Clipping Claws

For "miscellaneous" finch-related questions.
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Sally
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by Sally » Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:38 pm

dunker817 So sorry you lost one of your grasskeets, it is never easy.

As far as the nail clipping, it is easier than it looks, and as others have said, when you are holding the head between your index and middle fingers, you really aren't holding it tight, and the other fingers are loosely curled around the body. It is just that holding it by the neck, or rather with the neck between the two fingers, it is very hard for the bird to wriggle loose and escape.
3 Purple Grenadiers, 1 Goldbreast + 1 cat.

National Finch & Softbill Society - http://www.nfss.org

dunker817
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by dunker817 » Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:22 pm

Well I got my canary hen's claws clipped. All my finches and canaries are in a bedroom converted into a bird space. I had to chase them around the room with a butterfly net. Finally the hen tireded first so I was able to pick her up and clip her. It was very nerve-racking. I am giving them all a chance to calm down before I go in after another one. Wish me luck.
Layne

One male Spanish Timbrado canary, two Grasskeets, four Cockatiels, and two Cairn Terriers.
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
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lovezebs
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by lovezebs » Thu Jul 13, 2017 2:36 pm

dunker817

Hi Layne,

See, I knew you could do it!!!

If you catch a few and put them in a small cage, it makes it a lot easier for you.

I want to see a video of the great butterfly net chase, lol :twisted:
~Elana~

Linnies~ Canaries ~ Zebras ~ Societies ~ Gouldians ~ Orange Cheeks ~ Shaft Tails ~ Strawberries ~ Red Cheek Cordon Bleu ~ Goldbreasts ~ Red Brows ~ Owls ~ Budgies ~ Diamond Firetails ~ Javas ~ Forbes Parrot Finches ~

dunker817
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by dunker817 » Thu Jul 13, 2017 8:55 pm

Elana that video would be priceless I am sure, LOL.

Well I managed to round up my male canary and clip his claws. He was a bit more difficult to catch. His little heart was about to beat out of his chest so I clipped what I could and left it at that. Both hen and cock look much better but I didn't get as much as I wanted. Using the trimming scissors I bought was a bit clumsy. On my next day off I am going to trim the finches and will use a toe nail clipper and see if it works better for me. Maybe next month I can trim a bit more from all of them.

Thank you all for your support and guidance. It really helped a lot. Today I ordered same rough perches for each of my flight cages and some lava rocks too. Since the finches and canaries are in a bird room they will have to endure the clipping ordeal. I hope the new perches and chews will help with my tiels and grasskeet.

Layne
Layne

One male Spanish Timbrado canary, two Grasskeets, four Cockatiels, and two Cairn Terriers.
Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
Antone France

wildbird
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by wildbird » Thu Jul 13, 2017 11:20 pm

If you put rough rocks close to food and water in the free flight room, that can work there too.

Hyansith
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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by Hyansith » Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:06 am

Is claw clipping always necessary? I've been using calcified perches which are quite coarse in texture, I was hoping these would keep the claws in good enough shape to not require trimming....

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Re: Clipping Claws

Post by Icearstorm » Wed Mar 06, 2019 11:41 am

Hyansith

You only have to do it when the claws get too long; same goes with beak-trimming. For my birds, it's usually the middle claw and back claw that get the most overgrown, but they only need clipping every few months. So long as your birds have some perches that aren't as rough as well, the calcified perches may work well.

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