Lovebird beak peeling

[Lindsey D]

Hi everyone! I'm new to this forum and a newish lovebird owner (we adopted our first-ever parrot, a lovebird named Belle, this spring). Since I'm new to all of this, I really appreciate your insight! I noticed Belle's beak looking off almost 3 weeks ago. Researching, it looked like normal peeling, but it's almost been 3 weeks and it almost looks worse. She's 5+ years old (she has had a rough prior life and we're unsure if her exact age). She broke one of her wings at some point in her life, so she uses her beak to climb everywhere. She eats a pellet diet mixed with seeds and nuts. She's been behaving normally...if anything, she's been coming out if her shell more and more! Any insight into this would be appreciated!

 

[Garet]

Poor little cutie. Guzma has a similar thing with his beak. The vet said it was just old age.

Is Belle a plucker?

 

[TikiMyn]

Thank you for taking that cutie in and congrats!
Henkie had that happen one time to a lesser extent, it regrew very quickly though. I wasn’t really concerned as he could still do everything. I assumed he just damaged his beak a bit while playing

 

[Lindsey D]

Thank you both for your reassuring replies! Like I said, I'm super new to this to it's really appreciated! Belle is a plucker, although the vet noticed it's in an odd pattern and guessed it was the area where her wing healed bothering her. We had her on Meloxicam to help with any irritation, but stopped because we were worried about her liver...but it did seem to get better when she was on it, so I think we should try again! She also definitely does it more when she is stressed (like when my mom and sister stayed with us) or when we are gone for a long weekend. I've been bathing her regularly, and that also has seemed to help. Overall, she has more feathers now than when we adopted her, but it seems to go up and down.

On an unrelated note, she has recently started playing more and more, and really loves to "perform" for us and have us cheer when she does something cool (like climb really high). It's so, so cute! I can't believe I've gone my whole life until now without having a bird.

 

[enigma731]

Ask your vet about gabapentin. It also helps with nerve pain and may be safer longterm.

 

[MojoIRN]

Can't they do regular bloods to keep eye on liver if on meds long term?

In terms of beak ask an avian vet if she needs tests to see if can identify cause.

Is she getting a large variety of organic vegetables? I recommend making vegetable chop.

My ringneck was a feather chewer due to stress, so I provided chew toys near every single perch and he chews on them now not himself.

 

[Lindsey D]

Thanks to you both! I'll have to ask about gabapentin. They can do regular bloods, but our initial vet visit after adopting her just to get baseline info was really pricey (over $300), so I'm trying to balance taking care of her with costs...I'm not sure if avian vets are all that pricey, or if it was just ours (I also have 2 dogs, and regular bloodwork and wellness exams for them are a a third of that cost). I give her organic veggies regularly, and she has literally eaten zero. Once she ate a little banana, but that's it! So any pro tips on enticing her to eat the fresh stuff would be awesome

 

[Lindsey D]

An update: To be safe, I emailed the photos to my vet. They said it was retained keratin, something that shouldn't be an issue, and I just need to add some more rough materials (like a rough perch) for her to rub her beak on. She has a few things already, but she also seems really particular...so this might be an excuse to go shopping for a few new things for her, including some chew toys! Hopefully that will help her beak get back to normal. I still need to ask about the meds for her pain, though.

If anyone has specific chew toys that have seemed to be a hit, I'd love any suggestions.

Thank you all again!

 

[Peachfaced]

Comfy Clam Mineral Flat Perch for Birds by Polly's Pet Products

Sherbie doesn't have one of these, but she'd probably like chewing on it. I had another perch I was going to recommend that she DOES have and uses frequently, but they've discontinued it at Drs. F & S. You can find the "beach walk perch" at places like Amazon, but they are expensive. I was paying $4-7 each for them... Amazon sells them for $15! That's highway robbery.

 

[Lindsey D]

Awesome, thank you! This is pretty stinkin' adorable. You're right...it seems really hit or miss if she actually uses the different things I get for her...way better to not get anything too expensive, and first see if she even likes it!

 

[Lindsey D]

Just had to share her new perch, as recommended! Also got her another natural perch and some chew toys. She's just started using them, but her beak is finally starting to look better! Thanks to you all!

 

[Peachfaced]

Just had to share her new perch, as recommended! Also got her another natural perch and some chew toys. She's just started using them, but her beak is finally starting to look better! Thanks to you all!

She looks so cute on that perch!

 

[metalstitcher]

Gracie has a beak a little like that but she is a older bird. Lot's of beak rubs on her toys and pedi-perches are good for them to keep their beaks trim.