WHY CHOOSE AN AVIAN VET?
An avian veterinarian is a veterinarian who specializes in treating birds. Birds are very different in anatomy and physiology to dogs and cats, so avian veterinary students must seek out coursework and residencies that are beyond the scope of a standard veterinary school.
Avian veterinarians can become members of the Association of Avian Veterinarians for additional education opportunities including a journal and an annual conference. An avian veterinarian can pursue additional testing through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and become an "ABVP diplomat in avian medicine."
Avian veterianarians, like any other veterinarians, attend veterinary school at any of the certified Veterinary colleges. After they obtain their DVM they go on to specialize in the care of birds. This specialization takes from 1 to 4 years.
Avian veterinarians can become members of the Association of Avian Veterinarians for additional education opportunities including a journal and an annual conference. An avian veterinarian can pursue additional testing through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and become an "ABVP diplomat in avian medicine."
Avian veterianarians, like any other veterinarians, attend veterinary school at any of the certified Veterinary colleges. After they obtain their DVM they go on to specialize in the care of birds. This specialization takes from 1 to 4 years.
Signs of Possible / Potential Illness in an African Grey
There are early warning signs that your grey might be becoming ill. Below are some possible / potential illness signs in an African Grey. These helpful tips are informational only and are indications of a potential or possible illness.
Any doubt in your mind, contact your avian veterinarian immediately. They are there to assist you in the care and health of your bird.
Activity – sudden listlessness; sleeping when it normally does not; being quiet when it normally isn't; decreased or not eating and/or drinking.
Droppings ("poop") - any observable change in urates (white part) or feces lasting more than a day or two.
Diarrhea - shows up as undigested food, droppings that don't have the three distinct parts (green/brown, white and liquid urine), and weight loss. If you think your grey has diarrhea, contact your vet immediately.
Weight loss - your bird feels "light" when you pick it up, keel bone becomes more prominent
Feathers – abnormal looking feathers including things such as a prolonged molt or continuous presence of pinfeathers; unusual or dull color; broken, bent, picked or chewed feathers; fluffed up feathers all the time.
Sneezing – our bird makes the noise of a "sneeze" and imitates the different sneeze from each person in the house – what you're looking for is "their" sneeze with a possible discharge. Look for stained feathers over the nares or around the face or vent and / or crusty material in or around the nostrils.
Regurgitating / Vomiting – greys and all birds regurgitate as a sign of "affection" – you're looking for long periods of time which could indicate a crop infection
Respiratory – signs of respiratory distress can include tail bobbing up and down with each breath and a change in breathing sounds, wheezing or clicking noise when it inhales.
Balance – falling off its perch and huddling at the bottom of cage
Eyes – appear dull and / or squinting; redness, swelling or loss of feathers around the eyes.
Feet – scaly, flakiness, baldness or sores on the bottom of the feet
Head – excessive head bobbing and shaking
Any doubt in your mind, contact your avian veterinarian immediately. They are there to assist you in the care and health of your bird.
Activity – sudden listlessness; sleeping when it normally does not; being quiet when it normally isn't; decreased or not eating and/or drinking.
Droppings ("poop") - any observable change in urates (white part) or feces lasting more than a day or two.
Diarrhea - shows up as undigested food, droppings that don't have the three distinct parts (green/brown, white and liquid urine), and weight loss. If you think your grey has diarrhea, contact your vet immediately.
Weight loss - your bird feels "light" when you pick it up, keel bone becomes more prominent
Feathers – abnormal looking feathers including things such as a prolonged molt or continuous presence of pinfeathers; unusual or dull color; broken, bent, picked or chewed feathers; fluffed up feathers all the time.
Sneezing – our bird makes the noise of a "sneeze" and imitates the different sneeze from each person in the house – what you're looking for is "their" sneeze with a possible discharge. Look for stained feathers over the nares or around the face or vent and / or crusty material in or around the nostrils.
Regurgitating / Vomiting – greys and all birds regurgitate as a sign of "affection" – you're looking for long periods of time which could indicate a crop infection
Respiratory – signs of respiratory distress can include tail bobbing up and down with each breath and a change in breathing sounds, wheezing or clicking noise when it inhales.
Balance – falling off its perch and huddling at the bottom of cage
Eyes – appear dull and / or squinting; redness, swelling or loss of feathers around the eyes.
