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Hi,
We have recently purchased a lovely baby cockatiel for my daughter from a petland store where it is being hand fed and raised. We have not been able to bring it home yet because it is not fully weaned. We all fell in love with this little bird because it is so friendly and messy looking with seeds stuck all over it's little beak. During our last visit with it, we were a little concerned over its constant beak movement and apparent biting of its tongue and a lump on its tongue. We asked the petland person about the bird and she explained that the baby birds feed each other sometimes or beak each other and somehow this little bird got is beak damaged in some way. But she said that although he is being a little slow to wean, he is eating seeds with no problem, but has developed this habit of moving his beak on his tongue. The pet store was busy when we were there, so we didn't have time to ask many more questions, but she said that she wanted to give the bird a few more days before we could bring it home because it still cried for formula. She didn't mention any problems or other concerns with the bird, although I think this is part of the reason why it's little beak is always so messy.

My daughter noticed that the bird's beak doesn't close all the way when it does sometimes take a rest from the constant movement of its beak. I wonder if it will outgrow this problem or if it will be a constant bother for the poor little thing. My daughter has fallen in love with this bird and would not dream of choosing another one even if this one turns out to have some difficulties.

We do plan on talking more to the petstore about all this before we bring the bird home, and I trust that if they think there is some concern with caring for this little bird, that they will let us know. However, I wanted to get some opinions on this and find out if there might be anything in particular that we should be concerned with in this type of situation or if this is a common problem with little birds.

Could the baby's beak grow out and resolve itself? Will it have problems grooming itself? Will it get used to the way its beak closes and be okay with it or will it drive its little self crazy continually rubbing its tongue? I would appreciate your thoughts on this or any experience you have had with birds and beak problems.

Thanks for any help, opinions or advice on this matter.

I wouldn't expect the pet store staff to have a clue. Your avian vet is a much better resource. It's impossible to do more than generalize and guess at what's happening with this baby, but beak problems are not rare and birds often adapt to what looks like a severe deformity. Some need help lifelong -- soft food, regular dremels to reshape the beak. Some do grow out, but often the damage is to the growth plates and is permanent. If you need help finding a good avian vet, perhaps we can help you. Just tell us what city or larger towns you live near.

Bluesbird -- thank you for your response. We live in the metro Atlanta area, and anywhere in the following areas (including Atlanta), would be good for a vet: Marietta, Kennesaw, Woodstock or Acworth. I do have a vet for my dogs (and we used them to clip our parakeets wings before it died) but they don't advertise themselves as avian vets, so I have no idea what to look for as far as that goes.

The Petland store where our cockatiel is has vet services there occasionally and I feel as if they must know something about the birds since they are hand feeding and raising them. I know all the dogs and cats are immunized and have vet checkups before they are sold to people, so I'm hoping the birds also receive a vet checkup, but I must ask them next time we visit. We are hoping to bring the baby home in a few days.

I must say, we are new bird owners and never took our parakeet to the vet for checkups, so I really need to learn what sort of vet care the cockatiel will need. Are cockatiel vet expenses (say regular check ups each year) similar to what you would spend on a dog or cat? I guess it is a little concerning that this may be a regular (and possibly expensive) problem to deal with for the rest of its life. We all love the little bird though, so I don't think we would want to choose another one at this point.

Based on credentials, the best avian vets in the Atlanta area both seem to be in SE, a long drive for you. They are:

Tarah Hadley, DVM, ABVP-Avian
Atlanta Hospital for Birds and Exotics, Inc.
2274 Salem Road, #106-149
Conyers, GA 30013
Phone: 678-562-8403

Sam Rivera, DVM, ABVP-Avian
Zoo Atlanta
800 Cherokee Avenue, S.E.
Atlanta, GA 30315-1440

Another avian vet much closer to you (I think) is:

Tammy Parker
Loving Hands Animal Clinic
12940 Highway 9
Alpharetta, Ga 30004
Phone: 770)667-9022

You could phone each vet's office and ask what their exam fee is. It varies by area and often is slightly more for a vet who is an ABVP diplomat. My primary vet is and currently charges $77. I'm in a large metro area with costs usually a bit higher than Atlanta's. Bloodwork will add at least $100 and should be done on a new bird and then every 1-2 years afterward if the bird seems healthy. A sick bird might require bloodwork as often as every 30-60 days to monitor reaction to long-term meds.

Bloodwork would not be required to diagnose the severity of the baby's beak damage, but is highly recommended if your daughter is under age 10 or if any family member has any health issues. Large stores such as Petland, Petco, and Petsmart are notorious for outbreaks of Chlamydia, especially in their cockatiels and budgies. Chlamydia can be transmitted to humans, and the most vulnerable are children, elderly, pregnant women, and anyone with a chronic illness. Bloodwork usually detects it in a new cockatiel so the bird can be kept in isolation while being treated. Treatment is a 7-week course of meds given by weekly injections that vet techs can usually give, at less expense than a vet exam.

