Trimming Beaks

[KsKingBee]

Any tips on trimming beaks? I have a Spaulding that has an overgrown beak, so before that rodeo starts I want to make sure I have the proper tools and knowledge before I start.

I have trimmed my African Gray parrots over the years, not often at all, maybe every five years or so when they need it and that is a wrestling match for sure. Even wrapping them up in a towel it is a three hand operation.

I assume that a toe clipper and fingernail file are the preferred tools? Clip small increments and maybe have some cornstarch on hand in case I hit a vein? This Spaulding is a big boy for a two-year-old, I am glad he is the only one that needs to be trimmed.

 

[new 2 pfowl]

This is something I have never done myself, but when I volunteered at the Wildlife Rescue I discovered that they trimmed beaks with a small dremel. This was on birds up to large raptor-size.

 

[DylansMom]

Any tips on trimming beaks? I have a Spaulding that has an overgrown beak, so before that rodeo starts I want to make sure I have the proper tools and knowledge before I start.

I have trimmed my African Gray parrots over the years, not often at all, maybe every five years or so when they need it and that is a wrestling match for sure. Even wrapping them up in a towel it is a three hand operation.

I assume that a toe clipper and fingernail file are the preferred tools? Clip small increments and maybe have some cornstarch on hand in case I hit a vein? This Spaulding is a big boy for a two-year-old, I am glad he is the only one that needs to be trimmed.

I have used fingernail clippers, toenail clippers and a dog toenail clipper, all worked well. They are not much harder to clip than a human thumbnail. This is Harley, my grooming challenged boy, I clip his beak once or twice a year. In this pic you can see a line I drew showing about where I clip. On a white bird it is like a fingernail, you can see it is pink where the blood is and the overgrowth is plain white, should be the same for a darker beak, you just can't see the pink.

 

[KsKingBee]

Thanks Mindy! So you trim it to about the bottom of the lower beak. Do you file it smooth and pointy?

 

[DylansMom]

Thanks Mindy! So you trim it to about the bottom of the lower beak. Do you file it smooth and pointy?

I keep it a little longer than the bottom and will often clip from one side and then from the other creating a point, never filed anything. If they take proper care, you will see them dragging it across hard surfaces or the ground to file it themselves.

 

[KsKingBee]

I keep it a little longer than the bottom and will often clip from one side and then from the other creating a point, never filed anything. If they take proper care, you will see them dragging it across hard surfaces or the ground to file it themselves.

Ah! That is the advice I was looking for! Thanks for that, wish me luck, I got my lasso and I'm going in.