Crossed / Overgrown beaks

[Mands]

Heya.

I have a problem with my Emblema and my Orange breast. When i first got them I didn't have a problem with them. My Emblema has only just shown an overgrown beak, the top beak has slightly overgrown the bottom beak. And my Orange breast has a crossed beak that is so fine its finer than hair but you can see it.

I have caught both birds a few times and trimmed them but they grow back in about 2 - 3 weeks.

Do you think this is just a case of them not using the cuttlebone or grit and it is just overgrown or is it a fault in the birds? Or am I giving them too much calcium in their diet?

Does this also mean I wont be able to breed from them? or is it just a cosmetic type problem.

Thanks

[debbie276]

I believe it is just in their genetics and should not be a part of your breeding program.
If you keep an eye on it and continue to keep trimming so they can eat well I don't see a problem for that bird. I just wouldn't feel comfortable passing that gene on to others.

[Mands]

Thanks Debbie.

That is not very good news for me. I wont be able to put them out into the new aviary now

But, they are happy where they are and can stay there well cared for with regular trimming.

[debbie276]

As long as you could still catch them for trimmings you should be ok in the new aviary.

[finchmix22]

I had a finch with a tendency for an overgrown beak. The vet told me it can indicate a genetic problem or a health problem that can eventually cause death in some finches. Without testing , we wouldn't know which was the cause, so I just took good care of him and gave regular beak trims. He lived about 2 years before he died. There was no sign of illness, just one day he seemed normal and the next day he was dead. It's sad, but we can't always prevent these problems. I enjoyed him while he was with me and he lived a short, but happy life.

[Mands]

I rang the avian vet. She said it might indicate a health issue or it might just be a case of being overgrown with no other issues. She said as it is not a definite either way that she doesn't see a problem breeding with them.

HOWEVER, I am not comfortable with that diagnosis after some homework and what you have mentioned on here, i wont be breeding from them. It is very disappointing for me to lose two pair of birds I was so looking forward to breeding with.

The orange breasts are the first pair i got, the 2nd pair i got to join them in the aviary. Hopefully the 2nd pair don't have any issues. It is hard to tell as when both these pairs were young there were no issues, so how does one tell what is going to present itself in the future after you have already bred them ?

Now i have to hunt down some emblemas again and another pair of OB's.

I am so disappointed

[Mands]

As long as you could still catch them for trimmings you should be ok in the new aviary.

Debbie. I cant put them into the new aviary as they might breed. There will be nests in there. They will have to stay inside where they are now. I will have to change them around to suit with what isn't going out to the new aviary.

I have had them over six months and they have only just now shown the overgrown beak.

[Mands]

I had a finch with a tendency for an overgrown beak. The vet told me it can indicate a genetic problem or a health problem that can eventually cause death in some finches. Without testing , we wouldn't know which was the cause, so I just took good care of him and gave regular beak trims. He lived about 2 years before he died. There was no sign of illness, just one day he seemed normal and the next day he was dead. It's sad, but we can't always prevent these problems. I enjoyed him while he was with me and he lived a short, but happy life.

That doesn't sound good at all. I have taken your story on board and wont be breeding from them. Thanks.

[debbie276]

Debbie. I cant put them into the new aviary as they might breed. There will be nests in there. They will have to stay inside where they are now. I will have to change them around to suit with what isn't going out to the new aviary.

If they are the only pair in the aviary you could just simply throw out their eggs if you see a nest, then they could enjoy the flight that an aviary would give them. If there will be another pair in there that would be difficult to be sure whose eggs are whose though.

[Mands]

debbie276

That sounds like a plan and I love a plan