Feet – scaly, flakiness, baldness or sores on the bottom of the feet
Head – excessive head bobbing and shaking
Parrots and Cigarette Smoke:
There are many things in your home’s environment that you will need to consider carefully before you bring a pet parrot home. In fact, there are many things that may not be as dangerous to humans but can actually be toxic to birds.
Parrot Lungs:
One question that constantly arises has to do with smoke and parrots. Should your home be smoke free if you plan on owning a parrot? Is it alright to smoke in the home of a bird? These are very good questions.
To start with, you will need to understand the respiratory system of parrots. They do not have expanding lungs like we do. Instead, they have sacs that take in the air and these sacs do not have the same capabilities to filter out toxins. Instead, because birds have a high metabolism, their respiratory system must work very quickly and efficiently to extract every bit of oxygen from the air as possible in a very quick manner. Birds take about three times the number of breaths that a human does. When all of this is considered together, it brings out some important points.
Birds are much more susceptible to chemicals in the environment around them. Their lungs will detect the chemicals much more quickly than we humans can, and their lungs will be affected much more quickly. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can cause any number of respiratory problems from infections, to chronic cough, to pneumonia to death.
Smoking Around Your Parrot?
Does this mean you cannot smoke in your home if you own a parrot? You will want to make sure your bird is not exposed to the smoke at all, but you can take steps to make this happen. Never smoke in the same room as the bird. Any small amount of smoke could damage the parrot’s lungs. Additionally, you will need to take a look at your home’s air duct system and the placement of your bird’s cage. It is quite easy for smoke to get carried from one room to another through the air conditioning system. You will need to choose to smoke away from the air intake and you will need to place your bird’s cage away from the air vents.
Finally, consider the option to smoke outside. If you have no way of completely keeping smoke from your parrot’s room, smoking outside can be a good option to keep your parrot safe, happy and healthy.
Should your home be no smoking if you own a parrot? Of course, keeping all smoke out would be ideal, but you can smoke in the same home as your parrot if you make careful, responsible decisions. You will not want to make your parrot sick and you will definitely not want to cause its death. Constant contact with direct second hand smoke could be fatal to your parrot. If you make sure to keep your parrot’s room smoke free, you should not have any problems with the bird’s health. However, if you do smoke in the home, even if you take the time to keep the smoke away from your bird, keep an eye on your parrot’s breathing to look for any signs of distress.
Parrot Lungs:
One question that constantly arises has to do with smoke and parrots. Should your home be smoke free if you plan on owning a parrot? Is it alright to smoke in the home of a bird? These are very good questions.
To start with, you will need to understand the respiratory system of parrots. They do not have expanding lungs like we do. Instead, they have sacs that take in the air and these sacs do not have the same capabilities to filter out toxins. Instead, because birds have a high metabolism, their respiratory system must work very quickly and efficiently to extract every bit of oxygen from the air as possible in a very quick manner. Birds take about three times the number of breaths that a human does. When all of this is considered together, it brings out some important points.
Birds are much more susceptible to chemicals in the environment around them. Their lungs will detect the chemicals much more quickly than we humans can, and their lungs will be affected much more quickly. Prolonged exposure to these chemicals can cause any number of respiratory problems from infections, to chronic cough, to pneumonia to death.
Smoking Around Your Parrot?
Does this mean you cannot smoke in your home if you own a parrot? You will want to make sure your bird is not exposed to the smoke at all, but you can take steps to make this happen. Never smoke in the same room as the bird. Any small amount of smoke could damage the parrot’s lungs. Additionally, you will need to take a look at your home’s air duct system and the placement of your bird’s cage. It is quite easy for smoke to get carried from one room to another through the air conditioning system. You will need to choose to smoke away from the air intake and you will need to place your bird’s cage away from the air vents.
Finally, consider the option to smoke outside. If you have no way of completely keeping smoke from your parrot’s room, smoking outside can be a good option to keep your parrot safe, happy and healthy.
Should your home be no smoking if you own a parrot? Of course, keeping all smoke out would be ideal, but you can smoke in the same home as your parrot if you make careful, responsible decisions. You will not want to make your parrot sick and you will definitely not want to cause its death. Constant contact with direct second hand smoke could be fatal to your parrot. If you make sure to keep your parrot’s room smoke free, you should not have any problems with the bird’s health. However, if you do smoke in the home, even if you take the time to keep the smoke away from your bird, keep an eye on your parrot’s breathing to look for any signs of distress.
MICROCHIPPING YOUR PARROT
Microchips are a permanent way of identifying your parrot if it is lost or stolen. During the California wildfires in 2006 many breeders were forced to leave their birds behind. However, they were later able to locate and retrieve many of these birds due to the modern technology of microchips. Although this is a great option for protecting your avian pet, it is not available to all birds.
