Falconry Equipment for Parrot

[Echo]

If your guy has nails that sharp they really do need to be blunted for his own safety. In the wild they get worn down with all the movement they do and different perches they have. Taking just the sharp tip off will not hamper climbing at all and make it was more enjoyable for you to play with him. It also makes sure they do not get over rown that would make it harder for him to play and climb.

Thank you very much for your concern but that's why I'm getting him to climb on trees too. I know that when they play and have natural branches to climb they'll trim on their own. I just can't do that right now. To be honest, I've only ever trimmed two of parrots nails when they got too long, all others kept them in control.

He recently broke a nail pretty bad and bled. So now when anyone just looks at the foot he tries to hide it. The glove was more of a temporary fix. After he broke his nail he didn't even want to move about so that's when they grew. He went back to his old self and I don't want to bug him about it. Also, I see him use his sharp nails to just stab in his fruits when he's playing with his food (I have no clue why) so I don't want him to think it's a punishment for playing with his food.

If anything, I'll suck up the cuts until he gets them where they need to be.

If he can't keep his nails to an acceptable length, you need to trim them. Overgrown nails usually lead to injury, they get hooked on clothing, toys and prevent proper perching. Parrots use the strength of their feet to climb, along with their wings (clipped or not), not nails.

As far as a bell, even if your parrot doesn't mind it, you have mentioned raptors, predators. A parrot with a bell is a very easy target!! Not a good idea in my opinion.

I agree with your pellet comment. Parrots don't NEED them, provided they have the proper diet for their species. You have an Amazon and live in South America, where the amazon species come from. I would think that you could provide him with the proper food. The pellets are helpful if you don't have access to your parrot species natural food throughout the year, or don't want to bother.....I offer mine a variety of fresh food and supplement it with pellets as my parrots originate from Africa and South America and I live in the US. I cannot replicate exactly their natural diet requirement so rely on pellets as well.

 

[Sammy01]

If your guy has nails that sharp they really do need to be blunted for his own safety. In the wild they get worn down with all the movement they do and different perches they have. Taking just the sharp tip off will not hamper climbing at all and make it was more enjoyable for you to play with him. It also makes sure they do not get over rown that would make it harder for him to play and climb.

Thank you very much for your concern but that's why I'm getting him to climb on trees too. I know that when they play and have natural branches to climb they'll trim on their own. I just can't do that right now. To be honest, I've only ever trimmed two of parrots nails when they got too long, all others kept them in control.

He recently broke a nail pretty bad and bled. So now when anyone just looks at the foot he tries to hide it. The glove was more of a temporary fix. After he broke his nail he didn't even want to move about so that's when they grew. He went back to his old self and I don't want to bug him about it. Also, I see him use his sharp nails to just stab in his fruits when he's playing with his food (I have no clue why) so I don't want him to think it's a punishment for playing with his food.

If anything, I'll suck up the cuts until he gets them where they need to be.

If he can't keep his nails to an acceptable length, you need to trim them. Overgrown nails usually lead to injury, they get hooked on clothing, toys and prevent proper perching. Parrots use the strength of their feet to climb, along with their wings (clipped or not), not nails.

As far as a bell, even if your parrot doesn't mind it, you have mentioned raptors, predators. A parrot with a bell is a very easy target!! Not a good idea in my opinion.

I agree with your pellet comment. Parrots don't NEED them, provided they have the proper diet for their species. You have an Amazon and live in South America, where the amazon species come from. I would think that you could provide him with the proper food. The pellets are helpful if you don't have access to your parrot species natural food throughout the year, or don't want to bother.....I offer mine a variety of fresh food and supplement it with pellets as my parrots originate from Africa and South America and I live in the US. I cannot replicate exactly their natural diet requirement so rely on pellets as well.

I'm getting him to naturally trim his own nails first. He's very protective of them after the incident. I plan to wait a couple of weeks (2) to see if he gets them under control before I step in. I just don't want to stress him right now, I finally got him to relax and let me see his leg.

You're right about the bell. I hadn't really thought about it much. If I could easily detect him because of it then a predator could.

Thank you for your kind thoughts and giving me great advice.

 

[SilverSage]

Perches made for filing parrots nails are good, but make sure they are not the only perches available. Make sure your bird has several different sizes of perch, but most should be of a width that makes the nails hit them. Also, it would be wise to take your bird to an avian vet, he may need a trim. Usually birds do not need their toenails trimmed if they have the right perches, but perches may not be enough to correct the problem once it is there.

Harnesses are an option, jesses are not. I know people have talked about this already, but I bet none of them has ever made the mistake of using a leg tether - I have. When I was 12 I made one for my budgie. The first time she took off, wings clipped and only a few inches of tether, she hurt herself and I cried all the way home. She recovered quickly, but I am fortunate I didn't seriously injure her, maybe even cause her death. Look into harnesses online. You will have to train your bird to use it, but you would have had to train to use jesses, too.

Gloves are still an option! If you REALLY need them, look for thin calf skin or doeskin gloves that fit tightly and are flesh colored. You will have to train your bird not to be afraid of them if you use them, but you can use them. Also, long sleeves. The gloves used for falconry are incredibly thick and not really a good option. Parrots use their feet for climbing, falcons for killing, the requirements are very different.

Good for you for asking advice before acting!

 

[Birdman666]

Just on thing: my parrot's nails are sharp. My little guy loves climbing on my hand and arm and I have a bunch of cuts. I know he doesn't mean to. I don't want to blunt them as I think he might need them (he loves to climbs trees). I'm interested in falconry gloves for when I take him outside to play.

So if anyone has used the gloves how have your parrots reacted to them?

Falconry stuff is not necessary, and as others have pointed out, somewhere between useless and potentially harmful.

Nails need to be done about twice a year, sometimes three times a year.
If allowed to overgrow, they could cause problems for your bird! If you don't know how, or want to do it, use a groomer. (Remember they have a blood supply to their toe nails, and can bleed if they are trimmed too short!) He can still climb a tree just fine.

Sand perches can irritate the skin on a bird's feet and are not necessarily effective at keeping nail growth in check... (okay, more like NOT!)

 

[Abigal7]

I have to side with everyone that falconry supplies is not designed for parrot. You can have your birds nails trimmed and if you want to wear gloves no need to use the kind designed for falcons. Parrots and raptors live a different life style. Raptors are birds of prey that eat only meat, their feet and talons were designed to help kill their prey. They are also focused on the hunt and finding food. Parrots can be prey in the wild, their feet are used to climb, they live in flocks, must be smart to find food and evade predators. Parrots usually do not eat meat (for the most part they are vegetarians) and if they do eat insects or small reptiles it does not consist of the bulk of their diet.