Unsterilized grooming tools

[Kentuckienne]

Owlet has a thread about an injury his bird received at the groomer's - poor guy grabbed hold of a dremel with one foot. It makes me wonder: do groomers sterilize the tools they use? When I used to go to a nail salon, all the tools were sanitized in a solution then put in UV light storage. Otherwise all kinds of nail fungi and germs would get free rides. But what about groomers, even vets? It's never occurred to me to even ask. They don't use a new dremel attachment on every bird ... from now on I'm going to buy one and take it to the vet with Gus. What if they used it on a bird with PBFD, or asper? Even sick birds get groomed. Does anyone else worry about this?

 

[WakaWaka]

Excellent questions and concerns!
Kelly and I have discussed this and since she is do to be groomed soon, looks like we have some questions before they even touch her.
Thanks you for bringing this up.

Regards to bringing your own dremel, that could be safe as far as minimizing any infection, but the groomer may not be comfortable working with it and that could be an issue too.

Lets see what others have to say.

 

[Amadeo]

That's not a thought I've ever had but it's certainly a concern worth looking into.
I don't know any avian groomers/vets I could ask but I do know someone who has a good friend that works in a dog groomers (not quite the same thing I know but its still worth asking them).
I'll see if I can enquire whether they sterilise any equipment they use for nail clipping etc.

It seems like something they should do. If we sanitise tools for humans shouldn't we do the same for animals?

Edit;
I asked. Didn't get a definitive answer.
"It depends." was all I got. The old groomers she worked in was, according to her, bad and didn't ever clean or sterilise tools. The new one she works in is cleaner but it still depends on the company/staff.
Not great news there. I hope most clean, reputable places do clean and sterilise.

 

[SailBoat]

My CAV does have a different set of grooming tools packaged and pulled for each client. The dremel attachment are not changed. Nor is the dremel itself.

My concern would be more with the metal clippers as they are most likely to come in contact with a wet surface (blood) from an over-clip. Whereas the dremel attachment would not.

In my mind, the dremel is most dangerous in the hands of an individual that is not well versed in its use and uses it in the wrong rotational direction and exposes themselves and the Parrots air sack and eyes to grinding dust.

If you are going to provide you own, I would recommend only the attachment and not the dremel as the rotational rate and variation in size and weight of then driver can vary enough to effect the quality of work.

 

[GaleriaGila]

WOW!

Helpful thread, scary possibilities.

The Rb trims his own nails and beak, using those textured perches. I'll provide a blurb below.

Thanks, sidechick, really good input here!

NAILS/PERCHES/GROOMING

I really recommend getting those nail-trimming perches... they can eliminate nail-trimming, which was always so stressful for me and the Rb. It took a few years, but I eventually established a pattern/rotation that keeps him trimmed. I haven't had to do his nails in 20-plus years. I keep a dowel as the main "highway" down the middle of the cage, but the special cement/trimmer/textured perches are all over.
A few brands... but there are many: Polly's Sand Walk... Pumice Perch... Trimmer Perch...
Be sure to introduce them gradually: they're abrasive to their tender feet at first. I LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
These are smooth on top and abrasive underneath. Very easy to install/clean, oo.
Sweet Feet and Beaks Pedicure Perch xsmall for parrots, Feather Fantasy
May take a while to get the right combinations/locations, but was worth it for me and the Rb.

 

[Kiwibird]

Never thought about it. My guess is some of the more professional operations do (like a vets office) and other places may not. I'd call to check to be safe.

We groom Kiwi at home and I've never sterilized his talon clippers, though I do occasionally rinse them off. I doubt very much Kiwi would be accepting of a Dremel or any other power tool anywhere near his dino toes. I give his newly clipped talons a few swishes over with my glass nail files and know 100% I have no nail fungus or diseases or anything. I do wash my nail files fairly regularly, though take no special sterilization measures. I do remember when I bought them at an arts fair years ago something about they were supposedly more sanitary than other types of files (and have lived up to the sales pitch of never needing replacement!). Never any issues with infections. I probably wouldn't feel as confident in his safety if he was being groomed by a 'professional' and sharing tools with other parrots of unknown health status (or even other humans, as people can apparently get funguses in their nails too).