Crop burn can be easily avoided if the temperature of the food is checked before it is given to the bird. When food needs to be reheated and you are using a microwave, stir the food with a finger to make sure there are no hot spots. It is advisable to treat crop burn in consultation with an avian vet.

The most common cause of crop puncture is tube feeding. In cases where the bird simply refuses to eat, tube feeding may become necessary. Sometimes, if the tube is not properly inserted into the crop through the esophagus, a crop puncture may occur. Health The only treatment for crop puncture is to suture the puncture, as otherwise food will keep seeping out and the bird will eventually die of starvation. The only way to avoid crop punctures is by not resorting to tube feeding. If this becomes unavoidable get an experienced person to do this for you. A sure sign of dehydration is when the skin reddens and looses its elasticity. Dehydration normally occurs in hand-fed birds when the water content in the formula is insufficient. Dehydration can also occur because of kidney infection and bacteria that causes digestion problems.

In the event of dehydration, the first concern must be to hydrate the bird. A shot of ringers solution under the skin should normally bring relief. If dehydration occurs in hand-fed birds, a few doses of ringers solution or Pedialyte instead of the regular formula should help to reverse the ailment. Until the bird is properly hydrated, feed it watery formula. Dehydration Health Otherwise, what may happen is that the system will just absorb the little fluid in the feed and the solids will remain in the crop to sour or cake. This will only worsen things. Provide a chew item that has the necessary calcium that the bird needs for healthy beak development. There are several that satisfy this requirement. A simple cuttlebone will also do. Give the bird its requirement of the other minerals and vitamins required for proper beak maintenance and growth. Also, provide other non-reactive toys, which the bird may chew. Frequently, check the bird's beak for cracks, discoloration or other abnormalities. A healthy beak is critical to the bird. At the first sign of a problem, refer the bird to a vet. This is a condition where the upper or lower beak overgrows. General Beak Care Overgrown Beak Health However, it is common for the upper beak to overgrow. Several factors may cause this condition such as trauma, developmental disorders, and improper nutrition.

Normally, the bird does not allow this condition to develop by feeding on hard food, climbing, chewing toys, or rubbing its beak against some abrasive surface. At other times, it may become necessary for the owner or an avian vet to trim the overgrowing beak. There are different tools that can be used to do this. Let the vet decide what is the most convenient. This is a condition when the upper mandible does not overlap the lower mandible, but instead rests inside the lower mandible, or the two mandibles come together. The same factors that cause scissors beak are also the factors that cause parrot beak. Treatment is best left to a vet. Parrot Beak Health Ruptured Airsac Scissors Beak A soft bulge under the skin is a sign of a ruptured air sac. The bulge may appear solid but is soft to the touch. If you notice such a bulge, have the bird taken to a vet for treatment. The treatment is fairly complex and best left to an expert. When the upper mandible (the upper beak) grows at a tangent to the lower mandible the bird is said to suffer from a scissors beak condition. This condition is brought about by incorrect incubation temperature or feeding technique, genetic disorder, trauma, calcium deficiency or some forms of infection.

The problem, in young birds and in cases where the malady is not pronounced, can be corrected by gently pushing the faulty mandible in the opposite direction, some two to three times a day. In case the bird is old or the Health ailment severe, surgical correction may become necessary. This is a condition that is common in very young birds. The tendon in the heel is supposed to fit in a groove also in the same location. Sometimes, the tendon slips and pulls the foot to one side and the toes curl up like a ball. This can be prevented by securing the bird's feet to pieces of tape. When the bird is a little older, the tendon can be surgically fixed. Improper nutrition is also a cause of slipped tendon. Please consult an avian vet about comprehensive prevention methods.

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