As a parrot owner, you are responsible for protecting your feathered friend. Theft and accidental lose can occur with these beautiful, flighted creatures. Some circumstances such as natural disasters may force you to leave your parrot behind. Microchip identification is a way to safeguard your parrot against these occurrences.
A microchip is a device that contains an unique ID number. It is surgically implanted or injected into your avian companion and is undetectable except with a scanner. This chip cannot be removed; injury or death will occur to the bird if removal is attempted. For the most part, these chips last the lifetime of your pet.
Implanting a chip is a simple and safe procedure. It is performed by a veterinarian and is equivalent to an injection. The injection site, the left breast muscle, is usually numbed and generally birds do not react in anyway during insertion. Scar tissue forms around the site making the chip undetectable and because this procedure is done in a sterile operating room, infection is not likely.
The microchip that is placed inside your parrot does not have a power source; it requires a scanner to activate it. There is no cause for alarm since your parrot cannot feel the activation of this device. Most rescue shelters and veterinarian offices have these readers incase a bird is lost and found. This chip is surrounded by a glass case. This enclosure keeps the parrot’s body tissue from reacting to the implanted object.
At this time, microchip identification implantation can be done to medium or large parrots. It is not recommended and rarely performed for smaller parrot species.
When you have your avian companion microchipped you will receive a certificate with a special ID number. This number is stored in a national database and unique to your bird. Personal information such as your name, address and phone number is stored as well. This is for contact purposes in case your parrot is lost and then found. It will be your responsibility to notify any change of address, phone number and etc to the proper parties.
Microchipping has helped return thousands of parrots to their owners. This procedure is not really that expensive. Well worth the money, we think if your can have your beloved parrot returned safely to you.
• Quick, Permanent Identification
• Easy and safe insertion
• A tiny inert chip which cannot be altered or lost
• Registration with PetLog, the National Database
• And is required for travel abroad
As a parrot owner, you are responsible for protecting your feathered friend. Theft and accidental lose can occur with these beautiful, flighted creatures. Some circumstances such as natural disasters may force you to leave your parrot behind. Microchip identification is a way to safeguard your parrot against these occurrences.
A microchip is a device that contains an unique ID number. It is surgically implanted or injected into your avian companion and is undetectable except with a scanner. This chip cannot be removed; injury or death will occur to the bird if removal is attempted. For the most part, these chips last the lifetime of your pet.
Implanting a chip is a simple and safe procedure. It is performed by a veterinarian and is equivalent to an injection. The injection site, the left breast muscle, is usually numbed and generally birds do not react in anyway during insertion. Scar tissue forms around the site making the chip undetectable and because this procedure is done in a sterile operating room, infection is not likely.
The microchip that is placed inside your parrot does not have a power source; it requires a scanner to activate it. There is no cause for alarm since your parrot cannot feel the activation of this device. Most rescue shelters and veterinarian offices have these readers incase a bird is lost and found. This chip is surrounded by a glass case. This enclosure keeps the parrot’s body tissue from reacting to the implanted object.
At this time, microchip identification implantation can be done to medium or large parrots. It is not recommended and rarely performed for smaller parrot species.
When you have your avian companion microchipped you will receive a certificate with a special ID number. This number is stored in a national database and unique to your bird. Personal information such as your name, address and phone number is stored as well. This is for contact purposes in case your parrot is lost and then found. It will be your responsibility to notify any change of address, phone number and etc to the proper parties.
Microchipping has helped return thousands of parrots to their owners. This procedure is not really that expensive. Well worth the money, we think if your can have your beloved parrot returned safely to you.
• Quick, Permanent Identification
• Easy and safe insertion
• A tiny inert chip which cannot be altered or lost
• Registration with PetLog, the National Database
• And is required for travel abroad
MONITORING YOU PARROT'S HEALTH
One of the important tasks of being a responsible parrot owner is making sure you are monitoring his health carefully. While you might think you could easily notice if your parrot is ill, that is not always the case. By nature, parrots tend to hide any sign or symptom of illness until it is too late and they are already extremely ill. A diligent and caring parrot owner will ensure their bird receives a complete check-up with an experienced avian vet once per year. Your vet will perform blood work as well as any other routine tests in order to ensure your bird is not ill and is not battling any type of infection. Along with the annual check-up, it is also important for you to be able to recognize possible symptoms or signs of illness in your parrot.
