Beak Trimming and Wing Clipping?

[TehLizardKing]

2 Questions:

1st:

Our lovely house quail, Jacob (named by HER former owner) has been looking a bit off when eating lately. When she tries to eat she turns her head sideways and kind of scoops it with her beak instead of pecking. She isn't ill or anything, but her beak is looking a bit longer than usual. Is this just a way of eating food more quickly, or does she need a trim? And if so how would I go about doing that? (Jacob is a Japanese fawn and not fiddly or anything like a King Button).


2nd:

As Jake is now a house quail, and WILL NOT go outside (cos it's too cold probably) We thought we would get her some friends in the form of harlequin quail (BAD IDEA). We were told they were this year's young... as in YOUNG. They are definitely adult and don't want to intergrate with her at all. But anyway, basically the only thing they know how to do is boink, and i was wondering how to clip the wings of something that small, or if it is best left to a vet?

Any advice would be appreciated,


Thank you.

 

[TallChickMagnet]

First, for the beak. Either on the net or at your feed store look for a product called, "Pecker Recker", it works.

Next, Look on Youtube for a few "How-To" videos on wing clipping. I took a few days to look at a lot of videos (overkill) and yesterday I clipprd my girls for the first time. Now I feel compatent to do it anytime that I need to.

 

[TehLizardKing]

Thanks, I'll have a look at the 'Pecker Wrecker', as Jacobs Beak is more or less like a dagger now

It's good to know that someone else cares about their birds enough to do that much research! I was a bit worried seeing as the Harlequins are so small, but i'm sure ill be able to find a video on YouTube.

 

[TallChickMagnet]

Here's a link to it, or else you might find porn...lol: http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=17382

 

[gorabbitgo]

I was nervous about clipping my buttons, too! They're so tiny it seems way too easy to hurt them by mistake. But after watching youtube videos and doing a few "dry" runs where i practiced holding the birds and spreading their wings without clipping, i felt a lot more confident.
I did it in the bathroom and let my newly-clipped quail take a short test flutter from about a foot up onto the bath mat so that they could feel the difference and i could make sure they were sufficiently flightless but still able to cushion a landing.
They don't even boink as much any more.

 

[TehLizardKing]

Ty for the link...hehehehe.

After loads of worry, i finally did it! it took ages because our quail are new and kind of boinky at the moment, but eventually, after i had fished them out from under the computer (they decided to 'mass boink' and all got out at the same time!) i managed to clip them all and did it fine!
Like you said Aricisom, i fell like i could do it anytime now!

 

[TallChickMagnet]

Quote:
I just finished doing my five newest birds... now I'm a pro....lol