Kili Senegal Parrot - Cutting Nails & Filing Beak and Nails

[eligeti89]

does it hurt when you clip the nails for kili? looks like she is reacting to it when you clip it off...

[eligeti89]

oh i remember watching this video and i ended up watching all your videos one night .... i wish i had a bird too...

your parrots are adorable! They are lucky to have you....:)

[AvialaeEnrichment]

I don't get why you didn't train her to do this volountarily with positive reinforcement? She clearly doesn't like it very much, and it's not like it would be a difficult behaviour for someone like you to train. I also don't agree that a bird needs to be hungry to accept treats. Read up on psycological hunger.

[kiliparrot]

@AvialaeEnrichment I guess you didn't watch cause I offer her oatmeal. I don't specifically go out of the way to train this except when I'm doing it so it's a longer/slower process. Yes she doesn't like it much but reinforcement wouldn't maker her dislike it any less, it would just give her justification to tolerate it. I don't have to do it that often and this works well enough. Also she loves getting her beak filed and scratched so I save that for the end.

[AvialaeEnrichment]

@kiliparrot

Offering a treat for her being held in a firm grip without giving a choice as to if she wants to participate or not really doesn't classify as training though.

Of course you can get them to like it. The part they don't enjoy is more often than not the lack of control. If you train it using shaping it's pretty easy to get a bird that eagerly offers it's foot.

Yes, this works, but it isn't very fun. I bet you could train it in like three days if you put your mind to it.

[AvialaeEnrichment]

@kiliparrot

I've trained parrots to volunteer for blood draws even; nail trims is a walk in the park compared to that. The good thing with the bird enjoying it is that you can do it more often and therefore less extensively.

[kiliparrot]

@AvialaeEnrichment I don't think the bird can ever "enjoy it." It can enjoy the treats, scratches, and attention so they justify it. But this does not mean that the bird is outright receiving pleasure from discomforting things. While I don't think nail clipping hurts them, I do think it causes enough discomfort. I grab Kili like that all the time no problem, it's just the moment of clipping that she dislikes. This never stopped her from being held or flying away so its ok.

[AvialaeEnrichment]

@kiliparrot

They might not actively "enjoy" the precise moment when you clip, they do however learn to enjoy the situation as a whole since they know they have control over it. Sometimes they don't even notice the clip as they're too caught up in the training.

But she doesn't try to get away like that when you grab her at other times, right? The combination of discomfort and force is what is making it unpleasant, knowing they can't get away from it.

[JenJW]

This was really interesting to watch. I prefer to let experts handle this job with our senegal, but seeing how you do it was good information. My favorite parts were when you gave Kili oatmeal, because I knew it made her happy. She didn't enjoy the nail trimming and beak filing, but she was very well-behaved. Oatmeal is a good incentive!

[Hira110484]

and a plus point....you will have to do that just once in the parrot's life and the nails will never be sharp again...and it wont affect the length of the parrot's nails either

[Hira110484]

there's an easier way of trimming your parrot's nails without hurting it....light a ciggarette and very gently touch the lightened end to the tip of the parrot's nail...the nail will kinda 'melt' and become blunt. this does not hurt the parrot nor causes it to bleed...i did so with two of my indian ringnecks and the nails are smooth as ever...

[lilrabbit97]

How many times do you do this and do you recomend senegal parrots i've herd a rumor that says they get sick easily is that true ?

Thanks.

[mariusvanwitzenburg]

Nice to see "If I behave I get something nice to eat" in the birds reaction :-)

[umaryu]

hold my senegal like that aand he would chew your hnd off. he will sit with me and let me stroke him but he is just too independant. I havent clipped his nails in 10 years, he bites his nails LOL

[Disciple1102]

so whats the white stuff your like takeing off his beak old food?

[cardozinha02]

@Disciple1102 oat meal

[HedgedIn]

I love your videos and the relationship of trust clearly displayed in your vids...I would like to get into parrots and I've been researching a lot of types and their care. One thing I've read, though, is you should avoid shushing your bird because it can remind them of snakes hissing, or their own hissing. Do you shush only certain of your birds, or does this not really upset them? Keep up the vids, they're very informative for new people! :)

[xoligatorx]

make a video of homemade food for parrots please

[woody26manc]

u should never use scissors. buy proper parrot nail clippers

[Vicki5280]

You, Kili, and Truman have taught me so much! My fib's are already better off because of what I've learned from the three of you. Interestingly, this is one of the first videos I saw of yours (which eventually led me to the website and forum). My lingering question is what are you rewarding Kili with in this video? I'm having a hard time finding something my QP will work for, and am ready to start grasping at straws... or videos!

