Expert: Chrys Meatyard - 8/19/2007

Question
Chrys:  Thanks for being available.  I just found this website!
Re: my lovebird's beak.  How does one know when it is too long?  and/or how often does one need to have that checked?  I've had my lovebird just 1 year.  It doesn't appear to be too long but when she grabs on to me (for support) it sure feels more ouchy!  I have a book on lovebirds but there is not much detail inasmuch as what I am to look for.
thanks for your answer.

Answer
Hi, Suzanne,

A lovebird's beak is too long when it looks like it's growing down too far like it's going to curl under towards the bird's chest.  A beak should come to a point when the 2 sides merge.  When a beak starts growing past that point, it may need to be trimmed.  Just because the bird's bite hurts a bit more, doesn't necessarily mean the beak needs to be trimmed.  A bird controls the amount of pressure it applies when it bites down...sometimes a little bit of pressure, sometimes a lot of pressure!  The amount of pain you have also depends on how you react to a bite, i.e., if you pull away and the bird gets some skin, the result is nasty!  This is because when a bird bites, its beak pushes skin under itself, instead of like when you get cut where the skin just separates.  A bird will bite harder the more aggravated/irritated it is at the time.  There are probably some pictures on the internet of parrot beaks that need to be trimmed.  Search using the search string "trimming parrot beaks" "parrot beaks" or something similar.  

Chrys