Trimming Nails

[miajag]

My bird has several wood toys, perches, etc. but never chews on them. I've had to file her beak down a couple times since I got her, and she's not a huge fan of having it done but she tolerates it and it doesn't seem painful. I just do it with an emery board using the technique Michael has posted videos of.

[Michael]

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)

Did you see my video/explanation of how I do it? Mostly I'm just scratching away old beak cause Kili really likes that. It probably gets itchy like getting new skin for us or something and it's hard for them to get it. Secondly, I run about 10 strokes of the file back and forth to blunt the tip. I give her lots of toys but she doesn't chew enough to stop the growth. I've talked to people about it and they said it's ok to file a bit the way I do. I never cut or power grind the beak ever.

[pchela]

I didn't watch the video before but now that I've seen it I'd say what you are doing is harmless. I'm thinking of people who aggressively file or worse, dremel/drill their birds beaks. What you are doing isn't any more harmful than the natural chewing they do on wood.

[Michael]

I didn't watch the video before but now that I've seen it I'd say what you are doing is harmless. I'm thinking of people who aggressively file or worse, dremel/drill their birds beaks. What you are doing isn't any more harmful than the natural chewing they do on wood.

Exactly! Sheesh, got worked up for nothing.

[pchela]

I was just looking for a reason to get mad! Grrr!

You remember the incident at my work I told you about where the lady cut her birds nails all the way to the top? I've also seen a couple of beak injuries that could have been avoided so I do get a bit overly protective of the birds when it comes to those things. Sorry!

[Michael]

I thought since it was the intro to the topic that it was a given that people would have seen it first. You should know that I advise most people not to trim their birds themselves either for the same reasons.

[Java]

Well, I tried to trim Java's nails and forget about it. I did one toe and he screamed like I was killing him (no I did not cut too far) and I cannot get anybody to hold him, he bites everybody else, so for now, I am going to put some sandpaper on ONE OF HIS perches so that maybe it will shave it down. It will not be on all perches so he won't be forced to stand on sandpaper, so please don't scream at me. LOL.

My bird is also not a huge chewer and he is always rubbing his beak on the perches, so maybe that will help it not grow too long. His wings, they can wait. I am not in any hurry to cut them.

[Java]

I didn't watch the video before but now that I've seen it I'd say what you are doing is harmless. I'm thinking of people who aggressively file or worse, dremel/drill their birds beaks. What you are doing isn't any more harmful than the natural chewing they do on wood.

Who the heck would put an tool like a dremel or drill to their bird's beak? Wow, that is nuts. One slip is all it could take to hurt/kill the poor bird. Sick people in this world.

[Michael]

Well if you're trying to trim/file a Macaw's beak or nails, it could take a whole year with a little hand file like I did for Kili in my video.

[pchela]

We did have to use a dremel for Macaws and actually anything African Grey sized and larger at the store (for nails). We never did beaks though. People would ask us to and we always referred them to a vet for that.

When the Timneh I had for a while needed her beak corrected the vet had to use a dremel and I had to watch... it was awful. The poor bird looked terrified. In her case, it was necessary to avoid scissor beak but in a normal case, I don't see any reason at all to put a bird through that, even at the vets.