Beaphar

care

Bill and claw care
Your bird will not need to visit the dentist, for it has no teeth! Your bird’s bill, however, has a lot of functions. Of course, its main function is collecting and peeling food. Your bird also uses its bill as a climbing instrument, a cleaning aid, a means of defence and for communication.

Your bird’s bill will naturally grow very slowly. It is important your bird’s bill stays sharp enough to de-husk seeds. Give your bird mineral blocks and gnawing sticks (willow wood is ideal) to keep its bill sharp and healthy. If your bird’s bill does grow too long, you must contact a vet, who can trim it and will make sure it will last a lifetime.

Your bird could suffer from various billproblems. A widespread problem is a deformed bill caused by a shortage of vitamin D3. Feed your bird a complete food and you will avoid the risk of a deformed bill. If you feed your bird a mix of seeds, it is sensible to use a supplement, and possibly add vitamin drops to your bird’s water.

Deformities of a bird’s bill could cause malocclusion of the two bill halves. Your bird will then have problems with peeling seeds. If your bird suffers from this problem, please contact your vet, as the bill will need to be trimmed.

Your bird’s claws also need care. These grow continuously. Generally, they wear off during normaluse. Provide your bird with wide wooden perches so that its claws will not touch around the perch and will not cause injuries. Birds can also suffer from a disease known as “scaley foot”. Scaley foot is caused by mites, but can be treated easily with a special product that will kill the mite, called Beaphar Spot-on. A fungal disease called Favus mungus could also cause claw deformities: use an anti-fungus medication from your veterinarian to cure this disease.