Nail Clipping, Beak Filing?

[Sc0tt]

Hey Guys.

I'm not sure about either of these things so I thought I'd come here. I'm wondering when I should clip Casper's nails (take him to a vet to do it, as I don't fully trust myself not to hurt him when I cut my own nails too short at times :x) and what is beak filing? I've heard this term but don't really understand it. His beak is SHARP, and he seems to sharpen it all the time so I didn't know if he is 'filing' it himself or if that doesn't mean that at all.

Thanks!

P.S He is doing a lot better, he's really warming up to me. We play for 3-4 hours a day and the rest of the time I'm home he likes hanging out on my shoulder and preening me and stuff.

 

[momto3]

You can do your own nail clipping and beak filing. Just don't clip the nails too short-but if you do, use a Quickstop product or cornstarch or flour on the bleed. I would recommend just taking a tiny bit off if you are nervous. Beak filing can be done with a nail file or a dremel tool (that is what the vet uses). If you give your bird wood to chew on you might not have to do anything to the beak. Some people don't do any filing anyways, so it is up to you. Our Quaker chews wood and keeps her beak fine; our Blue Crowned conure has a needle sharp beak so we will dremel. Our vet costs about $35 for both when done together...

Oh, we have a perch in each of their cages to help with keeping the nails short. Can't remember what the perches are called, but they are smooth on the top so their feet don't touch the rough part too much and rough on the edges, where their nails are. This does help.

Get your bird used to having its beak and feet touched before you try this so that it doesn't freak out. We towel our Budgie and he does fine, but the bigger birds are being trained to get used to it.

 

[Aquila]

I clip all of my birds nails myself, but for beak filing, I would definitely consult a vet first. Their beak contains a blood supply just like a nail, so you do have to be careful. If your vet determines that your bird needs it, he can show you how to do it properly and how it should look. Definitely reccommend a dremel for doing beaks, and I'm trying to get my Amazon used to it so I can do his nails that way.

 

[MonicaMc]

Hey Guys.

I'm not sure about either of these things so I thought I'd come here. I'm wondering when I should clip Casper's nails (take him to a vet to do it, as I don't fully trust myself not to hurt him when I cut my own nails too short at times :x) and what is beak filing? I've heard this term but don't really understand it. His beak is SHARP, and he seems to sharpen it all the time so I didn't know if he is 'filing' it himself or if that doesn't mean that at all.

Thanks!

P.S He is doing a lot better, he's really warming up to me. We play for 3-4 hours a day and the rest of the time I'm home he likes hanging out on my shoulder and preening me and stuff.

Nails can be done but beak should be left alone unless it is overgrown (typically caused by health problems - bad liver, nasal infections, etc - sometimes simply due to the upper and lower mandible being unable to match up due to scissor beaking) or it has an injury resulting in the birds inability to properly grind their beak.

Charlie falls into the injured beak category, and requires both upper and lower mandible to be trimmed

I doubt that he ever required beak trimming prior to his injury when he was 12 years old.

our Blue Crowned conure has a needle sharp beak so we will dremel.

I thought that was normal for blue crowns... I've noticed that many blue crowns have sharp pointed beaks as compared to other conure species.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

I use a safety pedicure pumice perch for Rosie and never have to clip her nails. My arms and hands used to always be covered in deep scratches from Rosie's sharp nails and since using the pumice perch I haven't been scratched once by her nails, which is very impressive. Also the top of the perch isn't rough so it protects your parrots from getting bumble foot(sores on the feet)

I highly recommend the pumice perch, clipping can be stressful for some birds so why do it when there is this awesome alternative