Thanks for all you do!!!

[kiliparrot]

@Vicki5280 I keep explaining to everyone that it does not matter what I am feeding to Kili. What matters is that you find something that YOUR bird enjoys. I explained in my Taming/Training guide on my blog about how to find out what foods your parrot enjoys and how to set up some basic food management. Simple fact is that if your bird just ate a ton of food in the cage, it's not going to want the treats. So it's about making sure the bird is hungry and wants it. I used oatmeal in this video.

[philio8008]

this thread is funny...everyone is sooo intense about clipping a birds nails...life's too short folks....relax!!! do with your own pet what you will...obviously every living creature is different (including birds), therefore every pet will need to be treated differently. Wow what a concept right....hmmm maybe we could apply this to humans too...hmmm just maybe...

[pinupdove]

@boooomchakalaka fuck you asshole whats your fucking problem ya gay for the dud e and his bird ???? what the fuck is peoples problem on you tube why dont you mind your own fucking bees waxxx and go fuck another chicken you fucked up piece of shit redneck go to hell!!!! :) have anice day answer will be ignored because your not worth my time after this but if you feel the need to come back at me fine go ahead waste your time but i wont read it:)

[lilmissivy992]

what did you feed him

[AlexNuchiha]

I trim my birds' nails the same way, but i do one nail at a time and give them a break for a few seconds. Your Senegal is very well behaved. keep the videos coming!

[sue345sue]

Very well behaved Senegal.....you are doing a great job taking care of her.

Don't you just love how everyone loves to criticize everyone else?

You specifically stated not to do this yourself, yet the complainers ignore your intro & bash anyway...sigh...some people have no lives I guess...

[kiliparrot]

@sue345sue Thanks! Kili and Truman are both at that awkward stage right now when the talons are getting sharp yet too short to cut. I hate this period cause I know if I cut, they'll bleed but waiting till they get longer will be painful. There's always filing but I strongly believe that a good cut every once in a while keeps the neater and blunter.

[pinupdove]

ummmmm?????? okay first off this is a no no ive worked with birds for years and this kind of thing should be done by avain vet you should not be doing this on your own by any means its dangerous especially the beak part its nothing to take lightly and if you are gonna do it please do not use scissors but honestly you should get sand perches for his cage and let him file them down naturally your lucky you havent hurt or killed him yet

[philio8008]

@pinupdove sorry this is not correct...I don't know what you consider "working with birds" but you definitely do not need to go to vet school to learn how to trim your birds nails and beak. A good bird owner will take the time to learn how to take care of the birds needs himself. Relying on the vet for every single thing is not what they are there for. Geesh it's bad enough that we use doctors so much as humans now you want us to do it to our pets too. Ridiculous.

[hulk90000]

this is a very very bad idea clipping a birds nails yourself. AND NEVER NEVER CLIP YOUR BIRDS BEAK YOURSELF HE CAN DIE! TAKE HIM TO AN AVIAN VET PLEASE! THANK YOU

[HoovesAndWings]

you guys have a great bond! with my parrotlet i have to place him in a towel while i trim him otherwise i will get a nasty little nip! cute senegal. i've never had one, what are they like as far as personality goes?

[sv3sas]

Why do yu guys talk so smartly? :l

[kuwait126]

i never cliped my parrots nail is that bad?

[dingdong7802]

Haha. I like how you give her treats during the manicure... my caique would be so jealous at that kind of fine treatment.

[k3e4v5i6n71]

what types of treats do you give her

[sv3sas]

My senegal takes hrs and hrs to clip his nails..

But the wings r easy ..He once started bleeding so we put flour on his nails

[minifee819]

Wow! your a pro! My Senegal would never let me do that !

[minifee819]

My senegal would never let me do that!Your a pro!

[PHANTOMSLAYER777]

Expertly done. But I would not attempt that with my particular bird.

[shadowlita]

Aww, she is so patient and well behaved!

