Beak trimming

[Mare]

What are your thoughts..

Shaggy is the first bird I've ever had that's had a beak trim. Both upper and lower mandibles are blunt, not sharp or razory which is probably good from a human's view but is this good for the bird..?..

I've been watching to see if she can still crack a walnut..

[kendrafitz]

The women at Bird Paradise told me that once you start trimming their beaks, they tend to grow faster. I have no idea if that is true or not.

I don't "trim" Rosie's beak per se. When the tip of her beak gets too sharp or her lower beak is rough I do buff it. I just use the 3 or 4 way nail buffers that I use on our nails. She doesn't love it, but she usually seems happy after and informs me that she is "better!?!?"

I don't think the length/sharpness of their beak helps with eating. In fact if it is too long I would think it would be detrimental. I don't have too experience, but with Rosie, the food she eats is crushed inside her mouth/beak. So it makes no difference to her. :)

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Casper only has the end of his upper beak trimmed. Most of the damage he does when biting comes from further back and his lower beak which are quite sharp.
He too needed beak "styling" when we got him because it was almost touching his neck (the pointy end that is).

[Mare]

Shaggy came with an off-center upper beak, it wasn't noticeable and I actually didn't notice it at all till I got her home. It leans toward her right and was rubbing on that right point of her lower beak making that side very thin and finally disappear. The vet thinks that with regular, monthly trims she can correct this.

Kendra, I'll let you know if her beak grows faster :)

I like your "styling" term, Jean-Pierre!

[Pinkbirdy]

Some birds you have to keep up with this beak thing :).Others seem to know how to do it themselves.Maybe this will get her on the right track .How is the bonding with you going ?Getting used to being handled ?

[Mare]

Hi, Terri :). Shaggy and I are bonding up real well. She/he is so much more mellow than Amigo was, (I'm waiting for DNA test results). I can have her out on a perch in the living room area, with people coming and going and she's all good with it..it's so nice to be able to do this without being on edge and worried about flying attacks.

I'm not super impressed with this beak trimming thing. She can no longer open a walnut and has a tough time ripping up an egg carton, her lower mandible's points are gone and her upper beak is blunt :(. I'm hoping that the vet is right, that after some regular trims her beak will be back on track. I hope you and your flock are doing well!