Signs Your Parrot May be Sick:
First, always be wary if you notice any change in your bird’s behavior. For instance, if you notice any lethargy, if your parrot is sitting near the bottom of the cage, if he appears sleepier than usual or if there is a change in your bird’s eating or vocal habits, take him in immediately to see the vet.
Remember that a change in your parrot’s weight can also be an indication of illness. Anytime there is a continuous amount of weight loss, it is important to take your parrot to the vet. Keep in mind it is important to weigh your parrot early in the morning before he has eaten. A ten percent weight loss is considered to be a serious matter.
You should also be concerned if you notice any discharge from your parrot’s mouth, nose or eyes. If so, schedule an appointment with your parrot’s veterinarian.
Finally, it is important to keep a close eye on your parrot’s droppings. Anytime there is a change in his droppings, this can be an indication of sickness. Droppings tend to change based on what your parrot has consumed. For instance, if your bird eats a lot of fruit, the droppings will be watery. Some foods, such as berries, can change the color of your bird’s droppings. There are three components to bird droppings. They are comprised of two parts urine and one part feces.
Monitoring your parrot’s droppings can be much easier if you cover the bottom of the cage with newspaper. Be sure to change it daily; usually in the evening. It may take some time of carefully monitoring to become accustomed to what your parrot’s normal dropping should look like.
Once you know what they should look like, you should be concerned in the following instances:
Monitoring your parrot’s health on a regular basis is one of the most important things you can do to keep him happy and healthy for a long time to come.
Signs Your Parrot May be Sick:
First, always be wary if you notice any change in your bird’s behavior. For instance, if you notice any lethargy, if your parrot is sitting near the bottom of the cage, if he appears sleepier than usual or if there is a change in your bird’s eating or vocal habits, take him in immediately to see the vet.
Remember that a change in your parrot’s weight can also be an indication of illness. Anytime there is a continuous amount of weight loss, it is important to take your parrot to the vet. Keep in mind it is important to weigh your parrot early in the morning before he has eaten. A ten percent weight loss is considered to be a serious matter.
You should also be concerned if you notice any discharge from your parrot’s mouth, nose or eyes. If so, schedule an appointment with your parrot’s veterinarian.
Finally, it is important to keep a close eye on your parrot’s droppings. Anytime there is a change in his droppings, this can be an indication of sickness. Droppings tend to change based on what your parrot has consumed. For instance, if your bird eats a lot of fruit, the droppings will be watery. Some foods, such as berries, can change the color of your bird’s droppings. There are three components to bird droppings. They are comprised of two parts urine and one part feces.
Monitoring your parrot’s droppings can be much easier if you cover the bottom of the cage with newspaper. Be sure to change it daily; usually in the evening. It may take some time of carefully monitoring to become accustomed to what your parrot’s normal dropping should look like.
Once you know what they should look like, you should be concerned in the following instances:
- Diarrhea
- Presence of undigested food
- Droppings that are foamy or pale
- Any change in volume or consistency
- A change in color
Monitoring your parrot’s health on a regular basis is one of the most important things you can do to keep him happy and healthy for a long time to come.
A Parrot’s Respiration Rate
Your bird’s respiratory system is extremely efficient and sensitive. Although it is capable at exchanging gases in the system, two complete breaths are required to do the same work that a single breath does in people; because of this you may observe your parrot breathing quickly, this is normal behavior.
However, acidosis is a condition that can affect parrots which causes extreme rapid respiration. Because a parrot does breath rapidly, this may be one reason they can develop this common disease of the respiratory tract. Malnutrition or some other health problem could also result in Acidosis.
Acidosis occurs when carbon dioxide blood content increases and pH levels in the blood drop thus increasing acidity. If you parrot has symptoms such as loss of coordination, lethargy, or decrease activity you should contact your avian veterinarian immediately.
With that being said, compared to humans parrots do have rapid breathing. The average heart rate of a parrot is around 140- 200 beats per minute and the respiration rate is approximately 14 breaths a minute at rest. However, when it is flight it beats at a rapid pace of 1,000 a minute.
A bird’s respiratory tract does not contain a diaphragm. They have air sacs; capillaries and their lungs have firm, stiff walls. Parrots need to be able to quickly absorb and transfer oxygen with each breath. Your parrot’s lungs expand very little because the air passes through the lungs into the air sacs and back through the lungs on expiration. This means, not only can a larger volume of air pass through the lungs, but also it passes through twice and carbon dioxide exchange is more efficient.
