New method of nail trimming??

[BaxtersMom]

I have been looking for a good place to take my flock to get their nails trimmed since I moved to a new area but haven't found any place I was comfortable with. Then I found an ad online (craigslist) about a lady who would come to parrot owners homes and trim nails, beaks and clip wings. I was a bit leary because I had no idea who she was or if she was good or not but she did say she had 17 years experience so I thought we would give it a try. Turns out her dad is a practicing vet & she has a degree in veterinary medicine and was very knowledgable. I was comfortable with her from the start.

 

All I really wanted were the nails trimmed and the beak on my eclectus because it grows so quickly. I thought she would clip the nails with some type of clippers or a dremel but she took out a little medical tool about the size of a toothbrush that has a small wire that heats up on the end. It basically just melted the ends down to proper length and there was no cutting or clipping involved. There was a slight smell since the nails were being heated up and melted but she warned us of that in advance.

 

I was so very impressed with her. She did each bird all by herself and was very relaxed and talked to us and the birds the entire time she was working, that's how good she was. It was over before each one knew it and was painless to all of them. Only one who threw a fit was Baxter and I kind of expected that:whistle: but he head bobbed right away when she was done so I knew he was fine:)

 

I was just wondering if any one else had heard of this method or has it done on their birds? I liked it. She had all 4 birds done in about 10 to 15 minutes.

 

I was also talking to her about Bonkers our conure and she thought from the behavior we described that Bonkers was a girl:ohmy: It made sense. We always considered Bonkers to be a boy but I told my husband a long time ago that Bonkers might be a girl. I just had this feeling. I guess the only way to know for sure is to do a dna test but I doubt we will have that done but now I think Bonkers really is a girl.

[danmcq]

Wow, now that is a very cool tool for trimming nails. It would be much less felt by the bird than a nail clipper or dremel like I use.

 

Thanks for posting this. :-)

[BaxtersMom]

She said the tool was a medical tool that was used by doctors to do vasectomies among other things:ohmy: to burn the tubes or cords or what ever they guys have :blush: And similar type procedures.

 

I would think it would be a great way to do the nails with the heat. You push a button and the wired glows red from the heat. She said you don't have to worry about any remaining bacteria because the heat would burn & sanitize it immediately. She also mentioned that if one was to get too close to the blood vein that it would immediately close it off so that is another plus to this method. She said there would never be any blood with this tool.

 

She was great. Bonkers flew right on her shoulder when she came in too. I guess s/he knew she was a bird person. And the other ones seemed pretty fascinated with her when she was done. It was a good day for them and an added plus that they didn't have to take a stressful trip.

 

She charged only $45 for all 4 birds and that was for the works, nails, beaks & wings but we only did the nails and Tiggers beak. The $45 was the flat rate no matter what was done or how many birds we may have had.

 

I thought that was a great deal....and I thought that is a heck of a business idea. Just think you go to 4 to 6 houses in a day and it's a $200 to $300 day and the only 2 tools needed, the scissors and the handy heating tool.

[Azzie]

The gadget sounds like what they use for electrosurgery in humans. It's like you say, the tip heats up using an electric current, and can be used in humans to stop bleeding or dissect tissue.

[danmcq]

OMG!! :ohmy:

 

What an Evil Weapon that is. :pinch:

 

Think I'll stick to the Dremel.

[CarolandFamily]

Oh my *gasp*

[Talon]

YIKES!! Sounds too good to be true for us amateurs. :huh:

[BaxtersMom]

What's wrong Dan, Scared the little lady is going to get you in your sleep. :laugh: {Feel-bad-00020063}

[Azzie]

Haha you guys are silly

 

It's a great tool when used in surgery. You can cut tissue without any bleeding as it cauterizes immediately, and you can burn shut any bleeding veins instantly.

 

I doubt the average person would be able to buy one though. They are definitely medical supplies, and there are dangers when using an electrical appliance like that.

[judygram]

Sounds good to me Erika, I have heard of those types of tools and used properly it works well, also it probably does not make any noise that a dremel sometimes scares the birds. I don't know of anyone here who uses that kind of tool but I wouldn't hesitate to employ their services if they were available.

 

Thanks for sharing that experience with us Erika.

[Azzie]

This little gadget caught my eye. I saw the advertisement on TV late one night.

 

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/225329087/Pedi_Paws_Pet_Nail_Trimmer_Pedi.html

 

It looks pretty good. They showed how to use it, and it seems you put the nail into a little hole, and a rotating file gently shaves off small amounts.

 

I'm starting to sound like I am promoting this product, which I am not. I've never used it, but since we are on the topic of cutting nails I thought I'd share it with you. I don't know if they are available in New Zealand, so I shall do some more research!

