Zaf's tip snip today (poor Zaf :'[)

[plax]

It was time to snip off the tip of Zaf's beak today.

You may remember that I mentioned I have to snip his upper beak periodically since he's afraid of wood chunks so won't keep his beak tip in check by himself. As a result, it just grows and grows! If I let it go for too long he'll accidentally break it off during play and it then becomes a bleeding risk - especially if I don't immediately notice he's cracked it off. But that's not to say it doesn't bleed sometimes when I snip it for him. When I snip it, though, it's a clean cut and I'm always ready at hand with corn starch and styptic powder (if need be).

Well, it bled a bit this time. Although when this happens I quickly stop the bleeding and have the awareness that I'm keeping him quite safe, it still breaks my heart to a point . After I'd stopped the bleeding I snapped a few photos of his snipped beak... well, toward the end of the brief photo session I noticed through the camera's lens that Zaf's beak tip had started to bleed again . Needless to say it was the last photo I took - I applied styptic powder again and all was well. Zaf of course took it all like a trooper .

Here are the photos (note the drop of blood on the last one)...

 

[MeganMango]

Every time I see him I just cant get over how gentle his face is. Ive always been a bit nervous of macaws, but I dont think I would be even the slightest bit worried about Zaf. I may need to add a hyacinth to my home.

 

[aliray]

WOW that looked like a good sized piece. I can see why you have to trim it. however better you than me.. Extra nuts for Zaf. tonight but this time maybe you could take the shell off

 

[JerseyWendy]

AAAAWWWW!!!! You are SUCH a good papa, Tony, please don't feel bad. Zaf IS a trooper, and he knows you meant him no harm.

I find it SO incredible, that he trusts you SO much to let you do to him as you please.

Yes, the drop of blood is visible in the last picture, but when I saw the amount of beak that needed trimming, I looked something like this -->

You did a phenomenal job shaping his beak!!! WOW!!! Beautiful, Tony, just beautiful!!!

 

[plax]

WOW that looked like a good sized piece. I can see why you have to trim it. however better you than me.. Extra nuts for Zaf. tonight but this time maybe you could take the shell off

Yep! I already gave him some unsalted cashews (one of his favorites)

 

[OOwl]

Aww, I hate doing that to my Amazon, too. She won't chew wood (other than balsa; I know, weird Amazon LOL), so I have to tip off the end about twice a year like that, too. Fortunately, hers never seems to bleed. Hope his beak isn't too sore and he feels better soon. He's a magnificent animal.

 

[plax]

AAAAWWWW!!!! You are SUCH a good papa, Tony, please don't feel bad. Zaf IS a trooper, and he knows you meant him no harm.

I find it SO incredible, that he trusts you SO much to let you do to him as you please.

Yes, the drop of blood is visible in the last picture, but when I saw the amount of beak that needed trimming, I looked something like this -->

You did a phenomenal job shaping his beak!!! WOW!!! Beautiful, Tony, just beautiful!!!

The drawback, though, is it's an ongoing requirement and I wait too long sometimes since I don't at all enjoy doing it. His lower beak is another matter. I trim that all the time for him

 

[plax]

Aww, I hate doing that to my Amazon, too. She won't chew wood (other than balsa; I know, weird Amazon LOL), so I have to tip off the end about twice a year like that, too. Fortunately, hers never seems to bleed. Hope his beak isn't too sore and he feels better soon. He's a magnificent animal.

Thank you. He's fine... he's actually been preening my shoulder with his new tip surface as I sit here typing. No more blood!

 

[SandyBee]

He is so beautiful as well as the rest of your flock.
That is such a big piece you have to break off, he must really love you and trust you.

 

[Featheredsamurai]

He's afraid of wood chucks! How funny! That's amazing you can do that, I would be afraid. I'm scared just cutting Rosie's nails.

