Nail clipping question

[kissybird7814]

I'm a new member so please bear with me. I think my sun might need a nail clip but I'm not sure. I've done nail trims on everything from dogs to bunnies with reptiles in between(I've volunteered at pet stores and spca's) but never birds. I have styptic powder on hand and also plan on only taking off the bare minimum as I know birds need and use their nails. Question is when do conures need trimmed and also if I do trim them at home how do I without ruining their trust? My bird will let me do ANYTHING to him/her now and I'd like to keep it that way. I know a vet is the best option but there is none in my area. The vets here claim to take avian and exotics but word of mouth and other reviews leave me skeptical. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Mare Miller]

I have two cockatoos, I've never tried to clip my Sassy goffins nails,,,yet.
Amigo, our U2, loves being handled and if your bird doesn't mind either, then you shouldn't have a problem. Start with holding the foot, small nips, all the way around. Then small nips, all the way around, again. If you can keep your bird from snatching the clippers away from you, you're good.

 

[Didomum]

Some birds are easy some are not. I have a near by breeder that does my birds when needed along with wings and beaks. If she not around then my hubby olds the bird while I clip that way he's getting bit not me lol. And we only do it we notices that they are curling to much.

 

[MaraWentz]

How do you know how short to trim? I cut mine last night sort of. She had a clipping a month ago and the groomer cut wait too far and blood gushed everywhere and she laughed it off, saying they wont bleed to death, etc, so the only groomer around I stopped using
-__- They're starting to get sharp again SO I started with clippers, clipped just a smidge off, like the mere tip and I ended up clipping her wick which bled for maybe 2 seconds lightly. Then we switched to a low powered dremel- that I use on my nails and that has helped alot, but they're still a wee bit sharp, but she doesnt like the vibration of the dremel, so I dont want to do that for a while. What can I do?

 

[dishgal1]

Even the slightest tip clipped can bleed ....I WIll never do it myself again.

 

[friedsoup]

Well if you keep up with it you should never have to trim more than 1/8 of an in and most of the time all I do is tip the nails when I can feel them through my shirt or when he step-up and I can feel them digging in.

 

[Didomum]

Birds claws are ment to be sharp. You should not need to do them very often at all. Over trimmed claws beaks and wings are not good for the bird. The claws may not feel good to us but something's we must live with if we want them to perch on us.

 

[Spiritbird]

For sure our birds need sharp nails for many reasons. I have trained Rose to let me just file the very tip so it does not cut me. That is the extent of nail care here.

 

[kissybird7814]

Thanks everyone for the info. I decided to just file them instead as they really aren't that long anyway. That and I'm a big ole chicken and I don't want to take a chance on hurting Cricket.