Nanday Conure with an Itchy Beak

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Nanday Conure with an Itchy Beak

by Dee
(Colorado)

I have had my Nanday Conure since he was a few months old, for about ten years. Today I noticed he is grinding his beak against anything he can(this is not the casual wipe his beak or small scratching like he does after he eats) he is using the sides of the cage or his perches. So I took him out of his cage gave him a bath and then helped him preen as I usually do for the feathers on his head and neck that he can't get to himself.

As usual he enjoyed it and layed calmly in my hand while I was doing that. Once I put him back in his cage he started with the gringing. He even put his beak thru the cage and I was just rubbing my finger by his nostiles and down his beak and he calmed back down. What should I do to help him?

Comments for
Nanday Conure with an Itchy Beak

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Apr 20, 2011

Itchy Beak
by: Anonymous

My conure does the same thing. He even rubs against my cheek. Not sure why? Right now I have an issue with fluid coming from his mouth. Went to Vet. Doesn't seem to have a bacterial infection but not sure why he is doing it unless he has reach sexual maturity and that has something to do with it. Do you have any suggestions.

Editor's note: Take your bird to another vet.
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Sep 13, 2010

Itchy beak
by: The Avian Vet

Your bird needs a thorough exam by an avian veterinarian. The Dr. should look inside the nares and the choana for something that could be irritating. I have seen birds with seed hulls and other foreign bodies in these places. It is possible to do a flush to get it out, or it may be necessary to look in with an endoscope.

Dr B

Sep 12, 2010

Nanday with Itchy Beak
by: Linda

It sounds like there is something going on here that is not normal. Birds will rub their beaks against everything as a way of wiping their beaks when they have food on them, and since you gave him a bath, that is not the case here.

I'd suggest you make an appoitment with an Avian Vet in your driving area and have them check him out for infections and/or parasites. Tiny mites that cannot be seen with the naked eye do cause lots of itching and discomfort. Usually they stay around either the beak or feet and legs, so maybe he has contracted something like that. If he goes outside, then parasites are always a possibility.

The Avian vet will look at his beak very closly and may even take a small scraping and look at it under the microscope to see if there is anything there. It would also be good to have them do a throat swab to check for bacterial infections and the throat is the only place to get an accurate reading on this as the anal area always has bacteria which can be misleading when trying to diagnose an infection.

Let us know how trip to vet goes and what they find as this is something that needs a little more investigation.

Linda

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