You're such a good parront

 

[plax]

He's afraid of wood chucks! How funny! That's amazing you can do that, I would be afraid. I'm scared just cutting Rosie's nails.

You're such a good parront

When it's nail snipping time I just put him on the perch stand and he hands each foot to me. It's no sweat at all!

And thanks . I try to be his best friend... he sure is mine!!!

 

[wenz2712]

You have done a great job Tony Zaff must trust you 100% to let you near his beak without biting you

I think, if I even dared to attempt this with Codie, I would lose half my finger in the process :11:

 

[blackhawk007]

Wow Tony. I'm sure it takes a lot to get yourself to do with the possibility of bleeding. Zaf is such a great looking Hy. Having handled them ourselves we are very jealous of you.

 

[noblemacaw]

Aww..poor giant blue macaw! He is such a beautiful parrot I never get tired of looking at his pictures.

I use to have to clip off the tip of Mihijo, my Noble Macaw's beak. It would get really pointy and in play he could break it off and it bleeds. I use to use a toenail clipper (it has the straight clip instead of curved like a fingernail clipper) and snip off that long pointy edge. I was able to tell how far I could go because the extra without blood supply was always a darker color then would begin to show the horn color. As long as I didn't go above the dark part I never made him bleed. Even though no pain was involved Mihijo HATED to have it done. He would scream sounding just like a woman and I always felt bad having to trim his beak.

I was wondering if Zaffer would worry a stone block or rock or a sandy perch enough to help with the pointy beak part? Ummmm????

Copper, I also am very nervous clipping nails. Those black nails give me no clue as to where the quick is so instead I file then with with one of those metal diamond fine files you get at a beauty store. I had one for YEARS and used it to the point I wore down the metal on it to smoothness. Those glass fine files do not work on parrot nails. They wear out too quickly to smoothness. The only thing I found successful and hard enough but with a fine grade are those metal diamond nail files salons use. I wish I could find one that is wider than the normal nail file size.

 

[plax]

Wow Tony. I'm sure it takes a lot to get yourself to do with with with possibility of bleeding. Zaf is such a great looking Hy. Having handled them ourselves we are very jealous of you.

Thank you kindly, Steve

But don't be jealous! Ruthie is ABSOLUTELY Beautiful!

 

[plax]

Aww..poor giant blue macaw! He is such a beautiful parrot I never get tired of looking at his pictures.

Thanks . I never get tired of looking at him, either .

I use to have to clip off the tip of Mihijo, my Noble Macaw's beak. It would get really pointy and in play he could break it off and it bleeds. I use to use a toenail clipper (it has the straight clip instead of curved like a fingernail clipper) and snip off that long pointy edge. I was able to tell how far I could go because the extra without blood supply was always a darker color then would begin to show the horn color. As long as I didn't go above the dark part I never made him bleed. Even though no pain was involved Mihijo HATED to have it done. He would scream sounding just like a woman and I always felt bad having to trim his beak.

I was wondering if Zaffer would worry a stone block or rock or a sandy perch enough to help with the pointy beak part? Ummmm????

No, he won't grind his upper beak on anything. He'll only grind his lower beak on the stainless steel threaded shafts I've provided for him everywhere. That helps keep his lower beak down but I still have to trim it on a fairly frequent basis. Still, thanks for the suggestion

 

[BeakersBro]

I am glad Zaf is ok and maybe he can get back to doing his chicken flop dance soon

I wonder how long it takes for a beak to heal when it gets snipped?

 

[Cami]

What a gentle soul he is, you are so fortunate that you are able to trim his beak like that. I never tire looking at him. Gosh, he is truly beautiful.

 

[plax]

I am glad Zaf is ok and maybe he can get back to doing his chicken flop dance soon

HAHA! Thanks

I wonder how long it takes for a beak to heal when it gets snipped?

Usually within a day he's back to prying and scraping with it as usual. He accepts the process very well.

 

[sonja]

Aw, Zaf is such a brave little man.