african grey beak problem

[mihoci7]

Hello, i have nearly 5 months old Congo, and he seems to have somehow broke his beak a bit. He didnt even fly into glass or wall. My take on this he somehow did this when he was alone in his cage.

It didnt bleed, it was just kinda redish when i saw it few hours ago. It seems he isn't feeling any pain, he's just playing around as usual

Will this get better bythe time or should we take him to vet?

 

 

here's a pic of his beak. I'm scared quite a bit. http://i.imgur.com/QBJnucG.jpg

 

 

my eng is not native, so dont judge

Edited April 12, 2015 by mihoci7

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

mihoci7.... We would never judge you! Do you have access to a vet? If not, let us know... what forms of calcium does your bird have exposure too? In the meantime... keep the wound clean, watch for any behavioral changes including loss of appetite, or drainage from the site. Nancy

[KimKim]

Poor baby, hope it heals fast. Does he have cage mates that might have bit him? Anything sharp in his cage? Maybe he was chewing on the bars and got stuck?

[Muse]

We had that problem from a collision, and our vet said to leave it alone unless I noticed any drainage (sign of infection). It healed up on its own. He may have taken a fall while in the cage and hit his beak. I second Nancy's concern about calcium. It helps build strong bones and beaks. I hope this heals up for your baby without any problems.

[Greywings]

It looks as though it may have resulted from rubbing on a cage bar or just playing too hard. If he is not showing any sensitivity as far as plying eating and drinking it should eventually grow out. Do keep an eye on it and his behavior for any changes.

[mihoci7]

thank you all for answers..

he's alone in the cage so that wasnt the problem. I think it was the cage..as he was climbing inside, bars were to close to each other and he was rubbing his beak too much/hard. Today he got a bigger cage with wider space between bars.

He hasn't lost any appetite and he's playful as before..

and the wound is not getting any worse, so hopefully he'll heal soon

Edited April 10, 2015 by mihoci7

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

We are always here to help you! Nancy

[mihoci7]

hello guys again..just to put some update on his beak, for now, there'se no more bloodish thing on his beak, we keep it clean.

But now, i've got serious problem also. He chewed all his tail feathers. He started doing that day before yesterday but we thought it's not some serious thing to worry about. Yesterday he chewed his longest tail feathers, and today in the morning we found him without any. here's a pic: http://i.imgur.com/m1hE3dM.jpg

he is truly chewing it, and eating. I dont know what to do, and i'm afraid he'll start chewing his other feathers as he wont have nothing to chew on his tail. He's doing this mostly when we put him in his cage(he's out most of the day cause somebody is always at home to play with him or just to watch him what's his doing) He then starts doing his thing: hangs down with one leg holding the cage bar, and his beak in his tail feathers chewing it.

We tried spraying him, but he most ceirtanly didnt liked it (i sprayed first myself so he sees it's not a bad thing, but nope), so i tried to take a shower with him, he came closer and i could spray him a bit. I'm doing this every two days.

 

i've read about alove vera, so tommorow first thing in the morning, gonna buy it and try to spray him. if anyone have any suggestions, that would be most welcomed.

[Talon]

Does,he have toys and things to play and chew on in his cage?

[kins2321@yahoo.com]

I am so sorry! Not my area of experience! Hopefully Talon, Dave and others can give you advise... Nancy

[Dave007]

hello guys again..just to put some update on his beak, for now, there'se no more bloodish thing on his beak, we keep it clean.

But now, i've got serious problem also. He chewed all his tail feathers. He started doing that day before yesterday but we thought it's not some serious thing to worry about. Yesterday he chewed his longest tail feathers, and today in the morning we found him without any. here's a pic: http://i.imgur.com/m1hE3dM.jpg

he is truly chewing it, and eating. I dont know what to do, and i'm afraid he'll start chewing his other feathers as he wont have nothing to chew on his tail. He's doing this mostly when we put him in his cage(he's out most of the day cause somebody is always at home to play with him or just to watch him what's his doing) He then starts doing his thing: hangs down with one leg holding the cage bar, and his beak in his tail feathers chewing it.

We tried spraying him, but he most ceirtanly didnt liked it (i sprayed first myself so he sees it's not a bad thing, but nope), so i tried to take a shower with him, he came closer and i could spray him a bit. I'm doing this every two days.

 

i've read about alove vera, so tommorow first thing in the morning, gonna buy it and try to spray him. if anyone have any suggestions, that would be most welcomed.

 

 

If all that happened within a week, it was definitely stress related. What was the stress? That can't be answered. It could be from any minor events that weren't intentionally caused by you. It could be from being put in the cage when he wasn't ready. He obviously like his out of the cage freedom. Also,maybe a temporary lack of communication. Again, not your fault. It could have happened after going thru a frightening experience.There's lots of greys, especially young ones that will do that once in a while. The bird usually has a full set of tail feathers when it occurs.

I've seen perfectly feathered birds fall off their perch while asleep at night and the next day, pieces of tail feathers, flight feathers, breast feathers simply because of a bad experience. Sometimes it doesn't stop happening for a week or so.

 

There's another reason why this can happen and many have done this----------A feather slightly bends or fractures near the base of the feather. The bird is aware of it and that area is irritated. The bird goes there and starts chewing that feather and all the feathers that surround it. When will he finally slow down? It depends on the bird and it's high energy level and amount of irritation and the amount of itchiness at the time he started chewing. Why did he instantly go after all of the other feathers? Again, it can't be really answered. There's lots of opinions and probably they're all right.

 

Yes, you can go to a vet. That's up to you. Whatever makes you feel more at ease.

 

BUT-----as far as regrowth.....As they come back, they may not grow back evenly so one or two come in and those new feathers touch tender skin area that have no feathers yet so the bird pulls out that new feather away from the more tender area. As all of these things are happening, new feathers are growing in and finally a new set of fewathers are back but it may take a while. The worst area for all of this to happen are on flight feathers. They take quite a long time to all come back because flight feathers new grow in evenly. So be patient. Act as if nothing happened. They will come back but it may take time. Some would say to get a new toy for him to react to. Personally, I don't agree with that especially when it has to do with a CAG. They're naturally leery of new things and that new toy may make him pull out other feathers.

 

PS--My mistake. Bad typing day

 

********** The worst area for all of this to happen are on flight feathers. They take quite a long time to all come back because new flight feathers grow in evenly********

 

I meant to say UNEVENLY

Edited April 13, 2015 by Dave007

[mihoci7]

yeah, it's most likely he doesnt like being in his cage. It's a big one, and has toys in it that he can chew. But he refuses to do, and chews his feathers.

Today morning when we first came in the living room where he is, he was calm. But as soon as he saw us he went "crazy" (rubbing himself on cage like he's trying to get out, chewed his breast feathers). Didnt even touched his breakfast. When he got out, no problem at all, he was cudly, playful, we did some training flying to my arm from many positions in the house.

Maybe he doesnt like where his cage is being placed. His back is placed in front of wall, and from right side there is a few metres to a window.

I did some mistake when we first brought him home, that I introduced him with my room too soon, cause now he likes the most spending his time in my room.