A bird’s outer beak is made of keratin and grows continuously much like our fingernails. Birds generally wear down their beak naturally and do not usually require regular beak trimming. However, there are some cases where birds develop an abnormal beak, or their beak becomes overgrown.
If not corrected, an overgrown beak can prevent birds from performing daily tasks such as climbing, preening, and eating, leading to malnutrition and other health problems.
An overgrown beak can result from a developmental problem, nutritional deficiency, illness, or it can also be due to trauma or injury.
In these cases, the two different parts of the beak (the upper and lower) may start to miss each other, which becomes a problem as the area that is not connecting with the opposite beak then continues to grow. If this occurs, then beak correction is generally recommended.
An experienced avian vet should always perform beak corrections and trims. In most cases, this procedure can be performed with your bird awake; however, in more serious cases (or if your bird is very nervous or stressed) a short anaesthesia is sometimes needed.
At The Unusual Pet Vets, we perform beak corrections using a specialised burr that gently and precisely mimics the natural erosion of the beak. This technique allows us to file the beak down to its optimal shape where the top and bottom beaks align again.
Beak corrections should not hurt. An overgrown beak is like an overgrown fingernail, and the process of trimming the beak is like filing the whites of a fingernail. There is no nerve or sense of pain in the overgrown area. Therefore, if performed correctly, and only the appropriate amount is trimmed, your bird won’t feel any pain at all.
If your bird’s beak is abnormal or overgrown, regular beak corrections may be required every 1-12 months.
If you have noticed that your birds top or bottom beak looks overgrown or appears abnormal in any way, please get in touch with us. You can make an appointment online or phone your local Unusual Pet Vets team directly.
