Beak problem.

[Amber]

Hi everyone, I'm a bit worried about Tuki. She has these lines on her beak which look a bit like hair-line cracks. They look a white colour but I think this is just due to her dust. On the pics of her you can see what I mean. Does this happen or is it a problem? It's definately not the same as when she broke the tip of her beak when she was younger, that was very distressing and it bled. What she has now just looks like lines. I just wondered if anyone knew what it was?

[danmcq]

That is normal beak growth from your description and what I can see in the photo.

[lovemyGreys]

Yes i agree with Dan, perfectly normal.

[Amber]

Oh I'm so glad you don't think it's anything serious. Thank you. A couple just stopped in their car next to me when I was walking home and asked if I'd seen their cockatoo that flew away. It must be awful to lose your parrot. I'm definately going to clip Tuki's wing feathers again now!

[dblhelix]

Looks normal to me too!B) Regarding your reference to getting Tuki's wings clipped again now...have the primary flight feathers already molted out? How old is Tuki? If the flights have already been clipped there is no use clipping them again until they molt out completely and are replaced with new feathers. Feathers are not like hair that continually grow.

 

Regarding pros/cons on the clipping issue please do read up on that. There are many posts on this site and information availabel to help you make that deision. One thing for sure, many a clipped bird can and does fly away. Make sure if clipped you do not have a false sense of security on that issue.

[judygram]

Mark is right, clipping the wings does not prevent them from taking flight if startled, please read thru the threads regarding clipping and decide for yourself.

[Amber]

Thanks, I'll have a read through. Tuki is 4 years old. I've clipped her flight feathers before in the warmer months as we have the doors open and I don't want to lose her. She can fly well at the moment as her wings are longer than her tail! The doors are starting to open now and I have to have her shut in her cage. I don't like clipping her wings and I remember last time she would chew the feathers where I had cut them. I think it felt weird when she preened them, then they were suddenly shorter than normal! I'd rather not have to do it, but I don't want to lose her and I know she's tried to fly with her wings clipped and doesn't get very far! It seems our only option other than keeping her caged, which I feel is worse than clipping her wings!:unsure: