The Quick...

[Karigan]

I almost gave myself a heart attack. I was filing Kito's nails down and I accidently hit the quick. I thought I was seeing raspberry juice at first, but it was her. She didn't stop bleeding for 6 minutes. I put pressure on it and she seems okay now, but she's pretty sleepy and I hope she'll be okay... I mean, I know she will be, but I was so worried about her...
I hope I'm not the evil one to her now...

 

[Pedro]

Don't panic she will be fine. All you needed to do was dip the toe in some corn flour. There always seems to be more blood than there really is.

Next time when filing nails you really only need to take that sharpness off. Like just the very tip.

 

[Karigan]

Hey,
Just wanted to say, no lasting damage. Kito seems to be her usual self.
Be careful out there when ya'll trim your birds nails, it doesn't take much to nick the quick it seems. Lesson definitely learned. (Cue embarrassed expression)

 

[mtdoramike]

Unless you have some Quick stop handy or some corn starch you really shouldn't try filing a birds nails. Even the mobile bird grooming folks that I use filed Tiki's nail a little too close and had to put some Quick Stop on it and they file nails and beaks all the time.

 

[cherub78]

Perhaps someone can help with this question- I just took in two amazons. One of the poor things nails are terribly overgrown. My usual bird groomer can't get them in for 4 weeks. Some of the nails are curled almost in a circle. How do I know how much I can safely clip without hitting the quick. The nails are dark, so can't see it. Trying to clip little by little when it is on the sides of the cage at this point (and yes, I have had cornstarch on hand). But honestly it looks like at least half of these nails at least needs to go. Should I just try to remove a little and wait until the appt for the rest? Or should I pay the extra and go to the vet to get it done? The main problem is I have no one that will help hold or clip, so need to do it myself.
Thanks so much!

 

[Echo]

Be very very careful as the quick will grow with the nail!!! So the longer the nail, the longer the quick. You need to trim his nails little by little so that the quick recesses as well.

 

[Karigan]

Be very very careful as the quick will grow with the nail!!! So the longer the nail, the longer the quick. You need to trim his nails little by little so that the quick recesses as well.

Oh that is SUCH good information to have! Thank you!

 

[cherub78]

Well, tried to see about clipping the nails myself and found they were so curled (complete circle and tight against the toe again) I couldn't even get the clippers at it.

Called a different person I know that does birds nails for the local shelter and she said if they are that curled, the vet needs to do it because most likely they will need to be cauterized.

So after calling around to a half a dozen vets and no one would get the poor thing in for 2 weeks, I finally found a vet who is an avian vet and that will get both of the new rescues in on Wed morning. And for a really reasonable price! Feel so relieved that someone is going to help with this. Have no clue where to begin when they are this long.

What is worse is that the people I got the birds from texted me today to see how they are doing and it was all I could do not to go off at them about this. I still want to know why the other bird is missing two toe nails (and it looks like one toe tip also!) completely. Uggghhhh!!!!!

 

[Echo]

So sad, I am so sorry for your amazons . The vet will help I am sure, and all will be well. They can use their foot quite well even if toe nails/tips are missing so not to worry about that.

 

[Karigan]

It's true. I've seen doves walking around missing a foot and they seem to balance fine on the backs of chairs and the like. It's an adjustment, but the bird can still lead a full life.

 

[Remy]

My baby's nails were pretty long when I got him (but the wings appeared to be over-clipped), and I didn't dare do them myself because I couldn't see the quick, and because he was pretty bitey.

In the past I'm pretty sure I've cut the quick on a dog or a bird. It seems to be okay after a little bit, but having some clot helper is a good idea. When I took mine to the groomer she rubbed some quick clot on each nail, whether they were bleeding or not (they weren't) just in case.