If you notice that your parrot has an extremely rapid respiration rate, contact your veterinarian immediately. It is better to be safe then sorry. Serious consequences for your parrot could occur if Acidosis is left untreated:
These consequences could include:
The best measures for preventing this condition are a healthy, well-balanced diet and consistent environment for you bird. If you parrot is diagnosis with Acidosis you will have to provide an isolated area where your bird can rest and is not subjected to stress until it has made a full recovery.
However, acidosis is a condition that can affect parrots which causes extreme rapid respiration. Because a parrot does breath rapidly, this may be one reason they can develop this common disease of the respiratory tract. Malnutrition or some other health problem could also result in Acidosis.
Acidosis occurs when carbon dioxide blood content increases and pH levels in the blood drop thus increasing acidity. If you parrot has symptoms such as loss of coordination, lethargy, or decrease activity you should contact your avian veterinarian immediately.
With that being said, compared to humans parrots do have rapid breathing. The average heart rate of a parrot is around 140- 200 beats per minute and the respiration rate is approximately 14 breaths a minute at rest. However, when it is flight it beats at a rapid pace of 1,000 a minute.
A bird’s respiratory tract does not contain a diaphragm. They have air sacs; capillaries and their lungs have firm, stiff walls. Parrots need to be able to quickly absorb and transfer oxygen with each breath. Your parrot’s lungs expand very little because the air passes through the lungs into the air sacs and back through the lungs on expiration. This means, not only can a larger volume of air pass through the lungs, but also it passes through twice and carbon dioxide exchange is more efficient.
If you notice that your parrot has an extremely rapid respiration rate, contact your veterinarian immediately. It is better to be safe then sorry. Serious consequences for your parrot could occur if Acidosis is left untreated:
These consequences could include:
- Respiratory failure
- Shock
- Or possible death
The best measures for preventing this condition are a healthy, well-balanced diet and consistent environment for you bird. If you parrot is diagnosis with Acidosis you will have to provide an isolated area where your bird can rest and is not subjected to stress until it has made a full recovery.
YOUR PARROTS POOP
The best way to evaluate if your bird is feeling poorly is to check if there is a change in its poop. Poop can vary in colour and consistancy depending on your birds diet. For example pellet eating parrots often have a browny colour poop mixed with the white urates compared to seed eating parrots who's poop is green with white urates. Eating foods of certain colours such as cherries can also effect the colour of your birds poop, sometimes turning it red. Learning to recognise what is a normal poop for your bird is a great way of detecting any changes which may indicate that your bird is sick.
To start with, you will need to learn how to evaluate poop. There are many different types of it, and you can find very useful charts that will help you learn how to recognize problems quite quickly. However, for this case, we will be discussing the foamy type specifically. You may overlook this at first simply because it may not look that out of the ordinary. However, you need to learn just what foamy poop means. It can actually mean a couple of different things.
In most cases, there is a type of bacteria that can inhabit your bird’s digestive tract. When this happens, it will cause gas to form. When the bird passes this gas, it will create small air bubbles in the excrement that will look like foam. This type of bacteria is called Clostridium. If you bird has this bacterial infection, then it could become very sick. It is absolutely vital that you take your bird to the veterinarian. If you cannot take the bird to the vet, then you will need to at least take the poop to the veterinarian so that it can be evaluated. In most cases, the vet will be able to look at it and determine if your bird is ill.
There are some cases when your bird may simply have gas and this can cause the foamy poop. In these cases, the problem can easily be managed by changing the bird’s diet in order to remove the food that is causing the gas.
Finally, there can be some parasites that can cause a bird to have gas problems. This will also lead to the foamy poop. Parasites can be dangerous if they are allowed to grow unchecked in your bird’s digestive tract. It is important that these too are treated by a veterinarian. As mentioned with the bacterial infection, it may be possible for your vet to determine if your bird has a parasite just by evaluating the excrement. However, your vet may ask for you to bring the bird in to the office in order to be treated.
It is absolutely important that you learn how to recognize the signs of something wrong in your bird’s excrement. While sometimes, it may mean nothing at all, abnormalities can often be a sign of something else wrong with your parrot. If you start seeing foamy poop from your bird, this most likely means that the bird is having problems with gas. However, you will need to find out what is causing this gas since some of the causes can be quite dangerous for the bird.
