overgrown beak

[roxynoodle]

I would ask your vet what s/he thinks their diet should be. I know Ekkies don't do well eating a lot of pellets (and some say none at all). So I hate to tell someone to put a bird on pellets, when I don't know anything about that kind of bird However, it sounds like he has a vitamin A deficiency, which does make me think he needs pellets. Someone here or a vet must know.

 

[DQTimnehs]

This is what AvianWeb suggests for Kakarikis' diet, but I would still talk to your vet, since branches & mealworms, etc. might not be available:

Diet:

Provide a good quality seed mix consisting of millet, canary grass seed, oats, some sunflower (also sprouted) and hemp. They require plenty of fruit, vegetables and greenfood; as well as a regular supply of branches with flowers and buds for chewing, nutrition and entertainment.
Vitamins and mineral supplements as needed, especially vitamin C in spring and autumn.
Also offer grass turf with insects, small quantities of mealworms and minced or ground meat; softened bread and eggfood for rearing.
​

 

[Bokkapooh]

How's your Kak doing?

Did the vet do any cultures to rule out yeast and/or bacterial issues?

If your bird has kidney or liver issues you really don't want to give Red palm oil or anything fatty or such. I'm surprised he is being given vitamins. Without bloodwork done showing he needs vitamins, he can get vitamin toxicity. You may want to talk to your vet about this.

 

[roxynoodle]

This is true, Mercedez, although vit A deficiency has some obvious clinical signs. I don't know if you've had a bird with it, but Pete had it. His beak was a telltale sign and also he had these little lumps on the bottom of each foot. My vet gave me a powdered vitamin to put on his soft foods that I used for 3 months to help undo all the damage his poor diet did to him. And I was able to get him on pellets quickly but she still wanted him to have it. However, I don't think anyone should just wantonly give vitamins without a vet telling them to. Some vitamins you can take too much of and it's ok (A and I think C). The B vitamins though can cause harmful effects if taken in too large of quantities, and people do need to know that. I think we often think vitamin = good, and that's not always true.

If they can have Nutriberries or Avi Cakes those contain the omega fatty acids and are low fat.

 

[Sadieladie1994]

There are many threads here about diet and chop and mashes. •Kaks can eat a lot. •Fruits and veggies need to be included. •To get them to eat the veggies you can put them on a skewer to make it interesting foraging activity. •You can chop the food up VERY fine. •Reading what you wrote tells me a lot of your issues may be diet related as Audrey said. •Vit A deficiency is one of the number one vit missing in birds diets. •Birds don't use or need Vit C like we do.

I put a search out for Kak diets and found several sites. •Some birds do have insects in their diet. •My aracari (mini toucans) occasionally stole a meal worm from the sugar gliders. •My Vasa likes meat or a meal worm on occasion. •If he could my Scarlet would steal a meal worm from the others.

Many birds eat flowers. •In my area Hibiscus is popular. •Flowers from the different melons are good also.

YOur bird is not going to change his ways immediately. •Those being fed mostly seed don't like change right away. •Try rolling a veggie in seeds...brocollie blooms would hold seed very well and your bird just might get some of the good stuff also.

Float some food on water....cucumber and slices of some other squash works. •Cranberries do well also. •Food presented as a foraging activity is sometimes more readily accepted.

http://www.aacc.ca/kakarikis.html

Hope this helps some and wish you the best

 

[deshud]

Thanks for all your advice! My vet examined him for a long time, told me he had no signs of vitamin a deficiency. She gave me the choice to do bloodwork that day, or wait for a month to see if vitamins will help, definetly earlier if he worsens. She did tell me to try to increase the pellets if he will take them. She did tell me it might be a bacterial infection ( I can't remember the name) that includes the beak and feathers. His beak was VERY overgrown, so I think she wanted to see how he did with it grinded down. She spent 30 minutes with me, telling me everything to watch out for.

Things are improving!! He actually tried biting me today when I gave him his vitamins!. He's getting his attitude and energy back! I just don't think he was eating because of his beak. I just don't know why his beak grew so quick in a couple of months, I still feel very bad about that..

 

[deshud]

Me again, I was just thinking ( oh,oh, that's dangerous. If my other kak looked unhealthy, I would be more convinced it's just diet ( I do think diet is part of it though). But since I have had Luigi for over a year, his feathers actually look better. He had no tail feathers, now he does. Now Bam Bam is losing his tail feathers. Maybe they're prone to biting off their tails, who knows? I have read ( I have done MUCH research on them) that if they're bored, they will chew their feathers .. They are more aviary birds then pet birds. My birds free fly in their own bird room, and I "hide" their treat to make them forage for them. I hope it's just his beak, and he'll continue to improve.

I have to take my new brownhead to the vet after her quarantine, her beak is a little overgrown, but now I am paranoid!! I was pretty impressed with the vet, I will definetly take all my birds to her. It's nice to have an avian vet living five minutes away from me. She's young, so I think she's new ( she does have another avian vet with her in the same office), She's more in the "wait and see" instead of the " tests and meds". She does a lot of teaching though, and is available through the phone for any advice, emergencies. You can tell she actually likes birds

 

[dave67]

Hi all just joined

I have a quaker parrot (max) and he has the same overgrown beak issue. This is caused by liver damage at least it was in Max's case.. I have to take Max to the vet every three months or less for a trim. I feed him Harrison's bird bread it is soft. The bread is also good for beak trims as max can not eat hard food anymore. Here is a link TREATS / BIRD BREAD-Harrison's Bird Foods

Dave

 

[deshud]

Hi all just joined

I have a quaker parrot (max) and he has the same overgrown beak issue. This is caused by liver damage at least it was in Max's case.. I have to take Max to the vet every three months or less for a trim. I feed him Harrison's bird bread it is soft. The bread is also good for beak trims as max can not eat hard food anymore. Here is a link TREATS / BIRD BREAD-Harrison's Bird Foods

Dave

Thank you, I will give it a try.

Bam Bam ia back to normal