# Parrot mouth?



## honeyb12 (Feb 22, 2012)

what is parrot mouth exactly?


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 22, 2012)

When the top over hangs, from the bottom jaw, looking like a parrot's beak. The bottom teeth don't meet up with the top of the gums. 


I actually have a buckling  this year that has a parrot mouth, first one ever.  We will wether him.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 22, 2012)

(I know this is in the goat section...but parrot mouth occurs in all species.)

These two sheep are twins to each other. The ram was born with a sound mouth and the ewe was born with a parrot mouth.

Sound Mouth:






Parrot Mouth:


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 22, 2012)

I guess we should mention, that because their bottom teeth don't match up to the top gum line, it can be harder for the animal to graze. There isn't enough surface area for them to pinch and rip the grass off. And they can be unthrifty because of this if they are pastured animal. 

It is a defect and genetic.


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## SheepGirl (Feb 22, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> I guess we should mention, that because their bottom teeth don't match up to the top gum line, it can be harder for the animal to graze. There isn't enough surface area for them to pinch and rip the grass off. And they can be unthrifty because of this if they are pastured animal.
> 
> It is a defect and genetic.


X2.

My parrot mouthed ewe will be three years old next month. She has been able to maintain her condition on pasture (her BCS is a 4 right now), but once she can't anymore, she will be culled. She is my favorite ewe, so I hope that doesn't happen anytime soon.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 22, 2012)

SheepGirl said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
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> ...


I am assuming she has lambed, have you gotten any parrot mouth lambs from her?


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## SheepGirl (Feb 22, 2012)

She was bred as a ewe lamb and she had a single ram lamb when she was ~14 months old. She was accidentally bred by her twin brother (thought he was castrated...but he wasn't...he didn't even act "rammy" so we were never suspicious), and the lamb didn't last more than a day. I can't remember if he was parrot mouthed or not, but I do remember that he had really low pasterns...so in addition to being inbred, I also think he had a lack of selenium...three out of the four inbred lambs born in 2010 died, all of similar symptoms (except one ewe lamb--she was stillborn). All the other lambs that my ram sired survived, so IDK 

Because my neighbor's moving, he didn't breed anyone for a 2011 lambing nor was anyone supposed to be bred for a 2012 lambing (except I think that my ram bred his mother since he went through the fence while she was in heat. ) so I probably won't be getting any more lambs from her until next year...if I get a new ram. So hopefully I can see if she throws solid mouthed or parrot mouthed lambs. Her dam is solid mouthed and I'm pretty sure her sire was solid, too...but in the pictures I have of him, he's facing me, so I can't really tell or double check what I remember lol But she does have the genetics for solid mouths somewhere in her so I would expect her to throw solid mouths.


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## honeyb12 (Feb 22, 2012)

Can it affect a nursing kid or one that is bottle fed?  I have a buckling that I cannot get him to suck on the bottle..he mouths it and play with it and cries alot..he also makes a grinding sound..its very frustrating trying to feed him.  He was taken away from his mother because the previous owner said he wasnt nursing like he should and she was worried he wouldnt make it and she didnt have the time to feed him..he is 7 days old today..seems to be doing ok..but dont know how as little as he eats.


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 23, 2012)

honeyb12 said:
			
		

> Can it affect a nursing kid or one that is bottle fed?  I have a buckling that I cannot get him to suck on the bottle..he mouths it and play with it and cries alot..he also makes a grinding sound..its very frustrating trying to feed him.  He was taken away from his mother because the previous owner said he wasnt nursing like he should and she was worried he wouldnt make it and she didnt have the time to feed him..he is 7 days old today..seems to be doing ok..but dont know how as little as he eats.


It would have to be a pretty obvious gap. Can you tell he is parrot mouthed?  But I would think he would be able to suck with his tongue pressed up against the top of  his mouth.  Did you look at the top of his mouth, the roof, is there any deformities?  


I would make the milk that you give him as high calorie as possible, buy using a higher calorie recipee, other than just whole cows milk, substituting out some higher calories, with evaporated milk and maybe a teaspoon of honey in each bottle.


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## honeyb12 (Feb 23, 2012)

I dont see anything wrong with his mouth,,but he does have some sharp teeth on the bottom.. how many teeth are they supposed to have at this age?  he makes a weird grinding sound also. And he tries to somewhat suck on my finger..Its just a major production trying to feed him..He eats a teeny bit at a time


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## 20kidsonhill (Feb 23, 2012)

The grinding, is because he isn't feeling well.  He can't be getting enough to eat. 

He may have something wrong with him, perhaps that is why he wasn't nursing well, maybe he was injured at birth. 


Does he get up and run around? 

I am not sure what to tell you, other than have someone in your area look at him, that knows something about goats. 

It can be a little tricky getting a kid to take a bottle that has been nursing on his mom. 

Warm the milk to 104 degrees. 

Sit in a chair and put the kid under you legs on the floor, and hold the bottle like it is under the mother's stomach, take your free hand and place on top of  his head and mouth, with your free hand, help slip the end of the nipple into his mouth. Then use your hand that is on his head to feel like a shelf, 

try bumping his bottom a little bit. like a mom does while the kid is nursing. 

Don't hold the bottle up too high, needs to feel like it is lower like an udder. 


I am sorry it isn't going well.


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## ksacres (Mar 4, 2012)

Teeth grinding is an indication of pain.


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