I am very sensitive to animals comfort and how people care, handle and treat them, and I see nothing to warrant any negativity on how you handled this task. You did a very excellent job.

What is that she is nommin on? :-)

[xxxkevinxbboyxxx]

is there a toy that they can play on that will like sand there nails down

[CameronJr96]

hahah looks like a fake bird alittle

[karenctran]

Do you have to trim your bird's nails? Can you just leave like that and still train it? Where did you learn to trim the nails? Which part do you cut of the nail?

[kiliparrot]

@karenctran I don't recommend anyone trim their birds nails themselves. Please have a vet or experienced person do this because if cut wrong, the bird can bleed to death. They can be trained even if nails aren't trimmed but they get too sharp and dig into your skin. I'm just showing how I do it, but I really do not teach anyone how to do it and don't recommend you do it yourself. Even if you do it right, you may still ruin your relationship with the parrot.

[PHANTOMSLAYER777]

@kiliparrot TY

[davidmerc01]

@kiliparrot -You can trim the ends of the nails on any bird. If you happen to cut too far up, take cornstarch and put the bird's talong & nail in it. Then you hold the nail you clipped until the cornstarch blocks the nail from bleeding. I've done this to dogs also, there are many products you can find at a farm store. I used to be a dog groomer & I ordered this yellow powder to stop the bleeding. A 'stip stick'. Wet it and place on nail, then put bleeding nail in the cornstarch,

[davidmerc01]

@karenctran -You can trim the ends of the nails on any bird. If you happen to cut too far up, take cornstarch and put the bird's talong & nail in it. Then you hold the nail you clipped until the cornstarch blocks the nail from bleeding. I've done this to dogs also, there are many products you can find at a farm store. I used to be a dog groomer & I ordered this yellow powder to stop the bleeding. A 'stip stick'. Wet it and place on nail, then put bleeding nail in the cornstarch,

[loveofeathers]

You do a great job. I have a senegal but not as nice as yours. Mine attacks me all the time.

[1boidae]

WOW!!! Absolutely AMAZING!!!!

[mattnstarbird]

this guy is an idiot you dont trim a birds nails with scissors and hes basicly choking him pay attention to the birds ctions he is not desensatized what so ever my birds you dont even have to hold they put their feet up and we can trim if needed but we use the sand perches so we dont have to do that

[ThePsittacine]

@mattnstarbird It's true that scissors splinter nails, please get a decent pair of $1 bird clippers from the pet store down the street. I cannot imagine that you did such a silly thing as suggest to your audience to use any old scissors on an animal. Parrots can and will pick at and mutilate splintered nails, I don't want to see anyones bird missing toes by doing this, it is a terribly novice mistake.

[kiliparrot]

@ThePsittacine I don't splinter her nails. Those are special nail trimming scissors with a notch in them where the nail goes so that there is no chance of cutting anything else accidentally. I use the same tools and methods that the professional groomers use if I bring Kili in to get her nails trimmed. Except at home I can go at a slower pace and give her treats for being cooperative but the professional just goes snip snip really quickly. Read "more info." I said I'm not suggesting anything.

[wingmagic]

@kiliparrot AGREED. I have a pair just like the ones you used, only they are about half size. I need something more heavy duty for Babe. For her I found a pair of medium dog clippers work best to insure a clean safe cut. Had no problems ever she is 25 now. You two have awesome videos. Thank you for sharing. Some of these folks get a little edgy about animal safety and that is okay. Sure seems to me you two know what is what. Don't let 'em give you a hard time. (:

[kiliparrot]

@mattnstarbird You're the idiot. Those are special scissors specifically made for trimming parrot nails and I'm not choking the bird at all. She willingly lays down in my hand and lets me do whatever I gotta do

[PHANTOMSLAYER777]

@kiliparrot Please keep your offenses to yourself. No one wants to see your lack of upbringing.

[wingmagic]

@kiliparrot I don't think they understand that if you choked that bird even once you would never get to make such a casual video like this one. Birds aren't like dogs, they are not as quick to forgive when you step on their toes. Kili would go ape shi- the next time it was time to do the trimming. I agree the look on the bird and the angle was a little suggestive, but common sense prevails... Thanks again for share what appears to be the most important part of your lives with us.

