Peeling beak?

[MaggiesMom]

I noticed the other day that Maggie's beak looks like the tip has peeled away, chipped off, or perhaps that happens if the beak grows rapidly, but I don't actually see that her beak has grown in length. It looks more like peeling, and I noticed a bit on her bottom beak as well. Here is an image.

http://img2.imageshack.us/img2/8088/snc00092z.jpg

You can see a difference in the surface near the tip of the beak. What might be causing this? I don't think this is normal, I was reading some place that said this was to be avoided and didn't say what it may be a symptom of.

Just to note, she has been a little more bratty lately but I thought that was more likely due to her molting, she has several pin feathers coming in around her head. when she is being nice, she seems happy and well. She eats and bites just fine so I figure it isn't causing her much discomfort.

[Bodie]

Has she been to the vet lately? It looks like just the tip is there and not the sides. Does not look normal to me. I would have an avian vet take a look.

[Jinx n Noodle]

I would have to agree that parts of the tip seem to be missing on the top. The bottom looks fine. Can you get a picture with the mouth closed? I know Jinx sometimes will have a slightly longer beak once in a while because it doesn't wear correctly and then the tip with break off and she wears it back down to what it normally is.

But to keep peace of mind, a visit to the vet wouldn't hurt. They might be able to smooth it out.

[chapala]

The beak does chip and flake and grow out during normal wear and tear. If you're concerned, you can have a vet check it out. It could be the tip needs to be filed down so it doesn't break off leaving a tender area.

[MaggiesMom]

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3596/img8498.jpg

http://img90.imageshack.us/img90/3604/img8490.jpg

Thank you for the feedback all, I am debating whether to make a vet appointment or not.

Here are some pictures of her beak closed. She is a rowdy little thing, and is always trying to pull things apart (so willfully I've worried about her little beak at times) I wonder if this could be from some rough housing.

Again today she's as rambunctious as ever.

[Jinx n Noodle]

She looks like Jinx when she hasn't worn the beak down enough yet. It looks like it's going to peel off and then the tip will wear down and should be back normal. If she doesn't do it on her own, the vet can fix it.

[chapala]

Looks like normal wear and tear with an active bird.

[StephGee]

Her beak looks just like Herbie's. He was at the vet's last week and she said that it was healthy. Normal wear and tear. She likes to chew, right?

[MaggiesMom]

Chewing is her first passion. Thanks everyone for the input, Im thinking Maggie will be just fine.

[Carebear]

Her beak looks just like my green rump's beak. That breed just has a lot of beak problems. We take her to an avian vet at least every 3 months to get her beak filed down, and this keeps it in check (costs about $15 per visit). Sometimes it takes 2 visits to get it to the point it will last a few months. She experiences chipping, flaking, and she sometimes gets a cross-bite (once she even got an underbite when the bottom beak got longer than the top!). I've tried to use an emory board to file her beak myself, as my vet showed me how; however, I can't keep her tongue out of the way and so I just gave up on doing it myself. Wish I could learn how, as it certainly would save time and money (my avian vet is 30 minutes away).

[Jinx n Noodle]

You can try to give her something to hold onto when you use the emery board. That way it'll keep her tongue busy working on that something while you're filing. I typically use a small plastic or wooden stick that they can grab onto and if I miss and file down the stick, well no big loss there. Otherwise, I use a nail clipper for people to do a quick clip of Noodle's beak (his bottom beak grows much faster than the top)... it's faster and being that he's not quite hand tamed yet and afraid of everything new, I haven't been able to use a file.

[LovelySydney]

My lovebird Gus had the same thing, like his beak was shedding!! Totally normal, just wear and tear, as everyone else has said.