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Question

Hi my name is cynthia, i got three cockatials, two male and one young female. Female her beak kept growing longer due with mites, so I gave her treatment with scaly lotion on beak and feet after the vet trim her beak (for 3rd time) but it seems not stopped it growing. I have males for over 15 years and female was rescued 4 years ago. I was recommended to use anti-parasite spot on by pet shop but it got only two pipette, should i treat them all or only on female with problem beak? Awaiting to hear from your advice.
I provide fish cuttle, and other minerals for them to chew, sharpen yet she keep busy by keep laying eggs (without successful!)They are not confined in cage only in bedtime. Thank you.

Submitted: 342 days and 5 hours ago.
Category: Bird
Value: $12
Status: CLOSED
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Optional Information

Age: 6; Female; Breed: cockatial bird

Already Tried:
After noticed her beak is longer than my two male cockatials so I took her to local vet and had her beak trimmed twice and was advised to brush acaly lotion on beak and feet on all three birds (6 treatments in 11 weeks) yet her beak still growing long that concern me. The pet shop recommended use anti-parasite spot on but it got only two pipettes. Should i only give one to female only or need to treat them all? Please excuse my english for I am deaf. please do not pass my email to third party.   Many thanks.    Kind Regards Cynthia

Accepted Answer

When a bird’s beak begins overgrowing it’s usually a nutritional problem. It’s especially seen in budgies/parakeets and cockatiels. More commonly occuring when there’s presence of malnutrition as the result of a largely seed only diet.

Often there is also liver disease as a result so the overgrown beak is a symptom you shouldn’t ignore.


See more about these problems here:

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=15&cat=1829&articleid=2752


Some other possibilities are a certain kind of mite, or virus, just as your vet suspects.


Prescription treatments include Ivermectin for 7 to 10 days, break and then re-treat as new eggs hatch; Pyrethrin’s or Carbaryl may also be prescribed, but must be used only in accordance with veterinary recommendation since these are pesticides and we all know pesticides and birds are a dangerous mix.


Remember, what looks like mites could be vitamin/mineral deficiencies (in keeping with nutritional problems usually associated with a seed only diet, or primarily soft food diet, among others). Sometimes it’s a serious disease such as PBFD (psittacine beak and feather disease).

It might be worth getting a second opinion about this from a different vet.


Find an avian vet near you http://aav.org/vet-lookup


It’s generally recommended that most of today’s companion birds have a predominantly pelleted diet. Pellets have been continually updated since being introduced to the market years ago and today’s formulas are better than ever.

Supplementing this diet with fresh foods every day is ideal and many owners find they can re-introduce seeds - in limited amounts (perhaps once or twice a week) without the bird refusing the pellets overall.

Whole grains, dark leafy vegetables, fruits and legumes. Include the colors orange, yellow , green, plus reds too! Think sweet potatoes/yams, squash, melons, oranges, peas, chard, beets and others.


Brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat couscous and natural, whole grain pastas are great choices.



Limit fats, especially the kind from animals. Good fats are most plant fats like soy, olive and canola oils. No fried anything

Another thing you can try is all natural, human baby food. Stick to the orange colors.

They can be mixed with tiny pasta or rice, whole grain bread or toast - remember, be more creative than the bird is stubborn.

Even though this is put out by a cockatiel site, it’s applicable to all hook bills from budgies/parakeets to conures, greys and macaws.

http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/nutrition/diet.html


I'm confident that you can conquer this for your little one. It sounds like you go the extra mile for your birds. Keep it up and let me know how you do.




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Expert: S. August Abbott, CAS
Pos. Feedback: 99.6 %
Accepts: 
Answered: 12/15/2008

Certified Avian Specialist

Cert. Avian Specialist; Int. Assoc.Animal Behavior Consult; Pet Ind. Joint Advisory Council; author

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