Overgrown Beak

[SharonC]

I purchased a female Canary two weeks ago. I've just noticed an overgrown beak. I don't think it was overgrown when I brought her home. I understand it could be liver disorder, injury, or inbreeding. She did have a bruise on her beak a few days ago, but I don't think that would cause this. The breeder that I got her from is careful with his breeders, as far as I know. That leaves liver disorder....Should I trim the beak or just leave it? How should I trim...with a small nail clipper or file?

[bugaboo5]

If you want to trim, it's better and less stressful for the bird if you use a nail clipper. Just a quick snip and done. I hope it's not liver damage.

[Sally]

Here is an article at the FIC about trimming nails and beaks.

http://www.finchinfo.com/health/trimmin ... _beaks.php

[bugaboo5]

Here is an article at the FIC about trimming nails and beaks.

http://www.finchinfo.com/health/trimmin ... _beaks.php

They unfortunately do not have anything that pertains to beak trimming yet. It says "coming soon" and has beem listed as such for a while.

[monotwine]

I bought a hen last year that had a very overgrown beak. I did not even notice at the time of purchase as she was so flightly and the top covered the bottom mandible so much it looked normal!
Anyhow two frontal trims later (a month apart) and a few months on a new diet and she is perfectly fine. It's not necessarily something aweful like liver funtion. Perhaps your bird has just been gorging on one type of seed (selective eating) and not gotten the balanced diet she needs.

The thing with beak trimming is not to over do it. Simplist thing is to trim the beak from the front only, don't file down sides etc unless you know what you are doing as you can do more harm than good. The birds rectify their own problems, especially if you add one of those pedi perches for them to rub their beaks on.

Simply take nail clippers and cut the over grown bit back inline with the other mandible. If they are both elongated, trim both back evenly, a little at a time, even over a period of days if you are unsure what the natural level would be. Beware as soon as the cut feels soft. Then it means you have started cutting into living tissue and it could bleed. You don't want that as you basically have then cut too far.

[SharonC]

Thanks! I think it's just the top mandible, and it looks fairly easy to see where it shoud be. I have pediperches in the aviary, one right outside where she stays most of the time. That's another thing that has me a little worried. When I introduced her to the aviary, she and Charlie did really well. They've mated, he feeds her, and they seem to love each other. She immediately began a nest. She has been spending a LOT of time in the nest, no eggs, but she rarely leaves it that I can see..

[SharonC]

The beak trimming went well...I did the toenails too. Thanks for the help.