Naturally Trimming Nails

[jagrooten5]

Hello! I just got finished Trimming my parrot's nails and it seems to be a success! Yay me!
However her nails are still too long. I didn't trim much because I would hate if I hurt her.
I intend to get them to a better length (her toes can't rest in the ground properly, they curve up when she walks) but after that I would like to never have to trim them again.
My question is, are there techniques to keeping a bird's nails short naturally?
I know in the wild there are no vets to trim nails, so they do it naturally... But how?
And is there a method of doing his in captivity?

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[Kyoto]

I also have a bird who has nails that like to grow. She goes to my avian vet every season for a trim.

I find the only thing that has helped a bit was using all natural branch perches, but its a minimal difference...some just always need those nail trims! I would suggest doing what I do and letting the vet be the "bad guy" - its not too expensive ($25 every 3 months for me) and its worth every penny for me to not have to stress about hitting a quick or cutting too short.

 

[jagrooten5]

Yeah I would be more inclined to take her to the vet every time (and have) but the only avian vet is an hour away. Easier to do it myself. I only take nips off the ends and she forgives me right after as long as I have the orange juice handy
I'll definitely look into getting all natural perches. I'm just scared to death to give her wood that is poisonous because I don't know how to identify trees

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[LeaKP]

I use a small pet nail trimmer, kind of like a dremmel but smaller, safer. Every couple of weeks I trim a nail or two.

 

[Kyoto]

I actually usually get them from stores like mysafebirdstore and a local place in Halifax NS called Healthybird!

As for the drive, that sucks... we drive about 20 mins now for the vet, since the vet that was 5 mins away has stopped seeing birds. Its inconvenient but I don't mind where its only a few times a year. Plus I like knowing that if anything seems off with her he will notice

 

[jagrooten5]

I have a pair of cuticle trimmers that are hella sharp that I used tonight and as long as I keep her eyes covered up she is fine with the trimming. I just hate doing it because it stresses her out a bit. Over time I am convinced she will get used to it though.
Our avian vet is really more of an exotics vet, not very thorough. Not really worth the drive. When I saw that the employees at a local pet store were trimming I was like okay, I can definitely do this!

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[wrench13]

I introduced a cement perch for Salty's sleeping perch - the kind made from cement and sand, and it has all sorts of little holes in it, like a churro. It took a few months but it brought his nail length down, almost too much. My vet advised me to put it in for a few days a month to keep them at the right length and sharpness.

 

[GaleriaGila]

I really recommend getting those nail-trimming perches... they can eliminate nail-trimming, which was always so stressful for me and the Rb. It took a few years, but I eventually established a pattern/rotation that keeps him trimmed. I haven't had to do his nails in 20-plus years. I keep a dowel as the main "highway" down the middle of the cage, but the special cement/trimmer/textured perches are all over.
A few brands... but there are many: Polly's Sand Walk... Pumice Perch... Trimmer Perch...
Be sure to introduce them gradually: they're abrasive to their tender feet at first. I LOVE them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[PrimorandMoxi]

My 30 year old RLA lets me do her nails with a nail clipper and I just take off the pointy tip.

I have only had her for two years and she is super bonded to me
but this is not something that I taught her.
I think her first owner a teenage girl at the time taught her to do this and now I am reaping the benefits of a well trained birdy.

once I trimmed more than the tip and her grip was not as strong.
I remember seeing an image once of how a parrots toes are not flat on a flat surface if the nail is the proper length or did I make this up?

 

[khaiqha]

I must be lucky because my bird does his own claws. He has a cement perch but every now and then one claw will get too long. I wiggle that claw and he understands, and chews just the tip of the claw off until it is the right length again.

 

[jagrooten5]

Thanks everyone for your input!
I have a therapeutic perch but it isn't very effective and she doesn't stand on it yet. She is an incurable wall Walker and barely touched the perches I put in her cage for her to climb around on.
I have a hook-up with a guy who is a wood worker and I'm going to ask him to get me some bird safe sticks to make some natural perches with nonetheless.
You are lucky to have a bird who trims his own nails! I'm jealous!
Lily would never let me come near her with clippers unless she is restrained

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[wrench13]

Like I said, my vet told me the cement perch was doing too good a job, and Saltys claws were too short. So now I rotate them. Plus he sleeps on his cement perch so it works rather quickly. But I think I could get Salty to hold his foot out for a trim, if he needed one - he already holds it out to shake hands.

 

[khaiqha]

Yeah, my bird trims his own beak too. If the tip gets a little long, he chews on the cement perch and files it down.

The flip side is though, he chews his tail feathers off =/. He's perfectly healthy, and has chewed his tail since he was a baby. He does it when it gets too long (alexandrine) and it gets in the way of things. I've had to just make peace i'm never gonna have an alex with a long tail.