How to Keep a Pigeon's Beak Healthy

Monitor your pigeons daily to look for signs of beak problems.

A healthy beak, with normal growth and appearance, is essential to a pigeon's well-being. If a pigeon has a beak that is causing discomfort, it will avoid eating and grooming. Signs of a beak problem include discoloration, flaking and over growth of the beak structure. Performing regular beak evaluations, and providing your pigeon with veterinary intervention as needed, will help ensure that your pigeon is both happy and healthy.

Things You'll Need

• Nuts, sprouts and green vegetables
• Wooden toys
• Water
• Spray bottle

Instructions

1. Check the pigeon's beak daily. Look for cracks, overgrowth or discoloration of the beak. Consult an avian veterinarian if you see any evidence of a problem.

2. Give the pigeon foods that support beak health. Include nuts and sprouts in your bird's diet, as these will exercise the pigeon's beaks. Add green vegetables to the bird's diet. Green vegetables are natural sources of the vitamins that help prevent overgrowth of the beak.

3. Prevent the bird's beak from growing too long. Place soft wooden toys inside the bird's cage that it can gnaw on. Encourage the bird to preen itself daily by showering it with water using a bottle spray. This makes the bird use its beak more and prevents overgrowth.

4. Take the pigeon to an avian veterinarian to have an overgrown beak trimmed. Treatment consists of trimming the beak to the proper shape and removing any excess flaking. Beak trimming should only be performed by a veterinarian. If a beak is trimmed too short, it will cause the bird pain and may make it difficult for a bird to eat.

References

• Doctors Foster and Smith: Bird Beaks - Anatomy, Care, and Diseases
• All Pigeons: Articles on Pigeon Care
• Pet Health and Care; How to Prevent Bird Beak Overgrowth; Michael Adams