crooked beak question

[Jessi]

My Sunday conure came to me with his beak curved to the side. His upper mandible grows to the right of the lower. So the lower mandible has nothing to grind against on the left and has grown to create a sissor beak. He can eat just fine but the upper mandible has grown considerably and is getting so long eventually it will grow into his neck. I have experience dealing with avian beaks but not like this. I have dremmled it several times but never too much because I'm afraid he won't be able to crunch his pellets. If I take away all the overgrowth of lower mandible his upper mandible doesn't touch the lower one and he has to push it sideways to eat (is this making it worse?). I have heard sissor beak is correctable with routine shaping but you can also make it worse. Do you have any suggestions on whether I should just manage it but making sure neither get too long or try to correct it, if it's possible.
Thank you

[Jessi]

This was Louie about 4 months ago.

[Ellen K. Cook, DVM]

Trying to reshape that beak is best done by an experienced avian veterinarian. The deviation is so pronounced that shaping may not work-it may need to be surgically corrected.

I prefer trimming beaks in most cases because the beak is so sensitive I am concerned about the dremel causing pain to the bird. But dremels are usually best in this situation.

For others, normal parrot beaks do NOT need trimmed!

[Jessi]

Thank you for your advice. I'll take him to my avian vet and see what she can do with him.

[gary&chloe]

My Princess was locked in a garage for the first five years of her life and her beak grew uneven on the left side which has caused her beak to be slightly crooked in the last five years that I have had her. Her vet has to trim her beak to set it back straight.

But she agree's with Dr. Cook that under normal circumstances a parrot shouldn't need a beak trim.

I have her nails trimmed every four to six weeks to keep the pressure off the first joint in her toe's. And like most women, she is in a much better mood after she has her nails done.