Nail Clipping

[aviv]

Hi Everybody!

About 10 days ago I received my new Congo Grey.
He's 3 months old, hand-fed, pretty used to touching and such.
I just started target-training him.
He's walking very slowly on the play-top of the cage, looks very insecure, but he's definitely catching up.
When I'm asking him to step up to my hand, he comes up- but he usually insists on climbing my hand all the way to my shoulder.
Now, this guy have long nails... My hands are all bruised by his nail
I called the breeder, and he said that he didn't clip the nails, he just did some filing on the nail-edges.
He also said that the grey is holding my arm very strong with his nails, as he feels insecure now, and in time, the grey will losen up his grip, which will lead to not feeling his nails.
The breeder also said he doesnt recommend to clip the nails.

I wanted to ask-
should I go to a vet or so to clip his nails?
I mean- if the parrot is better off with the longer nails, and if indeed his grip of my arm will losen up (which will lead to less bruises)-
I can wait.

I'd love to get your advice!

Thanks!

[Michael]

Baby Greys tend to be really clumsy and fall a lot, especially when clipped. So if it is at all possible, keeping the talons long is advisable. If you know what you are doing, you can cut just the tips (like 1/4-1/2 a normal trim) or file them. If you haven't done it before on a parrot, don't attempt it yourself for sure. Get someone who knows what they are doing to do it. When my Cape was a baby he came with a fresh trim and he was falling down all the time. Heck when they grew back he was still falling down. But it helps some as does not clipping the wings.

[liz]

I took Rambo and Myrtle to the vet to get trimed. He filed Rambo's too close to suit me. I only had the tips filed off Myrtles. Poor Rambo could not even hold on to my shoulder. Myrtle was able to and removing the tips saved on my shoulder.

My cats take baths without a problem because they got baths when they were kittens. Since your bird is so young you can try using a rough emery board. Just do 3 swipes on each nail. If it is not enough you can do it again the next day.

I use a fine emery board for my tiels.

[dohcsvt]

I would agree, a couple of passes with an emery board. I clip my conures, but I did it to close once and felt very bad. Stan didn't seem to mind it too much, but I did.

[QuackQuack]

I need to find a vet that will trim my baby's nails because he possesses some raptor talons now I can't bring myself to burrito him in a towel and clip (he wouldn't tolerate and emery board; he would take it from me and throw it in my face

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I've had good luck with both my birds keeping their nails at a reasonable level using the safety pumice perches. Each has one perch with a smooth top and rough sides in the cage -- and plenty of other perching surfaces as well. Neither has needed a trim since I installed them, although they do wear out after about a year.

[Michael]

Does it make their feet sore though?

[entrancedbymyGCC]

No, the smooth top ones don't -- the whole point of them is that the weight-bearing surface is against smooth material, only where the nails wrap around and contact the perch is it rough. So far I've had no problems with irritation. I think you have to get the size right, though, if the perch is too small, the foot will wrap around and skin will hit too much of the sandy surface.

[Michael]

This may keep them short, but does it keep them from getting sharp? Dunno if you've had the pleasure of experiencing a Cape Parrot throwing himself upside down off your hand gripping entirely by a single talon sunk into your pinky...