can a bird ingest cement?/ messed up feathers

[evelan]

hello,
Hope all is well with all you African Grey owners:0)
Maggie, i am the girl who own's AIko and wrote you last about which way I should get his nails done ( you said filed ) and I am looking into it, and I need to get his beak trimmed, but in the mean time, he's been using his cement perch, and he's filed down a good chunk out of it with his beak ( his beak doesn't seem damaged because of it ) but my concern is that while he was filing, I saw cement on his tongue. Me and my mom tried to clean it but he was angry and did not wanna be touched there. He wouldn't eat the cement would he? How does he get rid of it since it's already on his tongue.
However,he seems very healthy and happy.

One more question please:on the one side of his primaires , at the very bottom, they're slicked the opposite way ( it looks like a cow lick ) I have no idea how that happened. Then recently he had it on the other side as well, which he fixed back to normal, but the side it happened first on- still looks like a cow lick. Is that normal? Should I be concerned?
thank you for all your advice.
be well,
ernita

[Guest]

Ernita,

I suggest that you have the vet check him out. Our Greys DO eat things they should not. Cement/concrete is not something they should be eating. It is good to be filing the beak on them, but not eating them.

I mainly want you to check out the vet so he can look at the feathers and explain what's going on. Many young Greys are clumsy and more daredevil and sometimes their feathers get loose and sometimes they have blood feathers that are damaged by being "birds."....by having fun in the cage. Get your vet to teach you about this, okay?

GREY'T Blessings!
Maggie-

[Guest]

thanks Maggie,

I will go to the vet, as soon as I can afford it- I am a student. My grey is very active so I can see how he could damage his feathers-but he did that on the other side, and had fixed them somhow.

How do I know he is eating the cement- he NEVER eats anyting that's not food- I've watched him spit all kinds of things out that are not food. Is it normal no be on his tongue after he files his beak?
thank you.
will keep you posted
ernita