a result of the food fed while in the nest or the way the handfeeder held the head. If in the nest, and soft foods were given they could have impacted under and around the tongue and if the mouths are not cleaned yeast can form and it will cause a distortion to the angle and growth of the beak. Your bird shows that the lower beak is longer than it should be and in doing this the upper beak is forced to grow on either side of this overgrowth. The lower beak has to be trimmed back to normal length, and the *v* notch cut into it. This notch is used to align the upper and lower beaks. You have the opposite of what is going on in this thread: http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=29510 The last page has some illustration I did up that tell what to do. Once your lower beak is trimmed (yourself or a qualified Vet) then you would have to do 'Physical Therapy' to retain the jaws and muscles to realign the position of the upper beak into the lower beak. I'll have to go thru my saved pix for Scissor beaks, and see if I can make an illustration from them.


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## Indigobug1987 (Feb 18, 2012)

You can get s/he some platform perches either from a petstore or online if she has too much trouble perching. i had to get some for PB because he has a crooked leg.  I noticed my tiel is much more comfortable on the platform than on a stick perch.


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