Beak doesn't look good...

Patrickfrombelgium · Member Joined: Aug 31, 2011 Posts: 8

Hi everyone! Mickey's beak worries me, it looks like it's peeling/dry/cracking?
The upper blueish part is fine but where the white part overlaps the black bottom part doesn't look normal. I've looked at plenty of kakariki pictures and even though I couldn't find real close-ups of beaks, they all seemed smoother/healthier? It looks a bit like this picture of a wild kakariki I found:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=kakariki&hl=nl&sa=X&biw=1024&bih=475&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=XM_aqHUBI_rRnM:&imgrefurl=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/news/kakariki-parakeets493.html&docid=Yut0Ud4m-5AyDM&imgurl=http://www.wildlifeextra.com/images/kakariki-parakeet.jpg&w=340&h=255&ei=1ji5TsumM6Lc4QTNmYmXCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=291&vpy=110&dur=764&hovh=139&hovw=186&tx=113&ty=74&sig=110499042152616236267&page=2&tbnh=119&tbnw=165&start=12&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:12

I'll upload my own pictures as well.

His feathers look fine, he eats well, I don't *think* there's anything wrong with his nutrition, he definitly gets enough protein and I see him nibbling on his cuttlefish as well. His voice/activity hasn't changed, poop looks fine. I'm quite sure the beak doesn't hurt, he uses it just as much and as efficiently as always. There's no vet in the vicinity (at least 50 minutes cardrive, I don't want to put him through that kind of stress if it's not absolutely neccesary...). Do you think there's something wrong with him of is some peeling/little cracks normal because of the growing beak? Mickey is a yellowcrown and about 6 months old.

Patrickfrombelgium · Member Joined: Aug 31, 2011 Posts: 8

A picture of his beak: you can see the part where the white overlaps the black: the lowest part of the light/upper portion looks drier than the rest and has some tiny cracks. His feathers usually look better, he had just taken a little bath. The resolution is bad but I couldn't upload a bigger file. Hope you can see what I mean!

Patrickfrombelgium · Member Joined: Aug 31, 2011 Posts: 8

The best picture I could get.
What do you think? Something to worry about? Vet needed? Lack of nutrients? Thank you so much in advance!

pabloc · Foundation Member Joined: Sep 26, 2007 Posts: 988

Hi m8

I think that's normal, the beak is somehow "layered" and the surface is not perfect, or at least my birds have a "dent" in the beak here or there.

Cheers / Pablo

Steptoe · Site Admin Joined: Oct 06, 2004 Posts: 4550

I was talking to an old breeder yrs ago..not kakariki stuff and he mentioned 'reading the beak' like some ppl read fingernails as to health and stuff....being a good indicator of recent illness and diet defincenies.
I have seen kakariki poorly kept in re bad state of health , and they usually have beaks that just look unhelthy, no shie powdery etc'
But feed them up...even a few suppliments like some cat biskets, chickwn bones cartilage cali and broccoli stems , protin and they turn into nice birds
I would look at thr diet , but at this stage , no I dont think a vet, who will tell u the same thing and sell u some expensive suppliment u can buy at the supermarket at a fraction of the price.