Ask Lafeber

What size pellets for my parakeet who has no beak?

Hi I have a 3 year old female parakeet named Tater Tot who unfortunately got her beak bit almost completely off by a love bird when one of my employees accidentally pushed her cage right up against a very aggressive/territorial female lovebirds cage… Any way its been over 6 months now and much to my (and our avian vets) surprise she actually grew a tiny bit back so she has a little nub now and is able to crack soft seeds like millet (white and spray) and can even tear apart her greens if I cut them up small enough. She is having trouble with even the smallest pellets though so my question is whether I should buy your parakeet pellets and grind them into powder or if you think the finch granules will be an acceptable size (and okay health wise!) for little Tater Tot to eat?

Hi Dana,

Thank you for sharing Tater Tot’s story – certainly a hard lesson on how different size beaks don’t mix. We often get questions about mixing similar sized birds and this is the reason I advise them not to.

My first thought was the finch granules, so yes, I think those might be just right for her. The nutrition is the same so she will still be getting the nutrients she needs. With time, her beak may grow more. It depends on where the damage happens. Buy do keep an eye on it because it will not naturally grind down when it is deformed so she may need a trim now and then. Try offering her different soft foods, too, like cooked brown rice and mixed veggies. And she may even eat the pellets better if they are soaked.

Good luck with Tater Tot and do keep us updated on her progress.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda