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Do you cut your own bird's nails?

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waterfaller1

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Weird...could have sworn I replied to this thread...:shrug:
 

Begone

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I filing Eloy nails every 14 days. He don't mind. :) I do it so often so it goes really fast on every nail, and after one nail Eloy gets candy.
But if I need to hold him and cut them I rather prefer to visit the Vet. And I'm a farrier... ^^ :p
 

Sapphire Moon

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I have a breeder friend who comes down and does my whole flock at once. I also have 4 of his birds living with me right now. So that makes 13. He will also do wings if I need it done but for now I have not had to do this except for my devil bird Nico that wants to rip my face off. He is usually very busy for the better part of an hour.
 

zoo mom

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I do not do my birds nails myself. I had a budgie many years ago when I was in my early 20's. He died in my hands while I was trimming his nails. I assume I squeezed him too tight. It was almost 18 yrs before I got another bird. And I cannot bring myself to do nails.
 

Lady Jane

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I trained Rosie so that she tolerated toe nail trims with a metal nail file. She is actually lifting her foot now for the filing. She is an amazing bird. I started out by showing her the file and playing with it then on to doing just one toe. Eventually it was both feet.
 

sthiele

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I worked for a vet, years ago, and clipping dog's nails was tricky. You can clip too short and draw blood. I believe you can do the same with birds, correct? Therefore, filing may be a preferable method?
Right, you can clip too short and draw blood. That is why I only use clippers on the budgies, because they have white nails and I can see the quick.
 

Anne & Gang

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I do not do my birds nails myself. I had a budgie many years ago when I was in my early 20's. He died in my hands while I was trimming his nails. I assume I squeezed him too tight. It was almost 18 yrs before I got another bird. And I cannot bring myself to do nails.
so sorry this happened to you...:hug8:
 

Anne & Gang

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The little budgies have never bbeen done..they have pedi perches in their cages and never need it. We do Baby Boy Blues nails with no fuss or muss..Maxwell has only two nails and we occasionally clip the tip off as they tend to grow into his foot. and Sam well forget that...we do it only when we feel like getting bitten and nearly killed. Mitch has never had it done and never will have it done..her nails are short as she is a wall walker.
 

tozie12

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He's funny how he will chew at his nails when he is nervous, Beth, but he doesn't chew them down. I haven't seen him do this, yet.
caleb didnt trim his at first, i think he was waiting for me to do it. once it became obvious i wasnt going to, he started trimming his own. in the time while i was waiting for him to do it, i would knock the tips off to stop them from cutting me, but that's all. but none of my birds keep their nails as short as a vet would. marley and caleb each had nails that curled in quite tightly, over the last 6 months or so, they have 'trained' those nails to grow straighter... somehow.
 

Chantilly Lace

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We started doing it here because it stressed them out so much at the vet. It is getting easier...none of mine will tolerate it without being toweled, but it is still less traumatic than the vet. Plus you don't expose them to more "stuff" than absolutely necessary. I would never use a pet store...who knows if they know what they are doing.
 
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