The problem with Petland's vet is that the client is Petland, not you. The information you get could depend on the vet's feelings of client loyalty and protection from liability. With my low regard for such stores, I would never rely on their vet for the kind of information you need about this baby. JMO.

I hope all goes well.

Thank you again for your response and for the references to the Avian Vets. The one in Alpharetta is the closest, so I will look into that one. All of this has caused me to research quite a bit. I was never impressed with mall pet stores or with Petsmart, and I did read about puppy mills etc...but I didn't realize that Petland was also such a large chain. Our Petland here is a small store and seems so different. Ofcourse the personnel says that their animals are from local breeders and not pet mills and that the owner of the store himself breeds many of the dogs. They also seemed to talk about their bird breeder lady in a personal way as if they knew her quite well. I don't know how true all this is. The birds are not in cages and all of the pets are out and being handled and socialized with by both the personnel and by customers visiting the store. Many of the larger birds seem to be quite bonded with the personnel and are all fairly friendly to customers too.

In any case, I suppose I'm just hoping that I'm not getting myself into a mess with this bird now and that when I talk to the petstore on our next visit that I will get some good background info and record of what has been going on with this baby! I realize from what you're saying and what I'm reading that I really won't know for sure until I get the baby to an avian vet. I know I can't talk my daughter into choosing another bird and it would seem so unfair to not take this little one anyway. Plus, there would be no guarantee with any pet we chose, I suppose. I'm just concerned about the possibility of large future expenses and ongoing care.

Thanks again!! I really appreciate your help. I will keep you posted on what happens. We will be visiting the baby some more this week and hope to be bringing it home by the end of the week!

You could google Petland for more information on the company and its franchise outlets. Here is the first hit I got when I googled "Petland Chlamydia" (Chlamydia and Psittacosis are the same disease.):

Minnesota Department of Health *** News Release *** Dec. 21, 2007

Health officials warn of disease risk from recently purchased pet birds

State health officials are warning that some pet owners may be at risk of contracting psittacosis from their recently purchased cockatiels or other pet birds.

The Minnesota Department of Health is reporting that the birds may be infected with the bacterium that causes this illness if they were purchased from Petland Shakopee since it opened on November 10, or from Minnesota PetSmart stores since October 1. Petland Shakopee is located at 8091 Old Carriage Court North. PetSmart stores are located throughout Minnesota.
MDH officials are investigating illnesses in pet store workers to see if they have psittacosis. To date, no illnesses have been found in people who have purchased the birds.

Birds of the parrot family (parakeets, parrots, love birds, cockatiels) commonly carry the bacterium that causes psittacosis. The birds may not have any symptoms or they may be droopy and have diarrhea and a nasal discharge. Petland and PetSmart appear to be the only stores in Minnesota that received their birds from a particular Florida grower/distributor.

In humans, psittacosis infection is acquired by inhaling dried excretions from infected birds. If someone becomes infected, symptoms usually appear within 5 to 19 days following exposure and include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, chest tightness and a dry cough. Pneumonia is often evident on chest x-ray. People exposed to birds from one of the affected retailers should seek medical attention if they experience these symptoms. Psittacosis can be treated with antibiotics.

MDH officials are asking anyone who has purchased birds of this type from one of the affected stores and has had the symptoms described above to call 651-201-5414 during normal business hours.

Owners of potentially infected birds do not need to destroy them or return them to the store. They can be tested for psittacosis by a veterinarian and given antibiotics if infected. -MDH-

This link has more detailed information on where Petland's birds come from and how they fared in the most recent national Psittacosis scare: http://www.birdchannel.com/bird-news/la ... our-states

If this article is correct, there were no sick birds found in the Atlanta area Petland stores. That's very good news for you!

Poor little baby. Sometime beaks get damaged in feeding. It could be a genetic thing. I guess the issue is weather or not the baby is eating normally and growing.My heart would go out for the little fella as well

Yes, I did come across some of that info on the Chlamydia outbreak in Georgia petstores! Scary! I'm taking my daughter to visit the baby today sometime, so, I'm going to ask our Petland store where they get their birds from although, as you say, it doesn't look as if there were any Petlands in the Atlanta area that were affected. I'm hoping my Petland is just a unique, individual franchise that doesn't use the same pet sources as the others! I'm a germaphobe though, so I'll definitely be taking the baby to the vet and having it checked for all these diseases...I'm learning so much. My daughter has been wanting a chinchilla for about two years now. I had actually agreed to this, but was dreading it as I am not a rodent person. She fell in love with this little baby cockatiel and agreed to postpone the chinchilla in order to have this baby. She had been saving for the chinchilla for two years, but spent it all on the baby instead! So, even thought I'm learning that the cockatiel is a pet that requires a lot of care and attention, I'm still so relieved it is not a chinchilla!

Bostonbudgie -- Petland said the baby is eating fine last time we were there. so, I'm keeping my fingers crossed! the petland personnel call him "raisin face" because he eats all the raisins and gets raisin juice all over his face and then the seeds stick to his beak. He is so messy and cute, but I do think it is partly cuz of the beak problem. My daughter calls him "baby raisin". Here is a video we took of him on our last visit and put on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fV5TngJ7f44

I'm a relatively new tiel owner myself and hence, not quite an expert. But, from your video, I don't think his beak looks that bad. No doubt, others can tell you more.

