nail trimming/ cement perches

[Grumpy Ringneck]

is it necessary to have someone trim my parrots nails. can some kind of perches really help to file a parrot's nails? don't want to do anything that could hurt him or cause him to withdraw anymore than he already does.

he won't eat cuttlebone. would a calcium perch be good for him?

[smallworld]

It can take a long time for birds to get used to cuttlebone. Our birds took a REALLY long time because the breeders did not offer cuttlebone and they were not used to it. I have tried calcium perches but with not much luck. The only birds that used it, were our lovebirds. The nails should not be allowed to get too long. It may chip or break on landing and cause terrible pain or bleeding. If you're not sure how to trim it, then take your bird to a vet and let the vet show you how to do it. You could do it yourself, once you see it. Its not a painful procedure unless you cut too much and it bleeds. It is an uncomfortable procedure, when the birds are not used to it. Once they are, they wouldnt even care that you're clipping their nails. When I trim our ringnecks nails, he just bites the button on my tshirt or looks at me.

[Callinurse]

I used to take my birds to the birdfarm. They trip the nails and clip the wings for free. It is about 35 miles from my house. I decided one day to just try it myself.

I use a nail clipper and only take off the tip. If you cut too much they will bleed and you must put cornstarch on it.

If you cut only the tip and decide you need to cut more you can. but it you cut too much OUCH!

I have heard that sand paper covered perches can open the skin and possible leave them at risk for infection entering into their bodies (poop on cage floor).

You may try moving the cuttle bone to the back of the cage. Birds feel more secure at the back of the cage and usually sleep in the back. I also have the back half covered at night.

I certainly love this site and plan of read more and more as time allows. Thank you to everyone who participates.

Calli

[wishkah lady]

I started trimming Indiana's nails (IRN) when he was very young and I also had to teach him a couple more things so I could do nails.

Personally I would be scared to death if clippers were used. I use those cheap emery boards that you can get at a dollar store, so this isn't a big investment. And you don't care when a couple emery boards get chewed up in the process. Start out using the emery board on your own nails and let your bird look on. He/she will be curious and may even chew on it a little bit.

Hopefully you have a smaller bird, IRN size. It may take you a couple of tries to get your position correct to keep hold of your bird while holding a toe out to file the nail. Then just take a few swipes with the emery board on each nail. If you do this often enough, it won't take too long to do each time.

It's a great bonding time and make sure you are talking to him/her the whole time.

PS: Indiana has gotten a bit big in my hand to hold comfortably, so I just wrap him up in one of those large bandannas. This can be a variation to rock-a-baby.

Hope this helped.

[Melika]

I have a Sandy Perch for Hane and works well for him. It has a wooden core so it won't be cold on his feet like a concrete perch would be. I like it's irregular surface and variable widths too.

Trick to these perches is placement. You don't want it to be the sleeping perch but you want it in a place the bird will use it every day. Takes some re-arranging and figuring out.

I also keep a variety of perch sizes in his cage in general and toys he uses to climb and the combo seems to work (for him) keeping his nails short.

A few birds I had in the past needed nail trimming and I would just perch them on my finger and trim them right there. Easier when they're young and you can teach them not to fear the trimming scissors, of course.