# How often do you have to clip your tiels nails?



## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

Taco's nails are soooo sharp. We bring her to have her nails clipped about every 1 to 1 1/2 months, however they start to feel sharp as early as 2 weeks after a clip. Is this normal? It adds up in cost to clip so often so we have been driving further (30 mins) to bring her to a pet store that does it for free. I was wondering how often everyone else does theirs? She does have a cement perch in her cage but she doesn't go on it often.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

I trim them if they are sharp and they never really are so I probably trim them about 2 times a month.I dont get how cement perches work like if they are just sitting on it how is it trimming their nails.I have lots of different perches including cement,Natural also helps the nails and rope and normal wooden dowels.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

What kind of perches do you have in the cage? I never had to trim my birds nails, because each perch was a different size. I have all wood perches in my cage, with one sand perch only. The different widths and grips trim the bird's nails naturally and is how it's done in the wild.


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

I have lots of perches. One Grapewood, two rope of different sizes, one thick dowel that came with cage and one cement. She's out often and plays on homemade wooden play gym that as java wood perches. So I don't know why her nails are so sharp.


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## CaliTiels (Oct 18, 2012)

I've only had to trim B's nails once. I find they wear down at a steady pace on their own, but that time, they were getting a bit long and he wasn't doing anything about it himself


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

Yea, I find it really odd that taco's nails get sharp so quickly. We have trimmed it around 20 times in her life of 2 years. I wonder if I leave it if she will do something herself? Although I am afraid she will hurt herself when scratching.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Have you ever had to get her beak trimmed?


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

I heard some cockatiels sharpen their nails themselves.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I heard some cockatiels sharpen their nails themselves.


What do you mean by sharpen? Tiels aren't predators so they don't have a need for sharp nails. Did you mean file them down? Natural branch perches of different sizes definitely help with this.


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

roxy culver said:


> What do you mean by sharpen? Tiels aren't predators so they don't have a need for sharp nails. Did you mean file them down? Natural branch perches of different sizes definitely help with this.


Yes Rocko sometimes files his nails himself with his beak and the perches.


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

roxy culver said:


> Have you ever had to get her beak trimmed?


Never had to do her beak.


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## dianne (Nov 27, 2013)

I don't ever trim my tiels' nails.

Silver's nails feel kind of sharp sometimes, especially on the bare skin around my shoulders. I just grin and bear it . When he's on my finger or on my clothes, it doesn't bother me.

I don't trim my cats' nails either, primarily because they don't allow it. I've read that they can get ingrown, but it's never happened, and my cats are about eight years old.


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## Guest (Sep 2, 2015)

I get my tiels nails trimmed every 2 months they become sharp as needless, ouch!! His nails then also snag and get caught in my shirt he almost broke his foot when he freaked out and tried to fly off my shoulder so I never go too long in between for safety reasons. He is a domestic bird so he doesn't get the wear and tear as he would otherwise. I make sure he gets his pedicures: )


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## Charlotte (Jun 4, 2014)

Like Dianne, I never trim. Murray is pretty active and they haven't overgrown. They do get sharp sometimes but I think that's something I'm just OK with - I used to keep rats as a kid and scratchy nails don't bother me much!


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## Tacotielca (Dec 3, 2013)

Juliet said:


> I get my tiels nails trimmed every 2 months they become sharp as needless, ouch!! His nails then also snag and get caught in my shirt he almost broke his foot when he freaked out and tried to fly off my shoulder so I never go too long in between for safety reasons. He is a domestic bird so he doesn't get the wear and tear as he would otherwise. I make sure he gets his pedicures: )


Yeah, we are about the same schedule too. Wish it didnt get so sharp. It's not too long, it just gets sharp like needles!


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

Ew I wouldnt be able to own a rat I used to have a hamster a few months ago actually I gave her away because she was a problem for the birds and just hard to care for I would never own a hamster again.And rats are probably the same hard to care for well people say hamsters are easy to care for but I think its hard work same as it is with a bird but I think birds are easier they arent very messy.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> Ew I wouldnt be able to own a rat I used to have a hamster a few months ago actually I gave her away because she was a problem for the birds and just hard to care for I would never own a hamster again.And rats are probably the same hard to care for well people say hamsters are easy to care for but I think its hard work same as it is with a bird but I think birds are easier they arent very messy.


Totally off topic lol but....rats are better than hamsters in every way! Hamsters are nasty and evil. They bite everything (at least the ones I deal with at work are. Always trying to bite me.) Rats on the other hand...super smart and super sweet. We have one that we fixed because he was sick and one of our girls took him home and he is just the coolest guy. He comes in for rechecks and snuggles from all of us!

OK, back to your regularly scheduled program!


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## Brandon2k14 (Nov 26, 2014)

roxy culver said:


> Totally off topic lol but....rats are better than hamsters in every way! Hamsters are nasty and evil. They bite everything (at least the ones I deal with at work are. Always trying to bite me.) Rats on the other hand...super smart and super sweet. We have one that we fixed because he was sick and one of our girls took him home and he is just the coolest guy. He comes in for rechecks and snuggles from all of us!
> 
> OK, back to your regularly scheduled program!


I think hamsters are cuter lol I would be afraid to even hold a rat lol its just the tail it creeps me out.


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## CosmoBird (Jan 14, 2015)

I wonder if trimming them is like hair, maybe it's growing faster because you are clipping them often? It's just a guess.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

> I wonder if trimming them is like hair, maybe it's growing faster because you are clipping them often? It's just a guess


No nails aren't like hair in that regard, but diet could have an affect on it. I asked about the beak because overgrowth of the beak and nails can signify a liver issue. Since the beak is fine, it could just be that the bird has fast growing nails. You could try filing them instead of clipping them, it makes them dull so that they're not sharp or painful.


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