# Chewing on Beak



## leftyli67 (Dec 4, 2011)

Today our cockatiel has started doing a kind of chewing thing on his bottom beak. He is not "chewing rocks". I know what that sounds like because he has done that before and this is something different. It is like something is irritating him in the beak area and he is chewing on it trying to make it go away. Any ideas of what this might be or what I need to do about it. He can eat and drink fine but I am not sure what is going on.


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Is he sort of grinding his top and lower beak together and it makes a grinding noise? if he is then that is perfectly normal, its called beak grinding and its a behaviour associated with contentment, they will most often do it when getting ready to sleep.

EDIT: well then I am at a loss and hopefully someone else will be able to help you out.


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## leftyli67 (Dec 4, 2011)

It is not beak grinding. He has done that before so I know what that looks and sounds like and that is not what it is. I got a look at his lower beak and it looks like the tip of it is gone. It looks for of like a half circle. There is no blood or oozing. Another thing he is doing is he is just wanting to bite on things like towels and shirts.


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## leftyli67 (Dec 4, 2011)

*Chewing Beak*

Our cockatiel has started chewing his beak tonight. It is not normal beak grinding. I have heard him do that before and know what that sounds like. I have attached the only picture I was able to get of him with his beak open. It looks to me like he may have chipped his lower beak. He is eating find and drinking fine. There is no blood or oozing. He is wanting to chew on soft things like towels and our shirts. Please let me know your thoughts.


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## minischn (Jun 5, 2011)

cockatiels are part of the cockatoo families and cockatoos (not only known for their peculiar personalities) also have very unique beaks, making them nastly little bitters, because their lower beak has two "peaks" of sorts, allowing them to pretty much have three instead of two sharp jabbers to inflict on their toys. If this is the sort of "chip" you're talking about it's fine. In fact, it's totally normal

Edit: oh and for the other point, I honestly have no idea. I'm still new to the cockatiel world, but I came across this info and have seen it with my own baby


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

Maybe he has a seed stuck in the underside of his beak upper beak? The beak sounds normal in shape and if he's eating and drinking fine i would just keep an eye on him. The problem will probably solve itself.


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## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

From the pix the beak appears to be normally shaped.


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## leftyli67 (Dec 4, 2011)

Thanks everyone. I will just keep an eye on him. We are so new at this but we so love Eli that I just don't want to do anything wrong and want to take the best possible care of him. I am so glad I found this forum and all the wonderfully helpful people and vast amount of knowledge that is offered here.


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## northernfog (Dec 14, 2010)

My tiel did something similar for about two nights straight but with the upper beak... and then it stopped. So just keep an eye on him! It should be alright.


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## bjknight93 (Nov 13, 2011)

If he continues, you could moisten a q-tip and try to clean anything off the inside of the beak. This might require you toweling him though so he won't get too upset or bite at you.


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