# Are his nails too long?



## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

I know, this is a really basic question that I should have the answer to, but I can't quite tell.










And a close up:









And if they are too long, can anyone throw some examples of how short they should be at me? I'm used to budgie claws and they're pretty obvious when they're overgrown.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

theyre not bad but could use a light clip. theyre sharp, yes but not over grown. if you wish them to be a tad shorter or duller, it may be easier for you to file down the sharp tips. or clip very lightly. it'd be nicer on your hand and leg  in general, you want the tip of the nail to be level with the pad of his toe so his toes lay flat on a flat surface


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

My Taco nails are long aswell but im tried to do it but he kept wriggling and screaming so i gave up


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## rubyduby (Mar 22, 2011)

I recently bought a parakeet with 2" nails, it was an ex aviary bird and did not like being handled.
I put a thick tree branch in the cage once I had established his preferred roosting spot, he had to open his feet to perch , but his nails did curl onto the wood, within a week his nails were trimmed down ,rounded and perfect.


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## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

I think I'm going to try filing them down a bit. I'm going to get him one of those perches that keep the nails trimmed, but payday is friday and my shoulders do not appreciate the claws.

I actually just thought of them being too long when he slipped down my arm yesterday. There's still a scratch from it


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## xoxsarahxox (Dec 13, 2010)

Oh ya Aeros nails are sharp too, her fav perch is my head so sometimes when Im facing her she'll fly to my head but land on my face instead. I have like 3 scratches on my face right now


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Cookie done that to me when i was giving him kisses he climbed up my face and dug his nails in


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## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

Haha, Henry did that to me today. He was aiming for my shoulder, but was too close to avoid my face. I have a lovely little scratch on my lip now


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

no sand paper perches. theyre terrible and they do not trim nails at all. they scrape the feet and cause infections more than anything. best bet is to hand file them or clip them


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## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

I was planning on getting a calcium perch, which is what the budgies have.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

calcium perches are good. thought you meant those horrid sand paper covers or really rough perches


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

Set, 

You may want to let your mom take care of his nails, or a pet store. You don't want him to think unpleasant thoughts of you while you're bonding with him. It could set him back a little on the trust issue. Calcium perches would also work, but do make sure it's not the only perch he has.


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## Set (Mar 14, 2011)

I actually was looking at the sandpaper perches today while in Petsmart to see just why everyone says not to use them, and I can completely see why. They're so rough, I couldn't imagine any bird being comfortable standing on them. The calcium perches I've looked are textured, but don't have the super rough little particles.
I'm going to wait till the new cage is here to actually buy one, though, so I can make sure it's not too big or take up too much room.

Oh don't worry, he's going to have lots of perches  Right now he just has a wooden perch and a rope perch (with another rope perch outside his cage), but the new cage is going to have both rope perches in the cage and hopefully some natural perches, as well as the calcium perch.

If I do end up clipping his nails, I'll definitely let mum do it. We're doing better, but he still bites me and isn't full of trust. Mum on the other hand can do anything to him and he loves her for it.


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

well its a great start! great improvements!

i cant wait to see his new cage!


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## Annie (Nov 20, 2009)

Sigh, I never trim Sunny's nails because he would freak out and make it look like I'm trying to kill him, da little drama king.  So I just let them be and of course they are sharp, so I always have scratch marks all over my arms at various healing stages.:wacko: I'm just worried that in the summer, when I wear shorts, my colleagues at work will see my scratches and ask me if I'm in an abusive relationship. Well actually I am, because Sunny does abuse me emotionally but what can I do.


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## lperry82 (Aug 2, 2010)

Annie that is so funny and so true ha ha

When my bunnys was babies they scratched me to bits and girl from work thought i was getting abused ha ha


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Aren't animals lovely? lol...I was showing bunnys and ferets in a fair one year and the feret had scratched up my arm before his show. But his judge didn't notice, the BUNNY judge did! And asked if her nails were too long which they weren't because I had cut them myself. Silly creatures!


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## Belinda (Oct 9, 2010)

I get my boyfriend to hold Arnie whilst I clip her nails. He is her favourite so I let him do the holding and I ninja on in and get the job done quickly, it works for us...


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## MeanneyFids (Aug 24, 2010)

i do it by myself... not an easy thing to do lol but its the only way i can get it done without hassle from the fiance


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## birdlover4life (Mar 6, 2010)

Finn is so hard to get on his back, so I let the bird store I got him from deal with the little rascal . He flies at the sight of a towel and gets mad at me. If there is no towel; he is the sweetest boy ever . Gotta love birds


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## MissCV (Sep 18, 2010)

Sorry to jump in, but the calcium perches i have found that they are all coloured. Does this matter? The colour rubs off on my hands so i just wondered if it was safe to rub off on my cockatiels feet/tail feathers all day long.


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

It'll make them multi-colored but I don't think it has any adverse affects. My cuttlebone has colored parts to it and it makes my white birds pink!


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## Mentha (Jul 11, 2010)

They use a bird safe coloring or food coloring in the perches.


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## MissCV (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks for your replies!! My little guy will be glad to get his new perch now.


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