Broken beak

[parlasl]

I took one of my budgies (Sol) to the vet last night because I noticed he had a broken beak. Two days earlier I'd noticed that he had a "dirty" beak (with a feather stuck to it) and he was trying to get it off. I've been busy, so I've just been going in to change their food and water very quickly and haven't taken much notice of the birds otherwise (in between). Then yesterday I went in to check on the cockatiel eggs, and noticed that Sol's beak STILL looked dirty.

On closer inspection (after having caught him), I saw that it was actually all broken and smunched. So I took him to an after-hours vet ($$$!). I noticed when I was handling him that he was biting me just fine, and the vet noticed this too and saw that the actual structure of the beak was still in tact, and it was only the top of the beak that was broken (so he can still eat and climb and stuff).

He doesn't appear to be in any pain, as he uses his beak quite extensively to climb about.

I was just wondering if anyone had any experience with budgies who've broken their beaks in this fashion. The vet said it would grow back... but how? Will it grow back under all the broken bits, which will then fall off, or will it try to mend the broken bits together thus leaving him with a deformed beak? How long will it take?

He's in isolation right now (in one of my larger cages) so that I can give him antibiotics, and I can tell you he's not happy about being all alone! LOL. I can't wait until I can reunite him with his mate, Juliet!

[AmandaB]

Awwww poor little guy! Any idea how it happened? Sorry I haven't had a bird break it's beak on me, can't help you there. Did the vet tell you how it will look as it grows back? Or why you need to keep them seperated while he's on antibiotics?

I did however have to give a budgie antibiotics--not a fun thing to do!! Even with the tiniest syringe, giving one tiny little drop was tricky. But all the extra handling kind of helped out with his human trust.

[parlasl]

No, I forgot to ask the vet how it would heal, which is why I'm wondering if anyone here knows.

And I have to keep him isolated because the antibiotic I have is one that goes in their drink or wet food, not one that is administered via a syringe. He's not tame, so that would be a big stress for him each day. So he's separate, so that I know what dosage of antibiotic he gets (and that another budgie isn't eating/drinking it all).

[Stephany]

I find my vets to be pretty helpful. Just call and tell him you forgot to ask him something and he'll let you know more details on how it will heal. I too had to give my brand new parakeets antibiotics they didn't like being caught, but I think they realized I was trying to help them so it was ok afterwards. You can ask the vet for the syringe kind of antibiotics and try it out if he's miserable alone.
Good Luck
-Stephany

[parlasl]

Thanks Stephany,

He's actually doing all right now. He's back onto a diet of seeds, that he can eat again, and his beak has grown almost completely back. I think he'll be back in the aviary before Easter :icon_mrgr