claw trimming and clumsiness

[Skidood]

Hi again,
My new to me GCC seems a little clumsy at times. Its cute. For example, when walking around uneven ground or after shaking her feathers out, she will look tipsy or wobbly for a fraction of a second and a couple times, seems to almost tip over. She has this typical parrot waddle and I don't think there's anything wrong with her but just curious if this is typical of conures.

Also, her claws are a a wee bit longer than 1/4" and the amount of curl is about 90 degrees. (1/4 of a complete circle) How soon should I trim them?

 

[SilverSage]

Hhhmm, I'm really bad at visualizing; can you share a pic?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[clark_conure]

How old is your GCC? if he's really young then he's still learning, if he's say over 6-9 months...

Something to consider also is that conures will fake being distressed or any behavior if it gains attention. It COULD (not saying it is) be an act that he learns make you laugh or pay more attention to him.

 

[Skidood]

How old is your GCC? if he's really young then he's still learning, if he's say over 6-9 months...

Something to consider also is that conures will fake being distressed or any behavior if it gains attention. It COULD (not saying it is) be an act that he learns make you laugh or pay more attention to him.

She is 2. Yesterday she was walking on the kitchen counter and tripped over a spoon. She is an excellent flyer but seems bad at walking.

 

[clark_conure]

She may just be clumsy, Clark once fell off a pillow on my headboard while I was laying on the bed watching him and reading....it was hilarious, but when he wants something he can have the agility of a ninja. Also 90degrees of arc is about right on the claw so I don't think it's that. Also if she flies well I don't think it's an inner ear thing or too much to worry about. At most maybe she has a hurt toe and it's effecting her gate somehow? Try touching each of her toes front and back and see if there is any reaction. If not I'd just go with clumsy.

 

[LordTriggs]

How old is your GCC? if he's really young then he's still learning, if he's say over 6-9 months...

Something to consider also is that conures will fake being distressed or any behavior if it gains attention. It COULD (not saying it is) be an act that he learns make you laugh or pay more attention to him.

She is 2. Yesterday she was walking on the kitchen counter and tripped over a spoon. She is an excellent flyer but seems bad at walking.

ah, that's not to worrying. They don't really walk much in the wild especially on flat ground. Being a strong flyer she will naturally walk less so won't be as used to it as clipped birds are

 

[Flboy]

Nail length, walking on a flat surface, the pad of the foot should make contact!

 

[LordTriggs]

Oh if you don't already put a concrete perch in their cage. That will keep their claws trimmed and help in cleaning their beak/wiping away the flaky bits

 

[wrench13]

Salty will still trip over his own feet if he is running to something he is excited about , like a treat or a toy. And he will be 2 years old tomorrow.

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

Happy birthday Salty!!

 

[Skidood]

Oh if you don't already put a concrete perch in their cage. That will keep their claws trimmed and help in cleaning their beak/wiping away the flaky bits

Thanx LordTriggs. She has a 6 inch-long sandpaper-ey perch but almost never uses it. Maybe I should move it to an area of the cage that she frequents.
Since I am extremely resourceful, extremely handy and a little cheap, I think I may take one of her long dowel perches and in a spiral fashion, and not overlapping, wrap it with that self-adhesive sandpaper-ey strip stuff you can get at Home Depot which you normally place close to the edge of stairs. Then I will take an exacto knife and cut off a strip running down the length of it (approx an inch wide) so her pads will not be on the rough part, only her nails. If she starts to chew on it, I will take it out right away.

 

[Flboy]

Since I am extremely resourceful, extremely handy and a little cheap, I think I may take one of her long dowel perches and in a spiral fashion, and not overlapping, wrap it with that self-adhesive sandpaper-ey strip stuff you can get at Home Depot which you normally place close to the edge of stairs. Then I will take an exacto knife and cut off a strip running down the length of it (approx an inch wide) so her pads will not be on the rough part, only her nails. If she starts to chew on it, I will take it out right away.

Don't do it! You have no idea what it is made of! You can pick up a really nice sanded plastic perch at Walmart for a fraction of the price pet shops charge!
While you are at it, you should replace any of your wooden dowels with tree branches! Maple is fine!

 

[clark_conure]

Pet stores have "grainey" type perches....put the perch in an area they like or put it at the highest point in the cage. For some reason bird like elevation...hmm weird.

 

[LordTriggs]

I vote to only use the concrete style perches, sandpaper and those wrap around ones just aren't nice for them, definitely aim for natural wood style perches, I prefer going to a store as I don't know trees and the bolt on style makes them more adaptable. I found the best place to put them are either next to the food bowls so they go to that perch for food or as the perch used to go in and out of the cage, that way you know they're using it. I actually had mine attached to the door so he would come out be going on the perch then the door opening would bring him out

 

[Skidood]

Ok thanks...I abandoned the idea of the non-slip tape, I was having an extended brain fart there.
Photos of Coco coming shortly.

 

[Skidood]

While you are at it, you should replace any of your wooden dowels with tree branches! Maple is fine!

Yes I put in a fresh branch off the apple tree in my back yard. She doesn't use it very much. I also plan to put in a maple branch once she lets me exit the house to get it, which is always a challenge. She sometimes gets very needy when I am here on my laptop and ignoring her, in fact she just jumped onto my keyboard and gave me a sharp bite. Cheeky thing!!!
I'm also finding I need to lay the TV remotes face down otherwise I may lose a button. She is on a tear this morning.....

 

[LordTriggs]

Ok thanks...I abandoned the idea of the non-slip tape, I was having an extended brain fart there.
Photos of Coco coming shortly.

ooo, how do you stop those? I've been having one for the past 24 years!

 

[Skidood]

 

[LordTriggs]

this is a good birdo, she deserve the seeds.

Her claws look okay to me, maybe the tiniest bit long but not major, although I'm probably least experienced with claw length. On a side-note (I'm sure you have) but possibly check if those houseplants are bird safe, don't want her getting sick

 

[FlyBirdiesFly]

What a beautiful girl! Her nails look a bit long, maybe you should trim them soon.