Talon Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I took my 3 to the vets a couple of weeks ago for their yearly nail clipping. I won't do it myself. Their talons were like needles. Rikki of course was nervous as they all were, their was a new vet tech there. She held them in a towel around the neck like usual, Rikki kept blinking over and over cause she had blood tears! It was awful for me to see this happening to me sweet Rikki! I had just read about them in the last Bird Talk magazine so I knew what they were, but I was so upset....this never happened before. The vet knew I was distraught over it and kept trying to reassure me it happens, and this was nothing compared to a few he has coming in. He was quick to tell the vet vet tech to lighten up and not hold her so tightly cause it raises their blood pressure and this will happen. I was a bit angry that it happened, as it never has before, and felt horrible for Rikki. She was fine when she was done, but as usual, the excitement made them all very tired and quiet for the rest of the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLB Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Poor baby...rough experience for you both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Poor baby! I cant bear the thought of toweling them. I always did Garth with a Dremmel and never had to towel him and I have started Darwin as well, once a week and few zips across the nail keeps them blunt and he doesnt even flinch. I do it as he stands on a perch and I just lift each toe for a second to do it, 2 minutes later we're all done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I to read about the blood tears. I hope to never see them. When Jake came home his nails were sharp like needles. His table top play gym is made of thick grape vine topped with coconut shells cut in half. Between climbing up, down and over the play gym and a cement perch in front of his water dish his nails have dulled way down and I don't think I'll have to trim them at all. He really digs into the grape vine as he climbs and beats up toys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 That sounds like a truly horrible experience! So sorry you and Rikki had to go through that and relieved to hear she is fine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
judygram Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 That was traumatic for you both, I knew greys could do that but have never experienced it myself with Josey, I probably would have freaked out too but glad to hear she is fine now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 Thanks Judy and everyone. It still hurts and breaks my heart everytime I think of it. Poor Rikki was blinking away the tears so fast, and they were red falling from her face.....her eyes got so watery...I am going to buy a dremel and see if I can use it for a second or 2 on them as they are perched. I never want her to have to go thru that again. Although I have many types of perches that are supposed to help file their nails. After about a year, they all have needle like talons... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spock Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Hi, Maggie and Jay here... A safe alternative to a Dremel is a emery board..You can also use a diamond nail file, please remember to have Styptic power and check your trim for up to 8 hr's after for bleeding... Jay and Maggie.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) Talon, you might want to start with an emery board on an older bird. A dremel can be dangerous if you're not used to it or the birds try to bite it and cut their tongues. Darwin doesnt bother with it at all, neither did Garth or my GW, but all were started as babies. I find the dremel faster and easier but I do it every 7-10 days or so, so I am only ever blunting the tip and not really ever cutting much off so there is never a bleed. I literally only dremel the nail for a second or two. That said, I also was a professional groomer for 15 years and have a massive amount of experience on dogs and birds, having done my previous birds for many years (my dogs are still a bigger pain in the butt fornails than the birds ever were/are). If you decide on dremel you"ll need a small cordless one, the larger corded ones are awkward and the cord gets in the way. Set it to low and let the bird hear it for a few days without touching them, show it to them with it off and stroke the feet if you can. If you can get near them with it just do one toe and walk away for a day and then do another toe the next day. Work up to multiple toes slowly and as well as having styptic powder on hand (which you wont need if you're just blunting the tip), make sure you have lots of high value special treats. P.S. I hold the toe over the top and dremel from underneath so if they did try to bite it they get the back of my hand and not the spinning dremel. Edited September 3, 2012 by Darwinsmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 Mama, stick with a emery board please.........Jay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 Tried the emery board...think I will stick with the vet only when needed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 I cant imagine letting my bird go a year without having nails done, is there any way someone at home could help you towel them loosely? As in wrap them up and not squeeze the bejeezus out of them so that you could file them or use a dremel, more as a distraction rather than forceful restraint? Then if they tried to bite they would get a mouth of towel, no big deal. I would think part of the trauma is going too long between visits and having to actually cut a piece off, no? That cant be comfortable, its pressure and risk of bleeding/hitting nerve where as a slight touch with a file or dremel simply removes the sharp tip and if done regularly prevent the nails from growing to a length they need actual trimming. In 13 years Garth never needed his nails actually cut. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 My birds do a good job of wearing their nails down on all the different perches and play trees. On average, their nails seem to get pointy after 12-14 months. When they are like needles and leaving scratch marks on me from perching on my bare skin, do I have just the tips clipped. They do very well at the vets, and having to take them once a year helps in them in getti g used to the car ride,vet, office etc. they really don't seem to mind, but this time, I believe it was inexperience help that did it. I was the one most traumatized. They very much LOVE car rides. I tend to take Talon out for rides mostly as she enjoys it the most. