Grooming question...

[Nailrep]

My hubby to Elvis to be groomed yesterday (nails, wings clipped, and his beak dremmeled). He hasn't acted right since he got home. He's very quiet and unusually sweet and submissive. Even today, he's quiet and subdued.

For anyone who has a loud bird, one would think this is a bessing of sorts. But I get concerned. I think his feet might be a bit sore and he's a touch off balance from the shorter length. He seems to be favoring his beak a bit too.

Who here gets the same reaction from your birds? Do you guys dremmel your birds beaks?

 

[southernbirds]

Well, I would think it is somewhat traumatic for them at the time so they would react this way. The only thing I would add is that if they towel the bird, I would bring my own clean towel so as not to have cross contamination. I would do this even if it were at the Vets. Did you take him to an Avian Vet or to a groomer of birds?

 

[Nailrep]

A lady who owns a parrot supply store. We are pretty good friends and I know most of the birds who come there. Having said that, I see your point about the toweling. We don't have to towel either of our birds, but they HATE being groomed - honking like a goose...pitiful!! But they are not aggressive, so no towel.

 

[ilikebirds]

When Neo Meyer went for his checkup, his feelbads were sore for a few days. They did his toes, but the vet needed a blood sample, so she took it from the toe, and his tootsies were tender after. Instead of taking home a chipper playful baby Neo, he was quiet and reserved, and I felt horrible. Maybe they got close to your birdees quick.
And I dont use the dremol, but our Mitred conure suffered a stroke, and his beak needs grooming every 6 weeks. We have had him for only 2 weeks, so I dont know what his reaction will be.Not looking forward to it.

 

[Nailrep]

How can you groom a beak without the dremmel? Thanks

 

[Holiday]

Aw poor little guy.

I provide pediperches for my Elvis, and she keeps her own nails and beak in shape. I don't think she'd react well to being groomed....

 

[Nailrep]

Maybe I'll try that. I feel sorry for him.

 

[Nailrep]

Where can you get a pediperch??

 

[atvchick95]

if the beak is not over grown it doesn't need anything done.

I use Pedi perches and or swings made of the same matieral(most pet shops have them)

I've only had to trim nails of birds who I got with already over grown nails, I've never had to trim them after trimming when they got here.. i've never had to trim a beak with the exception of Scar Face who crashed into a covered window on his first trip out of the cage/nest when he was a month old.... He's now a little over 1,and it has to be trimmed every few months, but he's a budgie and we just use Nail clippers and a nail file . Vet showed us how to do it

and we clip our own wings. and none of our birds give a hoot about it being done they go right back to what they were doing Including being loud when we're done. my guess is because they're used to it....... but even the newbies go right back to what they were doing before hand.

P.s. a beak trim should only be done by a very experienced person.

 

[JLcribber]

Large parrots have a hard time keeping nails and beaks in shape just because of their sheer size and lack of space. When they fly at full speed and then land they must grab much tighter and there is an impact. They don't have the room to do that in a house.

A full grooming like that is a heck of a workout because of all the struggling and they really aren't in that great of shape (again) in a cage in a house. Not much different than somebody out of shape going to the gym for a killer workout. They are pretty sore and stiff for quite a few days after.

 

[southernbirds]

You always have great answers, John. That makes allot of sense.

 

[Welshanne]

Doing one thing at a time is a big thing to your bird.
Doing the lot is traumatic to say the least.
the bird should be allowed to wear down its beak by natural means on wood and of course the hard rough stone perch that should help a lot. It also helps to wear down the claws.
Your bird needs a lot of TLC and will eventually regain his confidence in you.

 

[southernbirds]

That is also true Anne...some children get their vaccinations in stages as it is too much sometimes for the body to process all that medication at once. Moderation works well in most situations Most of the time when I have to groom my pets I stagger the interactions. Animals can get on overload also, and we should be mindful of their feelings. We have taken to do more things ourselves. I worry now about (esp the birds) catching illnesses and virus' from other birds. My friend took her bird into a very reputable place to have its wings clipped years ago and the bird came down with some illness and died a few days later. She thinks it was the towel they used. That is why,even when you get a manicure..bring your own equipment. I am passed worrying about what others think of MY behavior. I know better about I think is right at this stage of the game

 

[Welshanne]

That is the upside of me getting older, I do not care what anyone thinks of me either! It has usually taken me this long to figure something out, so why just do it differently to please someone else, if it works better your way?

 

[Beatriz Cazeneuve]

I do not believe in grooming birds unless there is a medical reason for it so I only trim nails or beaks if they are super overgrown when they first come to me or, in a regular basis, only if there is a beak deformity that impairs the natural wearing down through chewing. I think it's unnatural and very traumatic for them. Plus I think it's completely unnecessary and something created by the bird industry just as a way of getting steady money from bird owners. My birds do have uncomfortably sharp claws but they need them to perch in branches and their safety and comfort come before mine so that's the way it has to be.

But, if I did groom any of them, I would use a vet.

 

[saroj12]

my vet does not believe in messing with the beak unless medically necessary. I trim the nails of my big guys myself. The three little guys...it stresses us all out because they are so fragile. So I rarely trim their nails.

 

[Holiday]

Where can you get a pediperch??

Here's a selection from TLA's store:

Pedicure Perches

If you use pediperches, you do need to monitor the wear on the footpads, but Elvis has been just fine so far. And her beakie and feet look wonderful.

 

[Kathy]

I wonder what size pedicure perch a Congo Grey would need?

 

[JLcribber]

That is the upside of me getting older, I do not care what anyone thinks of me either! It has usually taken me this long to figure something out, so why just do it differently to please someone else, if it works better your way?

Yup. Nothing like a "long" education from the school of hard knocks!!!