# what to do if im afraid to trim nails!?



## Bubbylove77 (May 9, 2014)

how do u clip a tiels nails without hurting them... 

first of all my tiels don't trust me at all yet. 
Angel will come up on my finger, but Buddy (Whom I'm giving to a rescue) he wont even let you get close to him without a bloody bite. 

both of their nails are long, and their wings need clipped as well. 
Because they don't trust me I am skeptical to try and do it myself. 
I own two parakeets, and I trim their nails, beak, and wings all the time, But they trust me. 


is there a safe way to do this? 

also their nails are black, so I cant see the quick, how do u get around that? 

I would gladly take them to a vet and let the vet take care of them, but the stupid vet wants to charge 58.00 to go in for the first time. I just don't have that right now. But their base price of 14.99 for trimming nails after the first time you go in i can afford. 
Its just they charge you a carp load the first time u go in for some reason. 
:yellow pied:earl:


----------



## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I know what you mean about vet fees.

I took my cockatiel in for a wing trim, because she is not tame. They insisted on a "wellness exam," and the total was $125. They wanted to do blood tests, gram stain, and special vitamins for a year. Altogether that would have been $450! I said "no," to everything except the mandatory wellness exam and the wing trim.

I don't know what to do. I know they spend a lot of money on training and equipment, which they need to make back.

I'm afraid all I can do is sympathize. I was lucky I was able to come up with the $125.


----------



## le_purrr (Apr 28, 2014)

I was going to ask the same question. I watched my coworker trim my cockatiels nails. She held him on his back with a towel and clipped them with regular nail clippers. She accidentally made him bleed and I almost fainted. So I don't want to ask her again, but his nails grew back in two weeks and its Soooo Sharp. I'm too scared to do it on my own and I don't want him to hate me x( he looked so angry and stressed when he got his done. He didn't want to be near anyone for 2 days..... No one in my town does bird esp for the vet.


----------



## Vince (Feb 18, 2014)

If you have a good selection of natural timber perches & nice thick calcium perch, you should not need to trim.
Dont use those grit perches....they may cause bad abrasion to their feet.
I put a thick calciaum perch at a place in the cage where Cheekee has to often reach & grab to get to another point.
And we have quite a few Bottle Brush branches including what I call "The Raft". A heap of branches lashed together to make a platform...
Cheekee totally loves it & its her favorite place in her cage...
We never have to trim nails...
And she uses all the same stuff to keep her beak in check also....


----------



## Riley92 (Apr 1, 2014)

I haven't had a problem with abrasions from sand perches before. The photo is of the exact one I use and I love it. I've never had to get her nails trimmed and it doesn't wear them down excessively either. If your cockatiels are still getting used to you a perch is the best option, and a lot less stressful to them.


----------



## Mebecherry16 (Apr 24, 2014)

I am also terrified to do this myself. Parsley trusts me, however I do not trust myself. I just don't want to hurt her if she squirms because she senses my nervousness. However there are several pet stores in the area that will clip her wings/nails absolutely free. This is not limited to the store we bought her from, maybe that's an option for you?


----------



## nassrah (Feb 27, 2012)

There is no need to trim their nails if you have the perches and natural branches vince mentioned in his post.We have four cockatiels and none of them has ever needed beak and/or nails trimming,they do it naturally on their perches and different surfaces they walk and fly to and fro (yes,they are all fully flighted,we don't like wing trimming either).Believe me,its loads less stressful for everybody if you let them do it the natural way . All the best X x Teresa


----------



## srtiels (May 1, 2009)

http://talkcockatiels.com/showthread.php?t=32063


----------