My biggest question is, why are they feeding him raisins? Birds eat mostly vegetables not fruit and he doesn't need the extra sugar in something like raisins.

If you and your daughter are truly attached to him (it apppears you are), I would take him home, get him checked by a vet and do away with the raisins.

I agree. Ditch the raisens and get a vet wellness check-up.
I weaned my babies on cheerios (only for a short time) then with millet, veggies and pellets. They like brocolli and kale which is good for them.

Thank you all for your responses and advice.

I'm feeling quite a bit less worried at the moment after visiting with Petland today and speaking with one of the more seasoned personnel (13 years and a bird lover and owner) for about 2 hours about Baby Raisin and caring for cockatiels in general.

She actually had Baby Raisin back in the back of the store as she felt he wasnt' eating properly and has him back on 3 formula feedings. she is trying different things and felt that it was less distracting in the back for a while and is trying to get him to focus on his grown up food. It sounds as if raisin was really the "runt" of the last batch of babies they received (from a local breeder here in Georgia) and he has always been very small and behind the others and just isnt' ready to be weaned completely yet. She wants to keep him until she is sure he is eating properly. We got to see one of his feedings and he was soooo funny. He became so excited when she started mixing the formula in a bowl. He flew/jumped from my daughter's arm to the lady and practically tried to get into the bowl....the greedy little fat thing!!!!! She didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with his beak other than that he is still so young and developing. She is going to check with the girl that told me his beak was damaged somehow to make sure there is not something she is missing. So, we will find out more later.

As far as the raisins go, it seemed that there are raisins mixed in with the seeds and pellets and other foods they give the birds and baby raisin just always picks them out even though the other cockatiels don't even like them! It does sound like they feed them an assortment of foods.

As for the cages, well, I love the cage on that website. I'm just doing things backwards! I bought the bird and the cage and now I'm doing the research after the fact! We have a cage ready for little raisin, but I hope it is okay. As you say -- width is better than height, but the cage I have is taller than it is wide. It is square based, but has a curved top. I have attached pics, please tell me what you think. It seems like a big cage, but doesn't look so big in the pics.
The measurements are: 20" x 20" x 2' (two feet high,not including the rounded top part, so it's actually taller than two feet). I am also attaching a couple more pics of baby raisin. I don't know if they show his beak well enough, but I'll try to get a better beak picture next time. [/attachment]

I'm glad today's visit reassured you. Be sure to ask how long Petland's warranty allows you to get the well-birdie vet check after taking the baby home. Usually it's 3 days, but you want to be sure. If the vet you're calling is busy, you might need to schedule the exam and then arrange homecoming day around the vet's schedule. Too early for that yet, obviously, with the baby on 3 feedings, but think of it as you get closer to that big day. And above ALL else, do NOT be persuaded to take the baby home until he's been eating on his own for at least a week. Since he's developing slowly, Petland will be eager to get him into your hands and out of their$$$. Don't make a mistake that could prove fatal.

What is the distance between the bars of your cage? And what is the greatest distance at the top, where the curly-Qs are? Cockatiels are not safe with bar-spacing greater than 3/4ths inch. I learned that lesson first-hand, and fortunately just in time to save a bird's life, but many aren't so lucky. Mine now is only 1/2 inch, but that's very small. I could relax with 3/4ths inch.

For the sake of your warranty and the hope Petland might pay some of the vet expenses if that beak becomes a problem, I suggest you carefully document today's talk with the experienced staffer, recording her full name and the name of the staffer who spoke of the beak being damaged. A copy of what you've posted here is a good start since it includes a date you can't alter. Just print it and add more details in the margins. Warranties usually provide for replacement of a bird, which I know you don't want, but since you've been told there was beak damage and now that's being denied, but you're being told the baby isn't developing at normal speed, you might have grounds for a negotiated $ettlement if vet bills mount.

Fingers crossed that you never need to think of any of this again!

I am glad you talked to an experienced (bird) employee at Petco.
The cage looks fine. Some birds are the runt of the litter and they do just fine.
Eddie was my runt. the vet gave her a 50/50 chance of survival because she wasn't growing. She was cold too so I cranked the heat up but I was afraid she would be dehydrated so along with MORE feedings I would give her a warm pedialite drink snack to insure she got enough liquids.
She is the perfect bird

I have measured all the different areas of the cage and it seems that all the spaces between the bars are right at 3/4 inch, so hopefully this cage will work out well. Is there ever any worry about a bird chewing on the bars and getting paint chips in its mouth? I notices where the door opens a little bit of paint peeling off.

I appreciate all the positive feedback and the advice about keeping a record of who said what at the Petland store since there is definitely some sort of miscommunication going on. I will also ask about the warranty when the time comes and make the vet appointment before we bring the baby home. The Petland person also recommended a vet check up right away and mentioned the name of a vet that they recommend. In any case, I will call around and speak to a few of them.