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The other night the kid was rough housing as usual on to of his house and managed to fall off. He almost always catches himself when he falls - he has cat like reflexes, he can reach out and snag a bar as he's falling, really quite something to see. But this time he missed and took a header off of the seed catcher. He shook his head a couple times and scratched at a spot just above his eye. I looked at it and it looked like it might be sore. He, of course, shook it off and went back to playing. Yesterday I got him up and it looked like he took a left hook from Ali. The skin was red and irritated and it was swollen up above his eye. We kept an eye on him for the day and he went to bed early last night. Today when I got home from work it looked much better - no more redness and the swelling had almost totally subsided. Do all your kids play this hard and do you frequently see bumps and bruises? Or is this simply a young birds over exuberance?

I am going to take him to the vet on Tues for his semi annual check up and also to get his nails and beak done. Just in the past few days his beak has gotten awful sharp, so much so that it hurts when hes just playing. He has and uses chew toys and wooden blocks, any advice on dulling up that beak a little with out having to take him in?

Freddy

Hi Freddy,

Yes, Jamie has had a few scratches/red spots. Luckily, it was nothing serious and it healed like you described.

Does Cisco chew a lot of wood? It should not be necessary to have a beak trim unless there is another problem (i.e. overgrown beak due to liver decease etc.).


Kate

poor cisco! glad his bump is better. they really don't throw caution to the wind do they? bailey has fallen a couple of times to the bottom of his cage from hanging on something and missing his footing! then thump! to the bottom...he's always okay so far! maybe we should put "bumper pads" around the cage...smile.

don't know what to say about the beak....i have one of those sandy perches in bailey's cage and some mineral blocks..but his beak is pretty sharp too.

His beak isnt overgrown or anything like that - it just feels like hes taken a file and made a sharp point on the tip of his beak. We can usually wrestle with him and he will 'beak" our fingers and it just feels like play - Im sure hes not biting hard but now it's OUCH. He leaves dents and hes seems confused when I tell him easy. Its like he looking at me and saying "I am"

Freddy

Freddy,

When Chili's beak gets a really sharp tip I just use a finger nail file and rub the sharpness down so it is a little more tolerable. The main reason I do that is so he doesn't hurt himself because he is a plucker and if he goes at a feather too fast and hard he can puncture himself too.

Just an idea.

I hope he is okay - those little guys do play so hard and are so fearless when they are young. They just forget because they are having so much fun. Give him an extra kiss for me.

Yeah I kinda figured on a fingernail file but I will have the Doc show me how this time before I tackle it. Your birds don't object to badly Scootie?

Freddy

Freddy,
Glad to hear Cisco recoverd quickly. They do play rough. Sparky and Mika both get little nicks, bruised noses and such from time to time. They usually heal up quick and if it isn't bothering them we just keep an eye on them. If they seem like it bothers them or doesn't heal up in a couple days, we'll take them to the vet.
As for the beak, a nail file works great, if your bird will let you. Sparky is fine with it but Mika runs in terror at the sight of anything that could dull her beak or nails. I guess I'll just have to continue being a pin cusion. Sometimes, just waiting a day or two helps too. Occationally their bottom beaks or the very tip of their top beak gets real sharp or wears a little unevenly so their putting mor pressure in one spot but usually in a couple days it has taken care of itself. We've only had to get Sparky's bottom beak trimmed up once, when it had worn really unevenly.
Good luck and tell Cisco to be careful. His noggin is too cute to beat up!

My BHC Maile did the same thing last night. She bumped herself right above her eye. There's a bump there and some small feathers fell off. She doesn't seem to be hurting though. The last bump she had several years ago healed up fine with time.

Cisco and Maile ~ ~ ~ you two need to not play quite so hard. You guys scare us with those bumps and bruises.

Freddy: About the nail file, a couple of the guys will let me take a file to them. A dremmel works much quicker, but I do not have one. I take my guys to an experienced groomer for the actual beak trim. Chli will lay on his back and let me trim his nails. But I started doing that right away so he is comfortable with that (or at least tolerates it)..I don't have to do his nail very often because he trims them himself and does a great job of it. They hardly ever get rough and pointy.

A couple days ago I took my file and just kind of introduced Cisco to it. I took hold of his beak and just rubbed the file on the tip a little - no pressure or anything - just wanted to see his reaction, he actually stood very still. Next time he needs blunting I will give it a try. However if he puts up a fuss its in to the vet. Well worth the 25 to not be associated with a bad action or drama.

Freddy

What kind of file do you use, and where do you find one?