To start with, you will need to learn how to evaluate poop. There are many different types of it, and you can find very useful charts that will help you learn how to recognize problems quite quickly. However, for this case, we will be discussing the foamy type specifically. You may overlook this at first simply because it may not look that out of the ordinary. However, you need to learn just what foamy poop means. It can actually mean a couple of different things.
In most cases, there is a type of bacteria that can inhabit your bird’s digestive tract. When this happens, it will cause gas to form. When the bird passes this gas, it will create small air bubbles in the excrement that will look like foam. This type of bacteria is called Clostridium. If you bird has this bacterial infection, then it could become very sick. It is absolutely vital that you take your bird to the veterinarian. If you cannot take the bird to the vet, then you will need to at least take the poop to the veterinarian so that it can be evaluated. In most cases, the vet will be able to look at it and determine if your bird is ill.
There are some cases when your bird may simply have gas and this can cause the foamy poop. In these cases, the problem can easily be managed by changing the bird’s diet in order to remove the food that is causing the gas.
Finally, there can be some parasites that can cause a bird to have gas problems. This will also lead to the foamy poop. Parasites can be dangerous if they are allowed to grow unchecked in your bird’s digestive tract. It is important that these too are treated by a veterinarian. As mentioned with the bacterial infection, it may be possible for your vet to determine if your bird has a parasite just by evaluating the excrement. However, your vet may ask for you to bring the bird in to the office in order to be treated.
It is absolutely important that you learn how to recognize the signs of something wrong in your bird’s excrement. While sometimes, it may mean nothing at all, abnormalities can often be a sign of something else wrong with your parrot. If you start seeing foamy poop from your bird, this most likely means that the bird is having problems with gas. However, you will need to find out what is causing this gas since some of the causes can be quite dangerous for the bird.
WHY IS MY PARROTS BEAK CRACKING?
Parrot nutrition can certainly be a tricky situation. You will need to make sure your bird is getting the right balance of nutrients, and this will require creating just the perfect diet. However, if your parrot is deficient in one type of nutrient, it could exhibit symptoms that can give you a sign of this. If you know what symptoms indicate a problem, you can better help your parrot stay healthy.
For instance, if your parrot’s beak is peeling or cracking, this can be quite frightening to see. It can look fairly bad when a parrot has brittle beak and it may worry you quite a bit. However, there is a very good reason why a parrot will develop brittle beak. This reason does not involve a dangerous illness, which is a very good thing to know. You do not have to fear serious illness when your parrot’s beak cracks and peels. Just what causes it though?
What Causes Brittle Beak in Parrots?
Think of your parrot’s beak as something much like your fingernails. It contains very much the same material and it can be like your fingernails in that it is a good indicator of nutrition deficiencies. Have you noticed that when a person is not getting enough vitamins in their daily life, they may have fingernails that are soft, peeling or easy to discolor? This is the same for parrots. When they are not getting enough of a certain vitamin, they will be dificient and they will experience brittle beak. If your parrot has a cracking or peeling beak, then this is a good sign you need to alter its diet.
Help for Your Parrot’s Brittle Beak:
When a parrot experiences brittle beak, this means it is deficient in a certain amino acid. This amino acid is called methionine. It is a very important part of a parrot’s diet. However, if your parrot’s diet consists predominately of fruits and vegetables, it may not be getting enough methionine. You will need to add certain grains, seeds and other items that include the amino acid.
Here are a few things that you could add to your parrot’s diet:
If you need to increase the methionine in your parrot’s diet, then start including these items into its meals. While fruits and vegetables are certainly important for your parrot’s nutrition, you will need to make sure it has a well rounded diet that includes nuts and grains. This way, you can make sure your bird is getting all of the nutrients that it needs.
When you notice that your parrot has a peeling and cracking beak, you will need to carefully evaluate its diet. When you get your bird on a more healthy diet, you will notice that its beak begins to heal, but it will take close to a year until the new beak will fully grow in healthy. Just makes sure to look for signs that the more well rounded diet is working in order to avoid the problem in the future.
For instance, if your parrot’s beak is peeling or cracking, this can be quite frightening to see. It can look fairly bad when a parrot has brittle beak and it may worry you quite a bit. However, there is a very good reason why a parrot will develop brittle beak. This reason does not involve a dangerous illness, which is a very good thing to know. You do not have to fear serious illness when your parrot’s beak cracks and peels. Just what causes it though?
What Causes Brittle Beak in Parrots?
