Trimming Parrots Nails! I know i'm in the chick zone... :D

[tiffanyg2]

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Haha I know right! Gabriel laughs like me~ he'll hear me laugh in the other room and he will just bust out laughing.... My house sounds crazy over the phone when he's in his playful mood!! Blowing your nose~ lol I would like to hear that sound interesting

My parents have an african grey and he is the master of sound. I can't count how many times he's made my mom run for the phone! LOL

Is the bird friendly with her~ that's nice he can get along with others! Gabriel is a sweetie to everyone, but my parents bird~ look OUT! He will get ya

 

[stubbornhill]

Tiffanyg2, I'm not a "bird person" but I just have to say, what a handsome looking Parrot you have there. He is really quite something to look at. Good luck with your spa treatments!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

It did not take the birds long to learn that it was ok to land on us - maybe 6 months or so. It does take a larger bird a bit to feel comfortable landing on your shoulder and time to train yourself not to flinch as they come in wings spread.

For outside you can get a harness or even a "flight suit" - which is a harness with a diaper pouch.



Be very careful taking him outside - I do not want to seem over dramatic, as outdoor time is so enriching and good for them - but know of people who have had their parrots snatched from right in front of them by hawks. One lady had her too taken from her shoulder.

 

[tiffanyg2]

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Haha Yea I can see me wanting to flinch with a big ole helocopter bird headed straight for me! But I'm sure we'll work it out... I could always close my eyes

And I'll look up the flight suit! You know I wondered about that~ I honestly would think because of the "hookbill" on the parrot that the hawk would attempt to attack him?? Do you know what kind of parrots did they had? That would be absolutly horrible... I really thought he'd be safe from a hawk giving his size and his beak~ so definately something to be cautious of... Thanks!

 

[tiffanyg2]

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Ahhh Thanks! And I'm sure I will have fun with those treatments

 

[luvinrunnin]

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Haha I know right! Gabriel laughs like me~ he'll hear me laugh in the other room and he will just bust out laughing.... My house sounds crazy over the phone when he's in his playful mood!! Blowing your nose~ lol I would like to hear that sound interesting

My parents have an african grey and he is the master of sound. I can't count how many times he's made my mom run for the phone! LOL

Is the bird friendly with her~ that's nice he can get along with others! Gabriel is a sweetie to everyone, but my parents bird~ look OUT! He will get ya

Actually, she and Sunshine have issues together, but she is committed to working them out. He has bitten her and drawn blood and really serious about it MANY times. She is way more persistent than I'd have been!!

He LOVED me until I was given an Umbrella cockatoo that ONLY I could handle. Then he became furious that I gave the other bird attention and decided he liked my husband better. After that, he would try to entice me to give him kisses, and then would try to bite me once he thought he had me lulled into thinking he was going to be good! My friend says he is terrible about baiting her as well. But she's had him for quite a while now. Unfortunately she moved a couple of times, and after the last move he started plucking.

 

[tiffanyg2]

Ohhh no.... you know my parents bird the African Grey will totally bait you into come close to him and then he'll either get you with his *talons* or his beak

He can be so much fun immitating sounds and noises and he is super intelligent but underneath it all~ just plain evil

Haha but the funny thing is I'll probably end up with him 1 day! My brothers won't go near that bird~ I really don't think anyone ever could. But I would gladly take care of him when the time comes. I'm sorry to hear he started feather plucking... it's a scary thing. That's why I was so afraid after the vet incident he might be at risk for it. He will still mess with his tail feathers from time to time~ thats where he injured himself. He'll pull them out sometimes as they are growing in. So I actually did some research and I'll give him a bath and then massage his tail with Peroxide it is said to help the skin feel better and maybe not as itchy and so far it has been helping. It's about time for me to give him another one, probably this weekend! I hope the other bird pulls through ok.

Is he feather plucking everywhere, all the time? Is she trying any different steps to help him stop. Being that it just started recently she may be able to help him out of it. It probably doesn't help that she can't hold him though~ Taking care of caged birds can be so tricky...

 

[tiffanyg2]

Ohhh and he loves it when I use the blow dryer to dry him after the bath~ so spoiled!

 

[mlward]

Oh, I LOVE your moluccan!

I have a couple macaws and an umbrella cockatoo, but I would really enjoy having a moluccan. They are such big lovebugs! My um2 is pretty good about trimming. He puts his wings right out there (I only trim the 1st 5 of the flight feathers) and waits for me to tell him what "pretty wings he has!" He is not as obliging with the nails. The same with my macaws. Luckily, there is a petshop here that offers feather & nail trimming service. You could try toweling your 'too. Wrapping him up so only his feet stick out. It works better with someone else holding. Also works better if the towel is something he likes. My 'too loves the towel, sneaking under and hiding, cuddling in it, etc. so he's not afraid of it. I have one of those Pedi-paw dremels and when I turn that on, the parrots shrink away from me in fear. The umbrella's crown becomes HUGE and he tries to bite it. Long story short, do you not have a local pet store that has competent people to do it for you (if you're not comfortable doing it)? Unfortunately for me, there are NO avian vets to be found near to me.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

I was told not to trim my own birds nails or beak because they don't like it and that would make him unfriendly to me.