Gouldian Beak looks abnormal--Need advice

teatime4me · Post by **teatime4me** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:11 pm

Please see the picture of my YB gouldian hen. Her beak looks abnormal. Does anyone have any ideas of what this could be or how to treat it? Could it be fungal? I would appreciate any help anyone has to offer. She seems ok, but just began a serious molt. She has been on the botttom of the cage because she seems to be having a hard time flying, her wing feathers are going fast.

Thanks,

Anne

L in Ontario · Post by **L in Ontario** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 1:19 pm

I don't think her beak looks too bad. Their beaks do keep growing throughout their lifetime but it's not overgrown.

Her nails may need a trimming though.

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:39 pm

Hi Anne,

Which part looks abnormal to you?
Are you looking at the base of the beak (right by the Nostrils)?
This doesn't look bad to me..
Sometimes they get this crusty white stuff on their beak if their diet is over supplemented.
It scrapes right off though.. to me this looks like how the beak looks just after you scrape the stuff off.

Fungal stuff would be really gross yellow soft looking crusty stuff on the beak.

teatime4me · Post by **teatime4me** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:45 pm

[quote="nixity"]Hi Anne,

Which part looks abnormal to you?
Are you looking at the base of the beak (right by the Nostrils)?
This doesn't look bad to me..
Sometimes they get this crusty white stuff on their beak if their diet is over supplemented.
It scrapes right off though.. to me this looks like how the beak looks just after you scrape the stuff off.

Fungal stuff would be really gross yellow soft looking crusty stuff on the beak.[/quote]

I was thinking that the base of the beak looks different, like some kind of build up, not shiny like the rest of the finches. I may be paranoid at this point because I lost a gouldian 2 weeks ago to unknown causes. He started acting drunk and died within a day despite my efforts. I was going to take him in to the vet the next morning but he didn't make it that long. No one else has any symptoms.

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:49 pm

teatime4me wrote:
I was thinking that the base of the beak looks different, like some kind of build up, not shiny like the rest of the finches. I may be paranoid at this point because I lost a gouldian 2 weeks ago to unknown causes. He started acting drunk and died within a day despite my efforts. I was going to take him in to the vet the next morning but he didn't make it that long. No one else has any symptoms.

Sounds neurological (twirling maybe?) - not really something contagious.

This may just be new growth, you said she recently finished molting?
The beak grows continuously..
You could try applying a tiny bit of mineral oil, it will help slough off any old tissue and help condition the new growth underneath.

teatime4me · Post by **teatime4me** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 2:58 pm

Tiffany,

In regards to the twirling, I think you may be right. I didn't realize it could porgress that fast, but he was probably masking his symptoms.

As far as the hen with the suspicious beak, she is just beginning her molt. It was also her mate that died. They never did hatch any young.

I have removed her for the time being to a hospital cage, so she can rest, the others seem to have been picking on her.

Thanks for your input. I am going to leave her to rest for awhile since I just trimmed her nails and maybe try the mineral oil in a couple days. BTW, what did you use to scrape the beak?

Thanks,

Anne

nixity · Post by **nixity** » Tue Jun 30, 2009 3:06 pm

teatime4me wrote:BTW, what did you use to scrape the beak?

My thumb nail ;)