Think of your parrot’s beak as something much like your fingernails. It contains very much the same material and it can be like your fingernails in that it is a good indicator of nutrition deficiencies. Have you noticed that when a person is not getting enough vitamins in their daily life, they may have fingernails that are soft, peeling or easy to discolor? This is the same for parrots. When they are not getting enough of a certain vitamin, they will be dificient and they will experience brittle beak. If your parrot has a cracking or peeling beak, then this is a good sign you need to alter its diet.
Help for Your Parrot’s Brittle Beak:
When a parrot experiences brittle beak, this means it is deficient in a certain amino acid. This amino acid is called methionine. It is a very important part of a parrot’s diet. However, if your parrot’s diet consists predominately of fruits and vegetables, it may not be getting enough methionine. You will need to add certain grains, seeds and other items that include the amino acid.
Here are a few things that you could add to your parrot’s diet:
- Brazil Nuts
- Sesame Seeds
- Plant Seeds
- Fish
- Meats
- Spinach
- Boiled Corn
- Potatoes
If you need to increase the methionine in your parrot’s diet, then start including these items into its meals. While fruits and vegetables are certainly important for your parrot’s nutrition, you will need to make sure it has a well rounded diet that includes nuts and grains. This way, you can make sure your bird is getting all of the nutrients that it needs.
When you notice that your parrot has a peeling and cracking beak, you will need to carefully evaluate its diet. When you get your bird on a more healthy diet, you will notice that its beak begins to heal, but it will take close to a year until the new beak will fully grow in healthy. Just makes sure to look for signs that the more well rounded diet is working in order to avoid the problem in the future.
PEELING BEAKS
By Christine Fraser
A parrots beak continues to grow throughout a parrots life, so it is constantly changing. Like our nails, a parrots beak grows in layers and as the new layer grows underneath, the "dead" layers on the surface change colour slightly. This process is more identifiable in Timneh African Greys due to the brown upper mandible.
In the wild parrots will enjoy daily activities such as chewing wood which helps shed these outer layers. If these layers are not rubbed away, you may begin to see ridges form in your parrots beak like in the picture here.
Sandy perches placed near a dish of fruit, veg or gooey food is a great way of getting your parrot to manicure his/her beak as they will wipe the messy food off of their beak using the sandy perch and the beaks surface will get a good file at the same time. A Brick may also do a simular job but it must be secured well in the bottom of the cage or an area where it cannot slip and hurt your bird.
It is a good idea from a very young age to get your birds used to allowing you to file their beaks and claws using a regular nail file or emery board, if done on a regular basis the beak will remain nice and smooth and ridge free.
Older Birds
The following changes can be seen in older birds:
As birds age, a decrease in physical activities is usually observed as energy levels go down.
Also conditions like arthritis may make certain movements uncomfortable / painful. Look out for limping.
Senior birds may become more sedate and easy-going. Although some owners describe their pets to be as feisty in old age as they were when they were younger.
Toys: Older birds that have not been exposed to any variety in their lives may originally be frightened by the introduction of toys. The best way to get around this is to do a very gradual introduction. The most important thing is to not give up. These older birds will benefit from environmental enrichment just as much as the babies.
Older birds may be less tolerant of people inexperienced with parrots. Although the level of affection towards the family members remained the same. They are just less likely to want to be with people they don't know.
Older birds have been observed to adjust surprisingly easy to new home: Rehoming organizations found that older birds placed into new homes adjust surprisingly easily and rather quickly to their new homes and new family. Some even state that the change in home environment was even perceived as invigorating by many senior parrots.
Age-related Conditions:
As birds get older, they may develop health problems. Certain species are more prone to certain conditions, such as African Greys being susceptible to atherosclerotic lesions inside of blood vessels than other species
Arthritis:
Birds may develop painful arthritis in their joints.
Please visit this webpage for signs to look out for and how you can help an arthritic bird
Diabetes:
Older, overweight birds are more likely to develop problems with blood glucose regulation. Diabetes needs to be carefully managed by the bird owners and if this is done correctly, a bird can live a long, good life ....
Cataracts:
Older birds may develop a progressive opacity of the lens (behind the iris). It may involve one or both eyes
Renal failure:
This is one of the more common problems in older birds. Increased water consumption and more urine in droppings can be an indication that the kidneys aren't functioning at optimal capacity.
Diminished Immune Function:
Older birds may be more susceptible to certain bacterial, fungal, protozoal and viral infections.
Chronic Egg Laying:
Older hens are more likely to develop chronic egg laying and egg binding.
Tumors:
Tumors can be benign or malignant (cancerous) and can involve any organ or system. Some species of birds tend to develop benign fatty tumors called "Lipomas."
