Trimming Nails

[Michael]

I am always worried about giving people advice about trimming parrot nails because I know that if they do it wrong, the results can be quite bad. So I am providing these videos strictly on an as is basis with no guarantees that this will work for you. I urge everyone to watch someone else do it in person first and to read up on it before ever attempting on your own. For those who already know what they are doing, I'm just sharing with you how I do this for Kili.

I've started rewarding her for each nail cut to try to mitigate the stress of getting nails trimmed. I used oatmeal which is one of her favorite treats. Also some older videos below that showed budgie nail trimming and parrot beak filing.

[pchela]

Why do you trim her beak?

I have a terrible time trimming Pippins nails. It used to be quite easy but he's decided that he's now terrified of the clippers.

[Michael]

Same reason I trim her nails. The growth rate exceeds the trim rate. Perhaps it would reach equilibrium but at a longer length (sharper bite). She doesn't mind the beak filing at all and even seems to like it. She's not too thrilled about the nails though which is why I try to reward it. She just isn't a very big chewer/climber so those parts don't get enough wear. I give her plenty of toys and things to do but she doesn't do enough I guess.

Whenever I took her to get her nails trimmed, the lady would skillfully clip her beak as well and that would last much longer. I don't dare to cut it so I just file it back a bit every few days to a week.

When I cut her nails for the video today (which BTW was my first time on her. I've only done budgie before that or filing for her but not cutting) I hit blood once while cutting and it was on the hallux. I didn't cut much from each nail so it didn't result in bleeding as I played it safe. The hallux is just such a short nail that it's hard to get anything cut without going too far. It must have barely nicked it though cause I didn't even notice it bleeding till a few minutes later when she got a drop of blood on my hand. The second bleeding was when I tried to go a bit farther by filing after cutting. I just hit blood on a different nail with the file and saw a little bit of blood on the file. I'm betting hitting blood while filing is less bad then while cutting because that is just the tip of the nail and its easy to stop before making the cut wider. I used a little quick stop and wasn't a problem at all.

It's such a relief now that her nails are blunter again. The woman I take her to get trimmed at somehow cuts more off and the nails come out shorter/blunter. I don't know how she gets so much off without causing bleeding cause when I do it, I seem to hit blood without going very far. It could just be that I am kind of cheap about going so I really wait till the nails are really longer when taking there but as I did it myself I didn't wait till they got that long.

Oh and something I'm curious about. Does anyone know if you clip a nail which results in bleeding and use quick stop to clot the bleeding, how easily can the nail start bleeding again? After a few hours, is it good as solid nail or is it possible that the clot break off (like a scab) and result in bleeding again? People talk about parrots bleeding to death from these kinds of things. Do they really have no natural form of anticoagulant?

[pchela]

I've always heard that there is no reason to file a beak. Pippins doesn't grow too fast but he is also a big chewer. He chews on everything he can get his beak on so I'm sure that makes a big difference. In any case, they are supposed to wear down their own beaks naturally through chewing and climbing but I guess if Kili won't chew, what are you gonna do?

Do you have any tips for positive reinforcement that doesn't involve food? Pippin just doesn't respond to food as a reward. I've tried first thing in the morning before he's eaten anything and still no interest. I allow them to graze all day so maybe that's why but I do need something that can be a reward or I'll never be able to train him.

Parrots will clot and form scabs. I've seen many scabbed over wounds working at the pet shop. I think it's just because they are so small, they just can't lose very much blood before it becomes detrimental to their health. A shallow cut on the toenail should be fine after a few minutes. A deep cut (for instance the stupid woman who cut her cockatiels nails down to the quick) can keep reopening and bleeding for a long time.

[Michael]

Just keep in mind that positive reinforcement isn't food, it's anything the parrot perceives in a favorable manner. The trouble is, most other positives are not so easily quantifiable. Getting to come out of cage or to go back to cage (when tired) is a good reward but you only get to do it once. I usually demand by parrot say hello before I take her out so at least hello is being positively reinforced by getting to come out. Praise, petting, and attention are iffy. If the parrot LIKES YOU and wants those, they may work to some degree. The reason they aren't ideal and why I advocate food (particularly in basic training/taming) is because the parrot will accept food from ANYONE and almost any time so it is controllable.

It is possible to condition a secondary or conditioned reinforcement where the parrot perceives something valuable that doesn't necessarily have value. Clicks from a clicker are a great example. If you combine some kind of reinforcement with food for a long time and start removing the food, the secondary reinforcement may retain its value.

[skeetersunconure]

). She doesn't mind the beak filing at all and even seems to like it. She's not too thrilled about the nails though which is why I try to reward it.

how did you get her to like beak iling because my bird really needs to have it done and i would like for him to be comfortable with it?

[Michael]

Get it done by a professional. Anyone that needs to ask how to do it, isn't qualified to do it. I don't mind exchanging techniques with people who have already safely done it on their own in the past but I do not recommend anyone to do it until they've been taught by someone in person.

By the way, I do think that every parrot owner should learn about how it should be done and have all the necessary tools available just in case. Everyone should have quick stop, sharp scissors, a file, and know how it should look in case there is an emergency. Another reason it is good to learn about it is to make sure the "professional" is doing it right. There are some people out there who don't really do it right either so if you know what it should be like you can double check to make sure they are doing it correctly. However, I don't think anyone should do it just from the book or video. Seeing it done in person (plus all the reading, etc) is the bare minimum to do it yourself. It's not impossibly difficult but the risk/consequences of doing it wrong can be quite severe. There are many other good reasons for having someone else do it as well.

[lzver]

Anytime I've had Lucy and Jessie to the vet and ask for their nails to be trimmed, they always say they are a good length. I think in the 4 years we've had them, they have been trimmed maybe 3 or 4 times. I keep a variety of perches in their cages - 1 cement and 1 sand and they seem to keep their nails at a good length.

As for beak trimming, it is never a problem with Lucy. She LOVES chewing wood and maintains her beak that way. Jessie isn't as big a chewer and he's had his beak maintained once. I think he's due again.

Nail and beak trimming and clipping of the wings is always done by our certified avian vet. I don't know enough to do it myself and I'm too afraid of hurting them.

[skeetersunconure]

i do know how to do it right and have done it before but what i need to know is how to get him more comfortable with him being on his back like that while i do it

[pchela]

While I think it's fine for people to do their birds wings and nails when properly trained, I do not think anybody should mess with their birds beak. First of all, they should never need to be trimmed. They should be chewing on enough wood toys etc to keep it down themselves. The only times their beak should require trimming is in cases of overgrowth or deformity due to disease or past injury etc. It is so easy for the beak to be injured by somebody drilling or filing on it. I just don't think it's worth the risk. (sorry Michael)