Concerned about Teak

[Nikomania]

Yesterday I brought Teak in for a corrective beak trim as her lower beak had grown longer than the upper. The avian vet was the one who trimmed her beak. After the trim, Teak's beak wasn't closing as the lower beak has been trimmed way back, so it looks like her mouth is always slightly open. The vet mentioned that she'll have to figure out how to eat with it being this short again.

Unfortunately she can't really eat at all. She can't pick anything up and if I give her something to eat, she can't bite down on it properly, and the food falls out of her mouth. She tries repeatedly, but I don't think she's really getting anything down.

I've mashed up her food and placed it onto a flat plate. She's working very hard trying to eat, but I don't know how successful she really is. I've put fresh papers down and plan on monitoring her poops for signs of food digestion.

I hope things will improve very soon for her, as it's causing me anxiety watching her trying to feed herself. I'm thinking that he dremeled it too far back, as it doesn't touch the inside of her upper beak when she closes it.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

That would be pretty upsetting. Maybe you could try some comfort feedings with some mash and a syringe or spoon?

 

[faislaq]

Poor Teak! It does sound like he may have trimmed it too far, but I remember the thread about Lenny, the macaw with a very overgrown beak. Rescued BG Macaw Lenny ***All Shiny and New*** UPDATE ADOPTED She couldn't close get beak for a couple of days after hers was first trimmed because it had been that way for so long. I know Teak's was nowhere near that bad but it's possible it might really just take her a bit to hold her jaw differently. Hopefully that's the case. Maybe some hand feeding formula in the meantime?

 

[Mizzely]

I'm guessing that it's a little tender if they did it a bit too short. Poor girl!

 

[Nikomania]

This is what my baby girl's beak looks like after her trim

 

[Mizzely]

Awww she's so precious!! I can definitely see why she is having problems though will she eat off a spoon for you at all? It may take her a bit to figure it all out but I'm sure she will. Some birds are able to eat without a bottom beak completely!

 

[Nikomania]

A spoon frightens her, but she will attempt to scoop up mashed food from a plate. Lots of chewing motions, but not much is swallowed. She's pooping less with minute amount of solids. She keeps trying though.
It broke my heart to see her trying to eat her favorite treat: a cashew. She worked so hard, but it all eventually hit the bottom of her cage.

 

[Shezbug]

Will she eat mash off your fingers? Or with a syringe?
It breaks my heart to think of how hard she’s trying but not really getting any down
That must be so torturous for her and also for you to watch

 

[Mizzely]

Aww I can't imagine if Ripley couldn't eat his favorite snack

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

That just breaks my heart. I could not have imagined it was that severe. She is just so beautiful! I'd have to say something to the vet.

 

[Nikomania]

Oh dear. No poops. Now I'm super concerned. Will try a moister mash this morning to see if she can navigate that down her throat.

 

[Mizzely]

I hope you can get her to eat!

 

[Fia Baby]

My cockatoo has no lower beak at all, so she can do this, with help from you. Offer her soft food in small pieces that she doesn't need to make smaller, as well as warm, mashed food. The texture of oatmeal/split pea soup should be good for her. Also try thawed peas and corn, and a small pellet that she can swallow whole. Scrambled eggs will also be a good to start with. Poor bird. Keep helping her and offering her things, I think she'll get it.

 

[Karen]

Will she eat out of the palm of your hand? You could push back in what falls out.

 

[Toy]

Awwww poor Bird. Could be tender beak from the trim or your bird just needs more time to adjust to a field down beak.

If she can't eat anything I'd suggest you fed her for a few days to keep her energy up. Soak some pellets in hot water until just soft. Drain the water off. Grasp your birds upper beak with your finger & thumb. Tilt the head back a bit. In the other hand take a pellet & place it to the back of the throat. Let the bird swallow it. I hand fed my U2 like this until she was well over a year old & fully weaned. The amount of pellets I used were 10-12 Zupreem adult size. I fed her 3 times a day.

 

[iamwhoiam]

Sorry about Teak. Hope you can get her to eat. I assume you contacted the vet regarding this. Can you get some hand feeding formula and syringe feed?

 

[Hawk12237]

This is what my baby girl's beak looks like after her trim View attachment 322209

aww look at that face!! It doesn't look bad. Just tender maybe. I can't tell from that angle if too much was taken off
but it doesn't look like it.
I have my birds spoon and syringe trained. Last night they had purreed pumpkin and squash from syringe. They loved it! Point is when need comes they are spoon and syringe ready.
Sparky had a terrible terrible beak problem, thank God he liked spoon and syringe, he couldn't eat on his own.

 

[Nikomania]

Thanks everyone. I was finally able to use a demitasse spoon with some softened mashed foods. When she opened her mouth I pushed the spoon in so that her top beak will act like a shovel/scoop when I pulled the spoon back out. That enabled the food to get past her tongue. Took me 30 minutes to feed her, but she ate a lot. Poop evidence of digested food was such a sight to behold.

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

And we never thought poop would look so lovely!

 

[Mizzely]

Oh that's wonderful! She's lucky to have such an attentive mama