Lipomas are commonly seen in overweight Amazon Parrot, Rose-breasted Cockatoos and Budgies. It seems that older budgies are more prone to tumors of the ovary, testicle or kidney, which may eventually put pressure on the sciatic nerve on the affected side, resulting in lameness of the foot or leg.
Fibromas are tumors found on the wing and they may need to be surgically removed. In some instances, amputation of the wing may be necessary.
Heart failure: Birds who are getting plenty of exercise (flying) are less prone to develop heart problems. However, birds who are mainly cage-bound and/or clipped can develop heart problems as they age.
As birds age, a decrease in physical activities is usually observed as energy levels go down.
Also conditions like arthritis may make certain movements uncomfortable / painful. Look out for limping.
Senior birds may become more sedate and easy-going. Although some owners describe their pets to be as feisty in old age as they were when they were younger.
Toys: Older birds that have not been exposed to any variety in their lives may originally be frightened by the introduction of toys. The best way to get around this is to do a very gradual introduction. The most important thing is to not give up. These older birds will benefit from environmental enrichment just as much as the babies.
Older birds may be less tolerant of people inexperienced with parrots. Although the level of affection towards the family members remained the same. They are just less likely to want to be with people they don't know.
Older birds have been observed to adjust surprisingly easy to new home: Rehoming organizations found that older birds placed into new homes adjust surprisingly easily and rather quickly to their new homes and new family. Some even state that the change in home environment was even perceived as invigorating by many senior parrots.
Age-related Conditions:
As birds get older, they may develop health problems. Certain species are more prone to certain conditions, such as African Greys being susceptible to atherosclerotic lesions inside of blood vessels than other species
Arthritis:
Birds may develop painful arthritis in their joints.
Please visit this webpage for signs to look out for and how you can help an arthritic bird
Diabetes:
Older, overweight birds are more likely to develop problems with blood glucose regulation. Diabetes needs to be carefully managed by the bird owners and if this is done correctly, a bird can live a long, good life ....
Cataracts:
Older birds may develop a progressive opacity of the lens (behind the iris). It may involve one or both eyes
Renal failure:
This is one of the more common problems in older birds. Increased water consumption and more urine in droppings can be an indication that the kidneys aren't functioning at optimal capacity.
Diminished Immune Function:
Older birds may be more susceptible to certain bacterial, fungal, protozoal and viral infections.
Chronic Egg Laying:
Older hens are more likely to develop chronic egg laying and egg binding.
Tumors:
Tumors can be benign or malignant (cancerous) and can involve any organ or system. Some species of birds tend to develop benign fatty tumors called "Lipomas."
Lipomas are commonly seen in overweight Amazon Parrot, Rose-breasted Cockatoos and Budgies. It seems that older budgies are more prone to tumors of the ovary, testicle or kidney, which may eventually put pressure on the sciatic nerve on the affected side, resulting in lameness of the foot or leg.
Fibromas are tumors found on the wing and they may need to be surgically removed. In some instances, amputation of the wing may be necessary.
Heart failure: Birds who are getting plenty of exercise (flying) are less prone to develop heart problems. However, birds who are mainly cage-bound and/or clipped can develop heart problems as they age.
HEAD SHAKING
HEAD SHAKING
Occasionally, a parrot will shake his head. This doesn’t need to be of concern, but if you see your bird shaking his head frequently, this could be a sign of a problem in the making. Ear infections are unusual in parrots, but they can and do happen, especially if he has a suppressed immune system due to other causes. A serious ear infection will also cause balance issues, and can make a parrot prone to falls. However, you should not wait until the situation worsens before consulting with your avian vet.
If you have any concerns with the health of your parrot, it only takes a quick inspection by an avian vet to confirm or deny the presence of a problem. If the ear canal(s) show any narrowing or swelling, then treatment will be necessary.
Occasionally, a parrot will shake his head. This doesn’t need to be of concern, but if you see your bird shaking his head frequently, this could be a sign of a problem in the making. Ear infections are unusual in parrots, but they can and do happen, especially if he has a suppressed immune system due to other causes. A serious ear infection will also cause balance issues, and can make a parrot prone to falls. However, you should not wait until the situation worsens before consulting with your avian vet.
If you have any concerns with the health of your parrot, it only takes a quick inspection by an avian vet to confirm or deny the presence of a problem. If the ear canal(s) show any narrowing or swelling, then treatment will be necessary.
