Help! Birds beak is deformed I think

[Animals72]

Hi, I have a bird named crystal and she is about 1 years old. She is a parakeet/budgie and I’ve noticed her beak has been getting long. I put mineral blocks in the cage and cuttlebone but she isn’t using it. Her bottom beak looks to be growing to the side and there’s all sorts of crusty stuff on her face. It looks like it is hard for her to eat from the beak being like that. I thought it was just genetics because some birds have crusty beaks in general but it just keeps growing. I’m very worried and I can’t get to a vet currently because of thanksgiving time. What do you think it is, and what should I do? The purple bird is her and she is with other birds but they don’t seem to have it. The last bird attached is a better picture of what it looks like that I found from the internet, but it’s a little less crustier than her beak. Please get back to me thank you!

 

[Xoetix]

It might be scissor beak - @Mizzely i know Ripley has had beak issues, what do you think?

 

[Animals72]

It might be scissor beak - @Mizzely i know Ripley has had beak issues, what do you think?

it could be scissor beak,is it fixable? Just 2 weeks ago she only had a little bit of crust around the beak and on the beak but now the bottom is shifted to the side and there’s more crust.

 

[Xoetix]

It is fixable, but you'll definitely want a vet to help. What's her diet regularly like?

 

[Animals72]

It is fixable, but you'll definitely want a vet to help. What's her diet regularly like?

I give them seeds, but I also give this egg powder protein thing and nutri berries. I used to cut fresh veggies for them aswell but I haven’t done it in a while. I can’t get a hold of a vet for another week or so. The top beak is also very overgrown, so that’s why I was trying to get it to eat cuttlebone or mineral rocks.

 

[Sparkles99]

I think your bird desperately needs a vet. Some experienced breeders can help too. I’m not sure, but think this might be mites. @Ripshod @Lady Jane @AussieBird

 

[Sparkles99]

Just replied to your other post & tagged some people. I really think it’s mites/some other parasite. Any bird club or hobby breeder in the area? They often treat their own birds.

 

[Animals72]

I think your bird desperately needs a vet. Some experienced breeders can help too. I’m not sure, but think this might be mites. @Ripshod @Lady Jane @AussieBird

I can’t get a vet until next week or so. I’ve tried to reach out to breeders who seem pretty experienced and they aren’t answering back. Should I separate it from the others and is it contagious?

 

[Animals72]

Just replied to your other post & tagged some people. I really think it’s mites/some other parasite. Any bird club or hobby breeder in the area? They often treat their own birds.

I do know some breeders, but most know nothing of it and the rest didn’t reply back. The rest told me to get a stone perch or that it needs something to get rid of the crust/overgrown beak. I did try to get her cuttlebone, but she’s not using it.

 

[Deleted member 57370]

I think mites are a possibility. But the scissors beak will need a trim by professional, so they know not to go to far and cause blood and pain, often done in stages. PBFD is also a possibility.

 

[Shezbug]

Your bird appears to have scaly face mites as well as a seriously overgrown beak. I would recommend booking in to see a vet asap for this bird at least and getting treatments for all your birds.

Edited to say: I think you have more than one bird in there that needs to see a vet for a beak trim and most certainly some treatments for mites.

 

[Mizzely]

The crusty nature of it makes me think this is not simply scissor beak. My Jardine's does have a scissor beak and never has extra growths like that. It looks like she has a scaly mites; from what I read if the mites get into the growing part of the beak, it can cause beak deformation.

Scaly Mites In Birds - Bird Vet Melbourne

Scaly Mites General Information Scaly mites, Cnemidocoptes pillae, are a microscopic species of mite that cause skin problems ('scaly face', 'scaly leg' and 'tassel foot') by burrowing under the skin in budgerigars, canaries, finches and a variety of other bird species. Cnemidocoptes mutans is a...

birdvetmelbourne.com

 

[Animals72]

I think mites are a possibility. But the scissors beak will need a trim by professional, so they know not to go to far and cause blood and pain, often done in stages. PBFD is also a possibility.

I don’t think it is PBFD, but it could be. I’ve had the same birds for a while and they haven’t been outside. If it does end up being scissor beak I’ll have to wait till the vet is open then I will get it trimmed. I’m just worried that it’s the last stage of some kind of disease or not treatable. Is there anything I can do to help the bird currently that you know of?

 

[Shezbug]

@Ripshod

 

[AussieBird]

She should be seen by a vet as soon as you can. It does look like scaly mites to me and potentially cross/scissor beak too. Whether the beak issue is being caused by the mites or was already there I'm not sure. She needs to be mite treated (as do any cage mates), which you can do at home, but that beak will likely need to be trimmed so she can eat properly and please do not do that at home!

 

[Deleted member 57370]

I should have added, the way the beak is , the bird can't fix it itself by chewing on stuff. Needs professional help. Plus will start making eating more and more difficult, until it msy not even be able too

 

[Animals72]

Your bird appears to have scaly face mites as well as a seriously overgrown beak. I would recommend booking in to see a vet asap for this bird at least and getting treatments for all your birds.

Edited to say: I think you have more than one bird in there that needs to see a vet for a beak trim and most certainly some treatments for mites.

It does look to have both because of the crust right now and the sideways beak. I do have medicine for scaley face mites because of a bird from earlier. For the overgrown beak to I give it items to make the beak normal or get it cut off?

 

[Animals72]

I should have added, the way the beak is , the bird can't fix it itself by chewing on stuff. Needs professional help. Plus will start making eating more and more difficult, until it msy not even be able too

Okay! Thank you for the advice. Do I get the beak trimmed?

 

[Lady Jane]

OMG poor bird. Can she even eat? You need to get to a vet ASAP!

 

[Shezbug]

I can’t get a vet until next week or so. I’ve tried to reach out to breeders who seem pretty experienced and they aren’t answering back. Should I separate it from the others and is it contagious?

It is contagious but it is of no help to separate at this stage from your other birds- there are others in the cage that also show a mite issue. I would also hazard a guess that the only way this little one is eating is possibly via the help of its flock mates.

Book a vet appointment asap and get some treatment from the vet for the mites too and treat all of your flock.