MY PARAKEET!!!

Question
I have had my two parakeets since September 19 2007 Taco is a boy and burrito is a girl... taco is really hyper and harder to handle but burrito is very sweet... They seem to really like each other and they are always itching eachothers faces ((or plucking)) but recently i have been noticing that Taco's face has started to loose feathers around his beak and eyes... and his beak appears to be unhealthy or  pealing... please help!!! is there something wrong with him

he has a parakeet protection thing which is supposed to keep moths and other insects and parasites out but could it be a parasite?

Answer
First, get rid of that pet store product that is supposed to ward off fleas/mites.  These are just terrible products and can often cause exactly what you're seeing.  They are pesticides and no matter what they say, they are dangerous.

Secondly, if your birds are indoor birds, there is virtually no risk of mites and the risk of fleas is low as well.

Now, if your 'keets are on a seed diet it could be contributing to what you're seeing.  In the wild, 'keets are mostly seed eaters, but they also get massive amounts of exercise to work off that high fat content by flying nearly constantly during the day.  Caged birds don't burn nearly as much of the fat from the seeds and quite often develop a condition known as hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver).  The symptoms may be what you're seeing.
 A diet of predominantly pellets along with fresh foods and only about 15-20% seed (no sunflower) is ideal.

Finally, it could also be a usual molt (yes, beaks also peel).  

Take a look at my site for more about bird care, nutrition and some common things you'll see.

www.4AnimalCare.org