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[Pajarita]

Yes, it's called 'beaking' and is the equivalent of the teething stage of children or puppies when they chew on everything. They often chomp down a bit too hard when they are babies because they are experimenting and don't yet know the strength in their beaks. Just take your finger/hand/whatever part of you he's biting and say something in a soft voice (I say 'gently, gently' and, when he does it gently, say, "Good boy, gently, good boy!' (or whatever command you are going to use) so they know what you mean by it and that the soft version of the chomping will elicit praise while the other will mean you will take your hand away.

I don't know what to tell you about your avian vet... I've never come across one that doesn't want to do tests or that says that one should not worry about symptoms.

[RenLynn]

Hello Angie, I don't know what to think about what the vet said, maybe it's dust? But I do know this, Caiques can be little nippers. And she/he is quite young so Monty is learning what he/she can do.

[Wolf]

Well, I don't know, but if you are thinking that too dry air may be the cause or a factor to this sneezing there is a simple way to find out. Just take Monty into your bathroom and turn on the hot water and let it steam up the entire room, stay in there for a while and note Monty's reaction to the moist air. If after a few minutes the sneezing stops or is significantly reduced, go and buy Monty a humidifier.

I don't like your vet, nothing new with that, right, I think it is time for a new vet.

[Angie]

Thanks for the responses! Been doing exactly what you're saying, telling her to be gentle and when she keeps on going, I usually remove my hand (if I'm able to lol) otherwise I try to replace it with a toy she is allowed to chew on.

I don't know what to think about it either. So many people have been positive about this vet and I wouldn't think that people would be giving such good comments if it weren't true.. Most of the sneezes are due to either dust (I try to clean every day to make sure there isn't a massive layer of dust at the places she plays) or little hairs and feathers. Just that watery substance I don't quite understand. It's as if she's sneezing water. Could it be possible that this happens after she drinks something? That it really is water?

I'll try your suggestion tomorrow, Wolf.. See if it makes a difference..

Otherwise I will really have to look for a better vet, which will be difficult. Since there aren't many close and I don't drive a car.. means I depend on my dad to take me wherever the next closest is..

[RenLynn]

Hi Angie, I defiantly think you should find another vet because if there is discharge coming from the nose it should be taken seriously( don't mean to worry you). Make sure Monty is eating well, drinking, preening,playing and just acting normal. And also how much does he/she sneeze and have a runny nose because my lovebird will do that sometimes and she is heathy. I toke her to the vet to make sure.

[Angie]

It's not really discharge.. I don't know how to explain. There is nothing that stays behind on her.. 'nose' no sticky stuff, nothing blocking it, it looks clean and normal. Just 2 little drops of 'water' which gets launched at the window, or wherever else she sits, when she sneezes.

Been trying to tell this vet that, even if she thinks it's not necessary to do tests, I still want them to be done.

Besides that Monty is completely normal. Eats a lot, plays a lot, preens like a normal bird.. (got her some new foot toys and I think she's very happy cause she can't get enough of them lol!)

But if she keeps trying to convince me to not get these tests done, I will have no choice but to look for a different vet.

[Wolf]

Birds do not have any moisture, normally, in the nasal passages to sneeze out. It could be water and if so it could be the cause. Watch when Monty drinks water, see if the nares are in the water when he drinks. If so, you might try for a shallower water dish and/or a water bottle.
In your situation, you might try asking this vet why he is so uncooperative with you concerning these tests. Why does he consider this to be of no real concern? He should have no reason to not give you satisfactory answers. Since you must depend upon parents to take you to see said vet have them present with you when you talk to vet.

[Angie]

I will most certainly do that. Thanks a lot for all the help

[Pajarita]

Hmmmm, although I am not saying water from his/her drink could not be the cause, I sincerely doubt it. At least, it has never been my experience that birds would put their 'nose' under water while drinking. And, if there are drops of something coming out when he/she sneezes, then the 'dry air' theory just went out the window because when dryness causes it, the nasal passages completely dry up and that's why they sneeze.

Personally, I don't go by other people's recommendations when it comes to vets. I took a sick bird I had recently taken in from a lady in West Virginia to the largest avian clinic which had the best and oldest avian vet in the county when I lived in Pennsylvania. He was not only recommended by other bird owners, he had degrees and certifications covering up half a wall in his office but he still misdiagnosed the bird, gave him the wrong treatment, refused to consider he had been wrong (I took the bird back twice after the original visit because I could tell the poor thing was sick) and kept on insisting that everything was OK and that I was over-reacting (in his defense, blood work came back normal all three times)... and the bird died (hepatic failure from aflatoxin poisoning). If I had followed my gut, taken him to another vet and done more research on my own on his symptoms, he might have made it. Even the best vet can be wrong sometimes.

[Wolf]

Since we don't know what is causing this problem you could make a tea of Echinacea and let him drink that as it has anti bacterial, anti viral and anti fungal properties. I don't recall any bad effects from using it and it might help.
Even if dry air is not the cause of this sneezing the dust that is usually more prevalent during periods of drier air could cause him to sneeze. And who knows what might be carried on the dust particles.