# Traumatic nail clipping



## Zwiekira (Jul 16, 2008)

My boyfriend and I just tried to clip my cockatiel's nails; a couple were getting pretty long. We read about toweling cockatiels, we watched videos about toweling cockatiels. It's our first time owning a bird and the first time we had his nails clipped we were at the vet and she showed us how to do it. We've had a really hard time toweling him. We've been trying to get him toweled for about two weeks. 
We finally got him toweled by covering him with a long washcloth inside of his cage and then taking him out but we were only able to clip one toenail before we got so worried about how distressed he was getting that we had to put him back in his cage. He was breathing so heavily, I was getting more and more scared that he was going to have a heart attack. We had a guinea pig, and although our piggie hated getting his nails clipped, he didn't get as upset as a bird, even thought they are both prey animals. Cheeko was straight-up _panting_ and looking like he was going to have a heart attack any second. His beak was open and his tongue was up... I guess we have to take him to the vet to get his nails clipped. Poor guy. I guess I'm wondering who clips their own birdie's nails on this board? My Cheeko is only 1 year old and is very skittish (unlike a friend's tiel who is 10 and much more laid back about getting his nails clipped).


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

Toweling is really rough on the bird. It scares the heck out of them and ruins whatever trust you may have built up with him. Try getting a concrete perch to keep his nails down to a reasonable length. I've never found it necessary to clip toenails. As long as they aren't making it hard for the 'tiel to move around they're OK.


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## Zwiekira (Jul 16, 2008)

He still trusts us, he's a little love of a bird! I'm convinced he's one of the sweetest birds of all time. He hates the towel and not us. It's not just a mother's pride either; my vet and her vet tech remarked at how sweet he is when they had to give him his first physical exam. 
I don't think the concrete perch is working. I'm going to have to bring him to the vet next week.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I used to clip my birds' nails but gave it up because it was too nerve-wracking. The problem of catching and holding the bird is minor compared to the trauma of cutting it a little too close and getting blood. Experienced nail-cutters can usually stop the bleeding very easily but it's a tough and very scary job for newbies!

Avian vets can clip nails of course. Some pet stores will also do bird grooming. I'm fortunate that my local bird club will clip nails and wings for free at the monthly meetings, and the people who do the clipping are very experienced - equal to a vet and MUCH better than the pet shop.


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## Lola's_mommy (Nov 30, 2008)

I had to give Lola antibiotics for 10 days and had to towel wrap her and fight to get the medicine down her. I was pretty successful with getting the towel around her from the first day on, but really struggled to get the medicine down her without getting it into her windpipe. She really put up a battle. She also became defensive whenever she saw the towel. It was a horrible ordeal but we never lost her trust. After this struggle, I can't imagine trying to clip her nails. Trying to keep them still would just be too difficult and stressful, for both me and the bird. I plan on having Lola's nails done by her vet, that at least has years of experience, and who I imagine can make it as quick and less traumatic for the bird. I guess the scariest part is thinking about the possiblity of doing harm. So I don't blame you for having your vet do it, but at least you were brave enough to give it a try.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

I've never had to Trim my tiels nails and honestly I wouldn't want to try it myself but that is because the majority of my tiels nails are black and its harder to see the Quick on dark nails 

I've only had to trim one birds nails which was a English Budgie When i got her her nails were so long they were starting to curl under

All mine have pedicure/conditioning perches and Those are all i've needed to keep their nails trimmed


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## Zwiekira (Jul 16, 2008)

Well, thank you all for your replies. I feel better that I'm not the only one who has found this experience to be totally nerve-wracking. In the end, I think my boyfriend and I are more traumatized by the nail-clipping than Cheeko! 
A couple of minutes after Cheeky calmed down, I talked sweetly and softly to him in the voice that he loves, and then my boyfriend opened the cage and he climbed right up to the top. I offered him my hand and he hopped right on, ran up my arm and starting chirping and making heart wings. My boyfriend gave him rubs and kissed him and cuddled with him and after a minute or two, he happily jumped off my arm and ran up the curtain to go exploring. When he got bored of that, he flew onto his play gym and we played with him by pushing around the beads on his abacus with him (which he loves). Then we gave him some millet for being such a good birdy. Then he sang and whistled with us and eventually he climbed back into his cage and assumed his sleepy position so we said "Nigh-Night" and tucked him in. 
I am so lucky to have such a beautiful and sweet-demeanored bird. No matter how many dumb mistakes I've made (like when I first brought him home and I whipped off the sheet from his cage really fast and he made the ultimate aggressive stance like the dilophosaurus with the poisonous saliva in _Jurassic Park_) he always responds with the same loving trust.


