White growth on beaks

[Yvonne]

Good day, I need help please!! Nowhere can I find anything regarding the whitish growth on my zebra's beaks. It started off with one which I bought from the petshop some two years ago. Few months ago Ive noticed several females as well as males with the same type of growth. I am really worried about it, it seems that it doesnt affect their health because they are eating and breeding as only zebras can. Their diet consists of the normal seed, greens, boiled egg with sunflower pips and wheat germ and cuttlebone. Help will be appreciated. Thanks Yvonne

[Sally]

Did the petshop bird have this condition two years ago, or is it just the first one with this condition? It could be scaly face mites. A vet can take a scraping to confirm, or you can try treating yourself. It will not hurt to treat as if it is scaly face mites. Here is an article on scaly face mites and treatment:

http://www.ladygouldianfinch.com/features_scalyface.php

Welcome to the forum! There's lots of good reading at the Finch Information Center, where you will find articles on diet, housing, and the Zebra finch in particular. If you put your general location in your profile, it makes it easier to answer locale-specific questions later on.

[MiaCarter]

Definitely agreed with Sally.

I would definitely take this little guy to an avian vet, as that is almost certainly some sort of parasitic or fungal infection.

I've never seen this precise presentation in the case of scaly face mites -- it's not typically quite so white. But it could just be the photo.

In any event, the fact that this has spread to other birds is also consistent with a parasitic infestation or even a fungal infection.

If you can't get to an avian vet, you would have to make a guess (which is less than ideal, as there's a 50-50 chance you'll be wrong. Although it's always good to treat everyone with S76 or similar at least once to ensure they're all free of parasites.

You could assume it's a mite of some sort and use an ivermectin topical like S76. This must be applied topically to the affected area. Beaks are like nails; if you give by mouth, it won't perfuse the beak as it will the other tissues. So you need to apply topically. I'd start with one bird and if it's effective, treat all the others.

If it's not a parasite, then it's apt to be some sort of fungal infection which would require an antifungal. But it would be tricky since you're right near their nostrils and eyes you would need some sort of topical antifungal to treat. I wouldn't attempt it without help from a vet.

I'd really see a vet so they can do a scraping to identify the organism that's at the root of this.

[Yvonne]

I really appreciate the quick response. The petshop bird had a small spot almost like a pin's head which did grow bigger, unfortunately she escaped the aviary and I completely forgot about it until it appeared on this one. The legs are clean nothing wrong. I treated canaries for air sac mytes with Ivomec which I dropped on the back of the neck, I am bit scared for directly on the beak seeing that it is so close to the nostrils, will that do or not?

The growth is actually quite white one can see it even from a distance.

Thanks for all the good articles.

[Sally]

If it is scaly face mites, a drop of the Ivomec on the back of the neck or inner thigh is good, and then you can apply a tiny bit of it to the beak using a Q-tip. Don't have the Q-tip dripping wet, you don't want the Ivomec to run all over the place, just moisten the white spots without getting it in the nostrils.