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexispolicastro Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 Talon, other than cement perches which are the best thing ever, u could insist that u hold ur babies .. that's what I do.. do u have therapy or cement perches? They really do an amazing job.. I've never had to trim any of my birds nails.. I'm so sorry u and rikki went thru that... I don't think I would've been able to keep my cool with that vet tech... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 AH ok, I had visions of curled around claws after a year. If they take a while to get sharp you really could introduce a file, it just need to be done slowly using positive reinforcement. Do you know anything about target training? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayd Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Thanks Penny, a Dremel even in the hands of the experienced can take off a leg or cut a belly in a heart beat, wise choice, better safe the sorry...Dont laugh, this wii take off just the tip...http://www.alltvstuff.com/dog_nail_trimmer.html Thanks Jay Edited September 4, 2012 by Jayd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 (edited) Thanks Penny, a Dremel even in the hands of the experienced can take off a leg or cut a belly in a heart beat, wise choice, better safe the sorry...Dont laugh, this wii take off just the tip...http://www.alltvstuff.com/dog_nail_trimmer.html Thanks Jay ???????????????? Thats just ridiculous!!!! A dremel with a sanding band and drum, which is what you use when grinding nails, would not in a million years cut off a leg, it wouldnt cut anything, though it could cause a friction burn to a tongue. That product Jayd linked, btw, IS a cheap dremel with a plastic guard. It has the very same sanding drum I use on my regular dremel. The plastic guard is dangerous, its falls off, can trap the toe nail and pull it in and easily gets hair wound around it when grooming long haired dogs. Its a dangerous piece of garbage. My mother bought one for her dogs (why I have no idea since I have been grooming her dogs for 20 years) because she thought it would be easier. I threw it out. Edited September 4, 2012 by Darwinsmom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danmcq Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I have been using a dremel for decades on my dogs and birds. The key is using the right accessory tip which is a fine sanding tip and use a dremel with variable speed and run at a lower speed. No accidental abrasions have ever happened. I suspect Talon was scared by the dremel itself, which scared dayo as well, but not to the point of blood tears. He just fussed around in the towel we were holding him in. He has gotten to the point over the years that we can just turn it on and do his nails while perched... In regards Talon, being so terrified, I would suggest just using and emery board as well. Each bird is different and react in various ways. Use what works best for you and your bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greywings Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I was a groomer for many years also brought our kids to work with me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I was a groomer for many years also brought our kids to work with me as well. I as a professional groomer for 15 years, before I got divorced and went back to school. I used to think being a groomer was a dirty job, until I got my law degree...lol lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Talon Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 I guess I wasnt clear in my post. I have been taking my birds to the same vet just to clip the needle point off when us humans can no longer take it when they are on our shoulder, or arm. Only seems to be an issue in the hot summer weather when we are all in shorts and tank tops. This is something I have done for as long as I have owned all my birds. They dont mind, it is not traumatic. My vet is very careful and very kind. It WAS his assistant that was new and held Rikki too tightly. Rikki was not really upset, never is. None of the birds were traumatized by a routine visit they are used to. There was no dremel used. Only a small pair of scissor/clippers. The problem was she was being held too tightly. It was ME that was the most traumatized. I have tried the emery board, doesn't really work for us, and I do not towel my birds unless absolutely necessary for giving meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvparrots Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I do towel my gang for clipping. I hold with the head covered and my daughter clips the tips off of the nails. Just the tips and everyone is happy. Keeping styptic powder handy, of course, is a must. But so far no problems. I find that if my parrots are covered, just as when they are in the dark, they are quiet and docile. What a trauma for Rikki I hope the tech got a good talking to from the vet about proper handling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katana600 Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I had never heard of blood tears until now. That would be so distressing. Thank goodness that our concrete perches have worked for keeping toenails dulled off. Java would let me snip the sharp tips off her nails, but Gilbert is still not there yet. I can not even get my dog to let me clip his nails and have to have two groomers to hold him down while a third cuts his nails. He is only eleven pounds but you would think you were wrestling a sixteen foot alligator and he screams like a banshee the entire time. I wish I could get him to perch on a concrete grooming perch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timbersmom Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 LOL to the mental pic of the dog... what seems like a lifetime ago the hubby and I raised Dobermans. They would stand there, patiently, while I clipped their nails. I remember wondering what you would do if they DIDN'T want their nails clipped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinsmom Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 LOL to the mental pic of the dog... what seems like a lifetime ago the hubby and I raised Dobermans. They would stand there, patiently, while I clipped their nails. I remember wondering what you would do if they DIDN'T want their nails clipped! Funny!! I have Dobermans, 3 of them. The ones I bred and raised dont bat an eyelash at having nails done, but the girl I got who was 2 and had her previous owner but her her toes on a regular basis is a nightmare. Better now than when I got her, but I still have to sit on an 80 lb dog while she screams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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