# Overgrown beak



## pilar.orozco (Aug 20, 2009)

Hello everybody,

Lucas will turn eight next November. He is a gray cockatiel and is my sweet companion since he was one month old.

On the second of January I took him to the veterinarian because his overgrown beak made him prone to accidents and would prevent him from feeding himself. The veterinarian advised me to feed him and his two friends on other foods such as millet, linseed and oat flakes. They didn’t like this mix. I’ve also tried to give them vegetables like lettuce and peas, but they don’t like this food, either. Therefore, they usually eat normal bird seeds.

This story has repeated seven times during this year. At first the veterinarian said that his beak was overgrown because Lucas was very passive and didn’t use his beak. The last time, on August the eleventh, the veterinarian said that the bird may be suffering from an illness because now his beak is becoming distorted. He has never prescribed anything for my bird.

This is very sad for me. I don’t know what to do. My bird still sings and enjoys playing with me.

Many thanks in advance for any piece of advice you can give me.

Pilar Orozco


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

Pilar,

OK...first off, can you post some pix's of the beak? I can tell more what is going on. Side veiw and front view.

Did the vet trim the beak at any time? If so, how much?...and did it help him to eat? Did the vet ever run any bloodwork?

How long had the beak been overgrowing prior to taking him to the vet. Was any changes made to the diet prior to this?

If you have a scales that weighs in grams what is his weight? Does he feel like he has gained or lost weight? If you feel his abdomen above the vent is it flat or buldgy and swollen feeling?

What does his droppings look like. Specifically the white (urates) part of the poop. What color?

What is his current diet...meaning what does he enjoy to eat?

Does he have any access to real sunlight? Like his cage outside for a short time on good days? or is there a UV (Vita) light in the room he is at?

Sorry for all the questions, but they are needed for you to help Lucas.

Do you have another avian vet near you? Or is your vet receptive to suggestions for what may be wrong?


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## xxxSpikexxx (Jul 30, 2007)

I would see if you could see another vet. When I hear about over grown beaks I always think of fatty liver disease http://www.avianweb.com/liverdisease.html Iam not saying that this is his problem. Again I would see if you could take your tiel to an avain vet  Here is another link with an interesting read about bird livers http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-magazines/bird-talk/2008-january/bird-liver-basics.aspx


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## pilar.orozco (Aug 20, 2009)

Hello,

Here are the answers to your questions:

Yes, the vet has trimmed Lucas’s beak six times already. On March 31st he couldn’t feed himself. On the other occasions he could eat but was prone to accidents.

No, the vet has never run any blood test.

I can’t say how long his beak had been overgrowing prior to January 2, 2009. At the end of 2005 his beak was normal. There haven’t been any changes in his diet.

I don’t know what his weight is. Several times I’ve said to the vet that I think the bird is suffering from fatty liver, but he says that if my bird had a fatty liver, he would be really fat. Some of Lucas’s feathers have turned greenish. Now he also has a lot of white fine threads among his feathers.
I felt his abdomen above the vent and it seems as if Lucas had a tiny ball. It’s not absolutely flat. I’ve also felt a second cockatiel’s abdomen and it’s flat.

His droppings are normal. Its color is white and black. Sometimes, but not on a regular basis, his droppings turn different. They become darker and more liquid.

He enjoys normal bird seeds and green bird seeds. I don’t know what the exact translation is. The words in Spanish are “alpiste” and “alpiste verde”. He also likes sunflower seeds, but I give this food to my birds weekly. On very rare occasions he also eats string beans.

The birds live in a bedroom, which is most of the time lighted by the sun and has a large branch and other things for them. Nevertheless, I can’t say the birds sunbathe daily. Here is the temperature really high and ten minutes at 10:30 a.m. are, for example, too much for me. How long should the birds sunbathe daily?

Next week I’ll try to visit a second vet, so that I can know another opinion.

Many thanks for your answer.

Regards,
Pilar Orozco


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## pilar.orozco (Aug 20, 2009)

Spike,
Thank you for your answer. Next week I’ll try to visit a second vet.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

OK...in looking at the beak it appears that the overgrowth is due to some type of trauma or injury. At some point he must've gotten his beak caught on something and it might have torn just under the hard outer surface which has caused it to grow at an outward angle.

With liver disease the upper beak is in the normal position...it is the end that keeps growing downwards,...pix 1 (and it can grow so long it curves under the the beak into the soft tissue) When it gets too long it hinders the bird from eating and preening. 

Also with liver disease the urates (white part) are going to be discolored an ochre to green.

The majority of down feathers are located on either side of the spine in front of the tail. When they are not preened they grow long and look like strings (pix 3 & 4) and the ends are necrotic (dead) and the down feather encased in the sheath turns to a white powder when rubbed between the fingers. A tiel with an beak over growth may need assistance preening as new pin feathers come in. If the down feathers are long/dead it is best to gently pull them because they are irrating to the bird.

When a bird has fat accumlating in it's body and around the liver it can be seen by wetting and parting the feathers on the abodomen (pix 2) Fat will have a pale yellow and dense look to it. Normally the skin is semi-transparent and the organs can be seen. The liver is located right below my thumb. In addition to fat accumulation there may be ascites (fluid build up) which will give a soft mushy feel when the abdomen is touched. This is seen more with males than females.

Spike posted some very good links. 

I'm suspecting your bird is suffering from some type of past trauma. 

A few things in the article would be helpful such as daily sprinkling some Brewers Yeast on any food he will eat. It has alot of good nutrients, but alot of the ingredients aid in a healthy liver. 

Access to real sunlight, not filtered through glass. He would benefit from the UV rays from either sunlight or full spectrum lighting.

The above is an overall health benefit whether a bird is healthy or has health problems.

OK...as to the beak. In order to get it to grow in the proper direction it is going to take *alot* of time and effort. It would have to be trimmed frequently. But you would have to study a normal beak and as it is trimmed and shaped, it must be shaped (on the sides) like anormal beak. beak therapy has to be done several times a day. he will fight you at first. Once the beak is trimmed and shaped...several times a day hold the beak in the normal position....applying some gentle pressure with your index finger on the curve of the upper beak, and the thumb under the lower beak. The beak is like finger nails...it grows rapidly. The 'beak therapy' helps the muscles at the upper base of the beak to start growing in the right direction.


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