Lovebird Beak Growth Progression

[Axie]

Hello! I noticed Kiki's lower beak looks pretty flaky... is this normal? He's about 3-4 months, so is this just how a growing beak looks, or is it a sign of a weak/brittle beak?

Another question is, I noticed the black on the beak is ebbing away, and the beak is starting to go from orange/yellow to white from the top. Just wanted to confirm if this is a thing that happens at this age? Or is Kiki an early bloomer haha

 

[DoubleTake]

The black on the beak going away is normal. He is growing up! The flaky beak is usually normal growing up and during molts. Does he have plenty of chew toys to help with his beak? Is he actually using them?

 

[Axie]

The black on the beak going away is normal. He is growing up! The flaky beak is usually normal growing up and during molts. Does he have plenty of chew toys to help with his beak? Is he actually using them?

That's a relief to hear!

In the cage, there's a cuttlebone piece that he nibbles on on occassion, and he gnaws at his wooden swing/ladder/perches, though he prefers the metal parts over the wood... But they're stainless steel so that should be ok, right? I used to have a rope boing in there that he loved, but he started nibbling on that so I hastily took it out after reading scary stories of fabric ingestion... I got a new toy two days back, and he seems to enjoy nibbling at the wooden blocks, straw and rattan ball on it.

Out of his cage, there's a seagrass mat which I tied rattan balls to using cotton cord and paper twine and he loves nibbling on crawling all over it. Do you think that's enough, or are there toys more specific for chewing I should look into?

 

[DoubleTake]

That's a relief to hear!

In the cage, there's a cuttlebone piece that he nibbles on on occassion, and he gnaws at his wooden swing/ladder/perches, though he prefers the metal parts over the wood... But they're stainless steel so that should be ok, right? I used to have a rope boing in there that he loved, but he started nibbling on that so I hastily took it out after reading scary stories of fabric ingestion... I got a new toy two days back, and he seems to enjoy nibbling at the wooden blocks, straw and rattan ball on it.

Out of his cage, there's a seagrass mat which I tied rattan balls to using cotton cord and paper twine and he loves nibbling on crawling all over it. Do you think that's enough, or are there toys more specific for chewing I should look into?

Chewing harder woods will help with this beak. Cuttle bone won't do much, it is too soft and a pretty poor calcium supplement.

 

[Fiwi]

I posted a similar question last week! Buddy has a cuddlebone, but I added a pedi perch at Zara's suggestion and this week his beak is nice and smooth. He's filed it himself beautifully!

 

[Axie]

I posted a similar question last week! Buddy has a cuddlebone, but I added a pedi perch at Zara's suggestion and this week his beak is nice and smooth. He's filed it himself beautifully!

Hello! Just wanted to say I got a pediperch as per your suggestion, and lo and behold, it's improved a lot! Thanks!

 

[Zara]

They are great perches for lovebirds
I don´t know how well they will work for other birds, but for ours, they´re brilliant! Just remember, the smooth bit faces up, that´s so the soft part of the foot is on the smooth bit.

When the black has gone from the beak, the yellow will tone down too, as you can see starting at the top.
The blacker the beak to start, the longer it takes to disappear. So if Kiki had a lighter beak it will go quicker than other birds older than him that had a blacker beak - I hope that made sense
No roseicollis have a bright yellow beak as an adult, they all tone down.

Over the next month or so, Kiki will have his first molt. You will know when it happens. Don´t be alarmed when you see a bunch of small feathers all over the floor. I like to clean morning and night to monitor. Check for bald patches ect.
It is a stressful time for them, a bit like puberty. Kiki may not want to be touched as much while the feathers are growing in.
I like to offer baths daily

 

[Axie]

They are great perches for lovebirds
I don´t know how well they will work for other birds, but for ours, they´re brilliant! Just remember, the smooth bit faces up, that´s so the soft part of the foot is on the smooth bit.

When the black has gone from the beak, the yellow will tone down too, as you can see starting at the top.
The blacker the beak to start, the longer it takes to disappear. So if Kiki had a lighter beak it will go quicker than other birds older than him that had a blacker beak - I hope that made sense
No roseicollis have a bright yellow beak as an adult, they all tone down.

Over the next month or so, Kiki will have his first molt. You will know when it happens. Don´t be alarmed when you see a bunch of small feathers all over the floor. I like to clean morning and night to monitor. Check for bald patches ect.
It is a stressful time for them, a bit like puberty. Kiki may not want to be touched as much while the feathers are growing in.
I like to offer baths daily

Ohh ok! Thanks for all the tips! Haha Kiki's been pretty wary of hands from the start... He's happy enough to eat from hands but when I want to give him scritches, he flinches away or threatens to bite so I've been giving him space. I guess he'd be even more anti touch during molting?

In other news he's finally started stepping up for me!! Only from the cage top and he only stays long enough to eat his millets but I'm so happy he stopped fleeing in the other direction entirely!!! Hopefully he'll trust me enough to give him the occasional scritches in future

 

[Zara]

I guess he'd be even more anti touch during molting?

Most of mine get quite sensitive, apart from Sydney, he just loves being scratched and I could feel the hard pin feathers the other day.
Each bird will behave differently.

In other news he's finally started stepping up for me!! Only from the cage top and he only stays long enough to eat his millets but I'm so happy he stopped fleeing in the other direction entirely!!

You are doing well. In time your relationship will grow

Hopefully he'll trust me enough to give him the occasional scritches in future

Maybe. Some birds just don´t like it. My Jaime hates beings scratched or stroked. He loves sitting on me, and nibbling my fingers.