[Natasha]

The avian vet around here we only have one lol....grinds the toenails with a small machine it also smells like burned something I only had Boesman's nails clipped once as the petshop owner here told me to just put thick branches on his perch his nails is keeping in tone now themselves so no clipping,grinding for Boesman lol..... I actually didn;t like the idea of the grinding thingy:S

[Tycos_mom]

I've only ever had my birds nails dremaled once it seems thats all it takes and they stay that way for ever or mabie after the dremal the tips stay smooth and their perches keep them that way<br><br>Post edited by: Tycos_mom, at: 2009/05/25 10:15

[BaxtersMom]

I have a combination of wood, rope and cement perches and was told that the cement perches would keep the nails ground down but it seems every 3 or 4 months they still get pretty sharp. :pinch: The lady that came over to this trimming even told me to use cement perches so they can keep them trimmed down themselves. I told her I had them and she looked at them and said they were pretty smoothed down (which they were) and she said to wash them in the dishwasher about 4 times and they would come back like new:woohoo: I didn't know that. I wash them regularly but have never tried putting them in the dishwasher. So there was another good tip for her.

 

But as for her method I thought it was great and I would highly recommend it to anyone. And when they need a trim I am going to call her right back out.

[CarolandFamily]

Ok I found it on this website:

 

 

http://mightybeaks.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=32

 

It's like 24.99

 

 

Here too:

 

 

But it's 34.99 on this website

 

http://www.naturechest.com/cautery.html<br><br>Post edited by: CarolandFamily, at: 2009/05/25 18:29

[BaxtersMom]

Carol....That's It!!!!!{Communicate-0002011B} You found it!!! If my memory is correct, that is the exact same thing. Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!

 

I actually did try to do Tiggers (my eclectus) nails. But I only cut off the very very very end points. It was my first time. :dry: I was very nervous and could just imagine cutting into the vein and decided right then I would never be the one to lip the nails. It was just too nerve racking to me, but after seeing the lady do it with this tool it looked so much easier and less stressful to use and it is something I just might try in the future but probably not;)

 

I am so glad you found it though, that way we all know what it is and how much it is. That's pretty cheap really.

[Luvparrots]

Wow looks like a great nail tool, in the right hands of course. I'm too much of a chicken to try though. I'm such a klutz!!!! But I can see where it would be a great nail trimmer for our fids!!!! Thanks for the heads up on this new nail trimming method, Erika!! Carol, you are a great researcher for finding it!!!

[CarolandFamily]

Awww You are Welcome Pat and Erika I am ALWAYS doing research on things Anytime....

[pbullet]

Well done,i think that's a great tool . I also had an accident last week with his nails, I was really freaked because it wasn't stop bleeding.

Does anybody use this tool? Can we find a similar shop for europe because the two shops that posts carol is

for America....

[JillyBeanz]

After the conversation we've had today pbullet - please don't try this yourself again - with any tool. You have been terribly lucky that after 2½ hours of bleeding from your bird that he is alive. Get some cement perches, as we advised, or get a vet to cut his nails.

 

You have been VERY lucky this time - but perhaps not next time

[pbullet]

I know Jillybeanz, that happen because i tried to cut his nail two times in the last two weeks,i cut his nail and a second time and then was the bad news.

I will just be more carefull,now i am searching to buy some good perched as you suggest me for nail trimming.

In an another post i have read that those perches are not good for his toes and cause arthritic and many more problems, is that true?

 

Rudy is now 5 years old, and that's the second time i cut his nails,were too long.

[JillyBeanz]

Cement perches and alike are recommended as they aren't uniform and therefore your bird's feet are resting in different places and positions at all times - it's the dowel round rods which can encourage arthritis as their feet adopt the same position all of the time. Java branches and other wooden branches are also good for the activity of their feet.

 

Good luck in finding the perches in Greece - we have another member "SunnyBird" who you could contact - Renate lives in Greece too and could help you with pet stores.

[pbullet]

I am looking for this perches in uk,i have found sand

,polly's perches,Cholla Cactus Perches.

 

 

That's the two shops i have found extra for perches,please take a look and tell me.

 

No account need it.

 

http://scarlettsparrotessentials.co.uk/Perches.aspx

http://www.cagesforparrots.co.uk/id65.html

 

What's really good for my parrot..

[danmcq]

The links you provided are the type of perches many parrot owners use to keep the nails file down and provide a non-uniform perch simulating tree branches. They may or may not work depending on how much your grey perches and walks around on them.

 

One thing for certain, they will help. :-)

 

We simply use a woman's emory board nail file that looks like a large pop sickle stick. It is not minded by him and he seems to enjoy it. We were using a dremel, but it required toweling and was an unpleasant experience for our grey.

[pbullet]

I think the perches will help him because he walk enough on perches,he is playing enough.

Here in greece i didn't find anywhere perches like this,

i have to search in the rest of europe to find something.

 

I believe this two shops i was find will help me.

I will buy for him and then it's up to him