Ask Lafeber

Overgrown lower beak

Hi! My finch, Kona, is an 8 month old Society Finch. From the time he reached maturity, his lower beak/mandible seemed to be a little longer. It doesn’t seem misaligned but the lower beak itself gets quite long, and I have to use a nail file to file it, every couple weeks.
I was wondering if this is just a genetic thing, or if there might be something wrong, and if I should provide anything to help him with wearing down the beak. He has natural branches and cuttlebone. He looks good otherwise, acting normal, weight about 15g.
I read your other question on a finch with a scissor beak and that blood work isn’t always done on a finch. But since hes been this way since a baby, maybe it is his genes?
His parents are older (8 year old male and the female around 5 years of age) and he was the only fertile egg in the clutch, so maybe it is because of that?
Also, is a nail file the best way to do this? I heard a nail clipper could work, but it makes me nervous. Or should he be seeing a vet for the dremel tool. The part I file off appears thin, almost like the edge of a finger nail.
Thanks for any info!

Hi,

Since you read Dr. Lamb’s recent response, then what she said would apply. I would not recommend a Dremel tool on a finch. If the nail file is working, keep using that. As for why – if you are feeding a nutritionally balanced diet, then certainly genetics can be a factor. But if you are feeding a loose seed diet, or a diet with a lot of loose seeds along with pellets, then it is more likely a nutritional deficiency. He should be eating a balanced pellet or finch granule, as well as some seeds. But most loose seeds do not offer much in the way of nutrition. Dr. Lamb recommends offering our foraging diets, and crumbling them if needed. The parakeet size would be good for a finch.

Thank you for asking Lafeber,

Brenda