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## atvchick95 (Sep 17, 2007)

this is the times it is so good that a birds memory isn't always good LOL 

granted they do great at finding their way back to their nesting area in the wild 

but when it comes to thinks like this in a home, they forget it with in seconds  

glad he didn't take offense to the nail trimming, and is okay with the after effect


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

If the nails are not causing the bird a problem don't worry about it! Sounds like a great little guy!


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## Lola's_mommy (Nov 30, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> If the nails are not causing the bird a problem don't worry about it! Sounds like a great little guy!


How would you know, then, when to trim nails? For example, Lola's don't curl under, but her nails get caught on my clothing...time to trim or wear something different?...


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## sweetrsue (Jul 8, 2008)

I would wear something different. I'm not an advocate for clipping nails. I don't seem to have a problem with any of my guys!


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## Lola's_mommy (Nov 30, 2008)

sweetrsue said:


> I would wear something different. I'm not an advocate for clipping nails. I don't seem to have a problem with any of my guys!


Do you have any special perches for the nails or just in general, tiels don't have an issue with overgrown nails? I'll be happy not to worry about her nails if that's the case and will be more than happy to wear to appropriate attire


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## Birdie21 (May 24, 2008)

I am lucky with Piper. I have trimmed hers twice now. I do hers when her nails go thru my clothes and hurt my shoulder. I fold a small hand towel in half. She trusts me completely, and doesn't get upset when I usually do it when she is on my shoulder. (that's a good place she loves). I rather quickly but not suddenly, do the towel over her in a diamond shape with the two corners by her head. I lift her body from the top and pull over the side corners around her body, and will let her hold on to my finger with her feet. (seems comforting like she knows I am there) My vet showed me how to do this and recommended putting one of the top corners over her face so she can't see what's happening. This calms her. My vet showed me how to do this and both times she didn't get very upset at all. The two layers of towel are good protection if she should bite. Maybe it's just my sweet girl. I think that covering her face lightly, like pulling the corner over a babys face, not tight what so ever, just so that she can't see, and any struggling quits then too. When we are done, I remove the towel and she gets right back on my shoulder and then will step up. I love her.  I hope it will work for others too. If they get real upset it is good to quit. I don't think I would want to do dark nails at all. I don't like them on dogs either. It seems that not too quickly but steadily and momma/daddy stay calm doing it. I have no one to help me either. I use the small nail clippers we use on our fingernails. I hope this helps someone. It's what I do, maybe it will work for you. Good luck.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

> her nails get caught on my clothing...time to trim or wear something different?...


Personally I would trim the nails at that point. If they're getting caught in clothing they might get caught in other things too, like upholstered furniture or carpet or drapes, and there's a risk that the bird might hurt its toe trying to escape.

However, Buster is generally the only one of my birds whose nails get trimmed. His seem to grow faster than the others. The concrete perch keeps the rest of them in check.


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## HowardUK (May 8, 2021)

Zwiekira said:


> My boyfriend and I just tried to clip my cockatiel's nails; a couple were getting pretty long. We read about toweling cockatiels, we watched videos about toweling cockatiels. It's our first time owning a bird and the first time we had his nails clipped we were at the vet and she showed us how to do it. We've had a really hard time toweling him. We've been trying to get him toweled for about two weeks.
> We finally got him toweled by covering him with a long washcloth inside of his cage and then taking him out but we were only able to clip one toenail before we got so worried about how distressed he was getting that we had to put him back in his cage. He was breathing so heavily, I was getting more and more scared that he was going to have a heart attack. We had a guinea pig, and although our piggie hated getting his nails clipped, he didn't get as upset as a bird, even thought they are both prey animals. Cheeko was straight-up _panting_ and looking like he was going to have a heart attack any second. His beak was open and his tongue was up... I guess we have to take him to the vet to get his nails clipped. Poor guy. I guess I'm wondering who clips their own birdie's nails on this board? My Cheeko is only 1 year old and is very skittish (unlike a friend's tiel who is 10 and much more laid back about getting his nails clipped).


I have a bit of a dilemma. My cockatiel was an aviary bird who I brought in 17 months ago. She’s not is not handtame but love her head being scratched! Now the dilemma is I think her nails are too long and want to take her to my vet to get it done. She is 15/16 i am concerned the handling could stress her so much could she have a heart attack? She’s ok snd eats well and gets around her cage. Just wondered what the experts think?


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