Biting his toenails!?

[hassan94]

Hello
I have an African grey timneh and he is biting his nails..
Is this anything unusual, anything i should do?
Thanks!

[Eric&Rebecca]

No I think he's just giving himself a pedicure. They preen their feet too. Providing theres no open sores, crusty or flaky skin or irritation you should be ok. If its constant then consider getting him checked out by an avian vet.

What perches do you have? Are any of them sanded or with concrete?

[lifesazoo33]

I read an article from Bird Talk magazine regarding common behaviors in grays. They think that the cause is that it may be uncomfortable/stressed. If it is something that he does infrequently, then he is probably just cleaning stuff from under his nails (especially if he has food that can get stuck to them when he picks it up). If it is a very frequent behavior, then you might want to look if anything has recently changed, that could be stressing him. It could also be something that has become sort of a compulsive behavior. As long as he is not mutilating his nails (they are not bleeding) I don't think it is too much of a concern, but if it is from stress, it is something that involves some investigation and correction. Mention it to your vet the next time you go in for a check up. They will be able to take a good look at the feet and make sure there isn't a different underlying problem. Hope this helps

[Utoomom]

Hello
I have an African grey timneh and he is biting his nails..
Is this anything unusual, anything i should do?
Thanks!

Elvis does that when he runs out of things to do when he's a little stressed. Sometimes he also picks at his band.

[Toyer12]

I also have a nail biting African Grey, I have been told that it is a common trait in both greys and some macaws. It is often a sign of stress or anxiety, due to the intelligent nature of the greys a bird that chews their nails can also find it self regulating when they are stressed. Put it this way, my grey has his nails trimmed regularly but will chew them into points sharp enough to break skin at times of stress. He did this when I went on vacation and had a friend come in to care for him.

To alleviate stress obviously removed your bird from the cause or if he has to be exposed the experience can be eased with his fav treats etc....in other words bribery works wonders. These birds are so smart though even when the stress is removed the behaviour may remain simply as a habit.

Good luck!!
Donna