Scaly Beaks - Clean Or Leave Them?

[Scotty]

Hi Guys,

My GCC is only 5 months old, so I'd imagine having a slight scales showing up on the beak is normal, like a nail that is growing?

I've just noticed on some parrots with black beaks you can see a slight scale to them, or the ridges I might say you notice on the sides, sometimes appearing a litte white on the sides of the beaks...

I don't mean that this looks really bad or what seems out of the ordinary, it's just on black beaks I've seen this on some birds...

So is it best just to leave that alone, or as the owner do you want to try and scrape the beak as clean as possible for the bird, or maybe put a oil on it, maybe it's just some dry skin is all?


THANKS

[marie83]

It is normal so you don't need to worry about doing anything with it. I think all parrotshave it, it just shows up on dark beaks more.

[Grey_Moon]

This might be just me, but for me I see a peeling/flaking/scaly beak as an indication that something is not quite right with nutrition, toys to chew and bathing.

I noticed with my grey that when she's bathed frequently and given adequate fresh foods, fat and protein that her beak isn't scaley whatsoever.

[terri]

I was once also worried about this .[I thought it was a nutrition thing] My Macaws beak was peely.What it was is that beaks shed and some birds are better keeping themselves groomed than others[so its normal] They said to keep a tree branch [a safe one] to use in their cage.Also I was told to help scrape off the loose part with your fingernail because they could get a infection from food caught in it.

[LPolliard]

My groomer conditions Chico's beak with baby oil after a beak grooming with a dremel.

[gabbagabbawill]

My groomer conditions Chico's beak with baby oil after a beak grooming with a dremel.

And it doesn't bother your parrot that there's a dremel grinding his beak?

[marie83]

I double checked the length of Ollies beak whilst I was there yesterday and that what I had said about the scaley bits being ok. He said there was nothing wrong with his beak but if the beak is severely flakey it can be a sign something is wrong.

[LPolliard]

My groomer conditions Chico's beak with baby oil after a beak grooming with a dremel.

And it doesn't bother your parrot that there's a dremel grinding his beak?

About as much as he is bothered getting his nails groomed. Everyone says that grooming a beak is unnecessary but without a little extra grooming, the point of his beak gets needle sharp and the edges get serrated to the point that flaking, chipping and cracking occurs.

[Scotty]

Well I guess for a young bird or baby growing it's probably normal, also, yes I've considered the diet thing as a possibility, but I have the bird on really good foods.

I guess I'm just being overly paranoid, I'm sure it's fine, you do see this common in birds, I mean to a small point, not massive scaling...

My groomer conditions Chico's beak with baby oil after a beak grooming with a dremel.

Oh my gosh a dremel, LOL...

Don't do that, hehe...

Bzzzzzzzzz Bzzzzzzzzz