Youngster Lost Tip Of Upper Beak To Canker

[TAWhatley]

I've had this youngster for a couple of weeks now, and it has been through an entire two+ weeks of two different canker meds .. very, very nasty case. When the bird arrived, it looked like an inflated Budapest Tumbler .. the canker had set into the upper beak and sinus cavity. The head was very swollen, and the area around the eyes was incredibly distended. I could see the canker in the upper beak and surmised that it was the culprit in all places above that. I didn't take any photos back then because I was pretty sure this little one would be a goner in a day or two at the most.

I'm very happy to report that the canker is now just about eradicated, but it was a battle requiring both Spartrix and Metronidazole. Sadly, the tip of the upper beak fell off today. I kinda knew that was likely and was ever so careful with the feeding .. still .. it went this morning. I'll try to get better photos of the youngster in the next day or so, but I figure you can tell from this cell phone photo right where the tip of the beak dropped off.

Bird is a happy and vigorous youngster, so I'm glad it got here and glad we've gotten as far as we have .. we'll see how it goes from here .. it's plenty old enough to be self feeding but due to the canker was unable to do so and now we have the missing tip of the upper beak to deal with and see how that all sorts out.

This is one very tough little bird ..

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi Terry,



Good save..!



Well, if they are going to lose anything Beak-wise, the end area of the upper Beak is probably about as ideal as it can get.


He can learn to eat with what he has... even if there is a gap there between upper and lower Beaks at the front.


Is his Tongue still intact?


IThe end of the upper Beak m-i-g-h-t even grow out somewhat, since the end is usually always growing...anyway...unless the 'root' area was eroded away.


If he were to need a Prosthetic augmentaion, I could probably do it if I could borrow him for a while, then return him...if you ever wanted to try that.



He sure is a little cutie...!


Goog going..!




Phil
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[Trees Gray]

I'm so glad this little fighter survived.

I'm glad he didn't lose the whole beak. I sure hope he can learn to pick up seed with the remainder and live happily ever after ..to the fullest!

[Pidgey]

He's gonnna' be a deep-disher, but still a self-feeder.

Pidgey

[TAWhatley]

The tongue is intact, and there is at least a chance that the beak will regrow. In any event, I'm pretty sure this little one will do fine. At first it was terrified of me and viciously wing whacked at every feeding and medication time. It now peeps and squeaks and wing twitches in a very endearing way whenever it sees me.

Thanks for the offer, Phil! Hopefully I won't need to take you up on it

Terry

[pdpbison]

Hi Terry,


He could probably do the 'Shot Glass Seed Gobble' presently...and as Pidgey mentions, a 'deep' Dish or Cup for Seeds there-after.


My present Canker-survivor 'Scissor Beak' one really wants to self feed, but with his Beak being so far out, he can not...so, we do 'Seed-Pops' quite a few times a day, just so he never runs on empty...


Phil
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[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by pdpbison

Hi Terry,


He could probably do the 'Shot Glass Seed Gobble' presently...and as Pidgey mentions, a 'deep' Dish or Cup for Seeds there-after.

Phil
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I'm quite sure s/he could do the shot glass gobble .. I just think this one has decided that being babied and tube fed is far superior to having to actually pick up and eat seeds on his/her own .. SPOILED rotten!

Terry

[TAWhatley]

http://www.rims.net/2008Sep05 .. last three photos at that link.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh...well, he really DID lose the end of the upper Mandible-Beak there, didn't he...


'Seed Pops'..!


Or, ( shudder, but, it would probably work well, ) if the lower Mandible were 'shortened' to match, he could learn to self feed.


My long ago 'No Beak left at all' Pigeon learned to self feed, managing the big 'Peas' and everything in the Pigeon Mix.


Sadly, as you know, those with uneven-enough or disparate lengths of respective Mandibles...or 'Scissor Beaks', have not shown promise as self feeders.



He sure is cute..!


Golly...what a little sweetie...


Phil
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[TAWhatley]

Well, the jury is still out on whether this one can eat adequately on its own. I know for sure it has no interest whatsoever in even trying right now .. too spoiled with the several times a day tube and handfeeding.

That would be a significant amount of beak to compensate for and would probably result in a problem with the tongue if the lower beak were shortened enough to be even close to the same length as the top. I think for right now I'm just going to see how things go.

Terry

[pdpbison]

Ohhhhh, I know, I was just thining aloud...


"Shot Glass Seed Gobble' might work with his situation...if you wanted a change of pace from the 'Tube'...


And, heck, you never know, from there, maybe he could get on to being able to self feed...could happen..!



Love,


Phil
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[Margarret]

Terry,

My little burned baby has the ends of both upper and lower missing in part. The lower is the worst. But she has eaten continuously apparently without problem since injury despite the damage to her beak. What she eats is a different story. She prefers shelled raw sunflower seeds which she has no difficulty getting down. Next is safflower seeds, and last is the pigeon mix. The ends of her beak were initially quite soft and if she pecked at something hard, they would bleed. Now the tissue has hardened, but has not grown back. You might with seed pops get him inerested in something like the shelled seeds and see if he can manage them on his own. If he can, then he should be able to pick up other seeds as well.

M.

[TAWhatley]

Well, this little pijjie still REFUSES to self feed even though I am POSITIVE s/he could. The tips of both beaks are quite solid now and even though the upper beak is a good bit shorter than the lower, I know s/he could do it.

For a feral youngster that was so terrified of me to begin with, I now get totally "whammied" when I open the door to take this one out for feeding. It is out like a bullet .. flies plenty well .. but only flies out and attaches itself to my chest while SQUEE, SQUEE, SQUEEING at ear drum shattering levels.

I've had this one with three groups of much younger babies who all learned to self feed in record time and went on to be "real" pigeons .. I just don't know when OR if this one is ever gonna get it ..

Terry

[Pidgey]

Ol' One Beak & Scissors are still like that but without the noise, thank goodness! He'll learn eventually--let him get good and hungry and start guiding his beak and head into a cup of seeds.

Pidgey

[pdpbison]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

Well, this little pijjie still REFUSES to self feed even though I am POSITIVE s/he could. The tips of both beaks are quite solid now and even though the upper beak is a good bit shorter than the lower, I know s/he could do it.

For a feral youngster that was so terrified of me to begin with, I now get totally "whammied" when I open the door to take this one out for feeding. It is out like a bullet .. flies plenty well .. but only flies out and attaches itself to my chest while SQUEE, SQUEE, SQUEEING at ear drum shattering levels.

I've had this one with three groups of much younger babies who all learned to self feed in record time and went on to be "real" pigeons .. I just don't know when OR if this one is ever gonna get it ..

Terry

If you set her in a large Cage with a few pecking 'Squeakers'...she'll likely be pecking in no time...



Phil
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