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vid of a women showing a new owner how to 'handle' her grey


james_uk

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ya so do i haha, although i had gah forget their breed name, they were size of chickens and never flew further than my parents roof and around the garden, they were soo much fun, but yes they sure defended their nests, took a few pecks in my day.

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Regarding the video, I watched it for the third time. I'm sorry if many feel this was abusive, etc. This video is a typical trim for a grey. Well done. The bird was " never hyperventilating", as some think. An initial protest! This a typical video, of how birds are trimmed. It would be interesting, to find a video, that followed up on this bird. I bet, he is doing just fine. Nancy

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This video is a typical trim for a grey. Well done.

 

I hate to keep harping on this....but if I'm annoying enough, it might get through. :)

 

It does NOT have to be like this. Here's an example of a young grey learning to have his feet touched (in prep for trimming):

 

And a macaw who formerly had aversive experiences with grooming now accepting the dremel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ly1eKiVNCs

 

Please note the difference in bird body language. Both Barbara and Lara are excellent trainers. I was also taught the same technique by Steve Martin at Natural Encounters.

 

A bad grooming experience can last a lifetime for a sensitive bird like a Grey. If the parrot community starts accepting the heavy handed treatment as the "norm," we take a huge step back in learning how to deal with parrot behavior, etc.

 

OK. I'll try to be silent on the subject now since I've annoyed everyone enough already...but this kind of thing hits me pretty hard.

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I hate to keep harping on this....but if I'm annoying enough, it might get through. :)

 

It does NOT have to be like this. Here's an example of a young grey learning to have his feet touched (in prep for trimming):

 

And a macaw who formerly had aversive experiences with grooming now accepting the dremel: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ly1eKiVNCs

 

Please note the difference in bird body language. Both Barbara and Lara are excellent trainers. I was also taught the same technique by Steve Martin at Natural Encounters.

 

A bad grooming experience can last a lifetime for a sensitive bird like a Grey. If the parrot community starts accepting the heavy handed treatment as the "norm," we take a huge step back in learning how to deal with parrot behavior, etc.

 

OK. I'll try to be silent on the subject now since I've annoyed everyone enough already...but this kind of thing hits me pretty hard.

Everything you've stated is correct. Your very knowledgeable on many avian subjects with good solid backing, this is what the Grey Forums is all about.. Thanks Jay and Maggie

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Sarasota and Jayd... you are certainly NOT annoying anyone. Here is my issue. ( we are discussing....) When my birds go to get trimmed, they are excited, wag their tails. They stepup immediately to my groomer, as they trust him. They leave happy.

When Sunny was diagnosed as being under weight, I was invited to go into my trimmer's world.( in the back). I don't think alot of people are allowed to go there. He wanted to show me Sunny's ribcage, and how he needed to gain weight. I was shown a world, that probably few parents see, since they will be upset. They are towled by two people working together. I was invited in the back, because my trimmer felt I could handle how birds are trimmed. This is how it is done! Offering treats beforehand, is fine to develop the trust as demonstrated by the video.Trimming IS done by toweling, and done by two people.We complain how it is abusive, but how do you all think it is done? Nancy

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Hi, Maggie and Jay here. Most of us do our own trimming/clipping and nail trimming, it's just part of having a parrot, because of this, toweling isn't always necessary but

is used when it is needed. A lot of people will introduce a emery board to there parrot and when the parrot is in the cage they will slide the board lightly across the nails while the parrot is holding on to the perch or cage bars, as time goes on you can finger perch and file them, no stress... Beaks are never trimmed unless because of deformities or broken.The beak is much to sensitive piece of the bird anatomy to disturb. Thanks Maggie and Jay

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I agree proper towelling is not abuse. I do trim my own nails in the shower since he knows he gets to gulp some water for his reward but...when he goes in for his yearly exam he gets towelled and i remember the first time he screamed murder, went today for his blood work and exam and first 10 seconds he growled and then tried barking like my dogto see if she'd let go, we all laughed and he calmed down was he having fun? probably not. haha i find even hes getting better with strangers. her towelling in that video was not my issue at all, she did it fast, first vet visit with my first "avian" vet she ran after him all over the room now that is stressful but it was my first time and i was a newbie and knew nothing, def last time he went there though.

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I should have mentioned this earlier, this is just our feelings on this matter. We don't believe in clipping/trimming except in a medical emergency or some such reason. This is a decision that's up to each person and we all should respect it even if we don't agree. Thanks Maggie and Jay

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of course! I respect anyone who respects their pets and treats them with the best care they can. I know we all love our Greys and other pets. does that mean you don't trim your Greys nails? or don't take them for a yearly vet exam? they do blood work every 2 years making sure he's tip top shape. little comfort for me but costs $200 though.

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Beaks are never trimmed unless because of deformities or broken.The beak is much to sensitive piece of the bird anatomy to disturb. Thanks Maggie and Jay

 

Absolutely true! but it's too bad that people believe what their 'professionals' say their bird needs to have done. Filing down a beak only causes it to grow longer in a relatively short amount time.. I don't need a vet or tech to tell me that. I've seen it for years. Lots of problems can happen with constantly filed down or trimmed beaks.

Edited by Dave007
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Sounds like a long standing ploy for groomers to get more work....they keep filing, beak keeps growing. So sad. I have heard people talk of beak trimming, my breeder/friend is absolutely against it also. Makes good sense.

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Absolutely true! but it's too bad that people believe what their 'professionals' say their bird needs to have done. Filing down a beak only causes it to grow longer in a relatively short amount time.. I don't need a vet or tech to tell me that. I've seen it for years. Lots of problems can happen with constantly filed down or trimmed beaks.

 

Same thought on this here. :)

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Yikes! Again, thanks for the info. When I first got Timber I took him to the vet the first day. She trimmed his feet with a dremel (his nails where so long they impaired his mobility a bit) and blunted the needle sharp point on his beak. Not much mind you, but she did that at my request. That was when his goal in life was to stick that beak in my flesh and it was razor sharp. I didn't know that you shouldn't do that until I read this post. She did say she was just going to blunt the tip a little so hopefully no harm done. I have a concrete perch in his cage that he usually sleeps on now, so hopefully the nails will take care of themselves (no noticeable growth so far). Now that he is used to us, the beak shouldn't be an issue either.

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never had my avian vet ever tell me to trim the beak. my grey is not a wood chewer so most any vet has done was clean up the peeling outer layer. they always told me his beak was perfect length somehow he finds his way of trimming his own beak

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.....but costs $200 though.

 

Holy moly! I'm moving to your neck of the woods. My toucans are At LEAST $400 for the annual check up, the parrots can be even more. Welcome to Los Angeles!

 

My friend is a first time grey owner. She bought from a local pet shop and then came to me with a bunch of questions. The store/groomer insisted that the wings, beaks (including the inside the mandible) and toes need to be done once a month.

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I take my gang in for beak trimming and wing clipping twice a year. Beaks... I have never noticed changed. Wings... annoying feathers they haven't taken care of. Nails... Kiki is the only lazy bird, who doesn't trim them well enough. Last visit to groomer, Sophie didn't have excellent flight feathers on her right side. Be careful. Nancy

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