[sv3sas]

@mattnstarbird Hes not choking the parrot..Its pretty obvious u dont know anything about parrots and one thing is that if u hold them from that area they wont choke..I do it to my parrot all the time..it gets irritated and nd not all the sand perches are good.. Only some

Imagine urself on a nailed and pointy perch all day..Isnt that annoying??

[wingmagic]

@sv3sas Thank you... Now that you save me several buttons to push, I'll add that my craziest bird Fuego a Red Lored Amazon simply holds his feet up one at a time of course and lets me clip two in a row, then break. He get nor expects any treats. For beaks I use a VERY slow speed dremel to do my macaws, amazon, heck even my parakeets. No blood in 19 years not a drop. I have one keet suffering from liver disease so growth is very quick both beak and nails. He is still doing very well though.

[AngelsAllAroundMe]

Anytime:) !!! People who are not familiar w/parrots don't understand how strong their little body structures can be, They're nothing like your average bird, such as robins, sparrows, etc. Don't stop w/your videos! You're doing a great job. You also show ppl how to be caring & sensitive to parrots :) Like I've said before...I enjoy them. From one parrot expert to another...give kili a kiss from me and my Marco (cockatoo) and Mehkhi (quaker)!!! HAPPY BLESSINGS!

[AngelsAllAroundMe]

If Kili didn't like it he would protest w/a lot more resistance that I've seen here. Also, I'm sure Kili would give him a bite if he didn't like it. My parrots luv being pampered, and 2 have me file their beaks and toenails. Their most favorite is having me blow on their neck & head feathers!

[AngelsAllAroundMe]

The way he's holding kili does not hurt the bird. Parrots in the wild hang and swing upside down from trees when they play & during their mating rituals. They have very strong legs and feet. U can tell by how hard they can grip. Also, their beak is surrounded by nothing but muscle. That muscle attached to the beak can do damage. My cockatoo's beak puts out around 700 lbs. of pressure per square inch. He can bite thru a pop bottle like cutting thru buttter. Trust me...he's NOT hurting Kili.

[kiliparrot]

Thanks for explaining it. I think people who are unfamiliar with birds or haven't handled them would misunderstand this. The parrot's neck is very thin and all the space is filled with feathers so you don't see how thin the neck is. I'm not squeezing the neck but just the feathers around it. Really just making a ring with my finger to hold under her head to keep her head steady. She willingly walks into my hand to let me grab her like that so I know she doesn't mind it.

[nooshakargar]

you shouldn't hold her like that:(

[kiliparrot]

It doesn't hurt the bird.

[IxXbladeXxI]

Aw I love kili one of the most tamed parrots I have ever seen. Great job training her! keep making videos!

[AngelsAllAroundMe]

I just love all of ur vids. Kili loves u so much!!!! Such a trusting lil fella. Ur great w/him, too.

[kiliparrot]

Yeah, thanks. I started harness training her today. It really helps that she is tame. I'm hoping by the summer time to be flying her outdoors on a harness so all the taming pays off.

[MsHorselover8]

how do you tame a wild parakeet?

thanks

[Raven2322]

wow, that is one tame trusting bird, you don't even have to towel her. I wish I could train my cockatiels to handle grooming like that. great video.

[white0nerdy]

Is there any way you can do a how to video on how to trim a Senegal's claws?

I don't have the money to take my parrot to the vet to have this done(they SERIOUSLY overcharge) and she's in desperate need of a claw clipping/filing...but I'm not 100% sure what to do, I don't want to hurt her.

[kiliparrot]

Uhm, this video shows that? I have another one with trimming budgie where I explain it in a bit more detail. Just remember to use a very sharp scissor or clipper, don't cut too far, have quick stop powder open and ready to stop any bleeding, and to have a good safe grip on the parrot. Start by trying filing before going to cutting so you can get used to holding your parrot like that. Last thing you want to do is slip and cut a toe instead of claw.

[BMSWEB]

That's just awesome Michael!

[StopFear]

Hi, this looks pretty cool. Can you tell what  you're giving Killi as a reward. Looks like porridge?

[kiliparrot]

Just a bit of oatmeal. Just trying to make up for the displeasure of grooming with some positive reinforcement. I doubt it will ever make her "look forward" to getting trimmed but at least will resist less and not hate it as much.