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What dremel bit works best for this? I have been taking my macaws to the vet for grooming for many years, but I've recently begun grooming them myself at home. The toes and wings are simple enough, but now their beaks are going to need a little help.

I'm an artist and I've used a dremel before, so I have no doubt I can do this. I've watched the vet do this so many times. But when I tried this last time, the dremel was not making much of an impact at all. I must be using the wrong bit.

Can anyone advise? Thank you!

Most birds, if they have plenty of wood to chew, don't need their beaks trimmed. If not sure please get the vet to show you. My hahns beak was trimmed a couple times when it broke. He now keeps it fine with the toys I give him. My grey and senegal have never had their's trimmed.

Maybe she forgot to mention that her macaw has scissor beak Even so, I would want the vet doing beak trims on my bird. Or testing to learn why the beak needs trimming. If there's good reason for a trim, though, having mom do it very carefully at home might lessen the stress. But sad that it must be done.

Take my advice, I have 63 years eperience and if this bird associates you in any way, with any type of fright or pain, he will resent you and be hostile to you FOREVER!

hopesmom wrote:What dremel bit works best for this? I have been taking my macaws to the vet for grooming for many years, but I've recently begun grooming them myself at home. The toes and wings are simple enough, but now their beaks are going to need a little help.

I'm an artist and I've used a dremel before, so I have no doubt I can do this. I've watched the vet do this so many times. But when I tried this last time, the dremel was not making much of an impact at all. I must be using the wrong bit.

Can anyone advise? Thank you!

hopesmom wrote:What dremel bit works best for this? I have been taking my macaws to the vet for grooming for many years, but I've recently begun grooming them myself at home. The toes and wings are simple enough, but now their beaks are going to need a little help.

I'm an artist and I've used a dremel before, so I have no doubt I can do this. I've watched the vet do this so many times. But when I tried this last time, the dremel was not making much of an impact at all. I must be using the wrong bit.

Can anyone advise? Thank you!

Hi Hopesmom,

First let me ask you a few quick questions:

Have you introduced your bird to the dremel before? That is do you use it for the nails as well? What type of dremel do you use? Is it battery powered or electric? How do you and your bird get along in general? Can you hold their beak? Can you stick your finger into their mouth without any friction or them getting upset? Can you hold them? Do you towel them?

I have been grooming my Macaws for some time now. It is a process that is begun at an early age but can be taught to older birds. I use the dremel like any other item that the Macaw comes into contact with. I INTRODUCE IT SLOWLY AND EASY STEP BY STEP. You can not expect the bird to understand anything new right off the bat. Make it like a game.

I do not use the electric one, and opt for the battery pack model on account of the speed, sound, and besides you do not need to go that fast it may cause an injury to them. The battery pack one has a different sound that they definitely need to get use to. I use it on their nails as well as their beaks.

I can handle my Macaws in any way and they are not scared because I do no harm to them. I can play with them rough or lovingly. Many of them will roll over for me to get rubs on their belly. This is a good indication of being able to do this type of grooming. However I do towel and handle the breeders differently. With them it is a matter of speed and accuracy. They will oblige me as long as it does not take so long.

My process is a simple one, I only use the round stone attachment for the dremel, the red stone. You might want to start out with the darker grey stone (takes less off on a pass.) I place my finger into their beak and open it up to get access on the lower mandible while I push the tongue out of the way. Please be careful with the tongue, they want to taste everything so make it quick and easy. Remember after some time you will be quicker with this, but for starters go slow. Run the stone over the left and right side to groom evenly. I take very little off the flat front. That generally is worn down by wood and nuts. It is the side of the lower that you need to grind back on to make an even line. This is where scissor beak trimming is required. It provides a tingling sensation or vibration but no pain is experienced, believe me if they did my finger would be cut in two!

The upper beak trimming is just to take off the point of the beak. This is done right quick and you just round it off and that's it! Remember regular grooming does two things. It keeps your bird healthy and also reminds them of what you are doing. I go through my entire flock monthly. So they have come to realize this is just another process that Dad does, along with feeding, cleaning out their cage, wing trimming, etc There is nothing special to this, just a sort of timing or tempo in getting it done. If they get aggravated stop what you are doing and give them an hour in between. When doing their nails be sure to have some septic powder close by.

Dutch

Excellent post, PurpleHeart She mentions having tried dremelling already without great success, so she's beyond Step 1. Funny typo in your last sentence That would be styptic powder. I read many cautions about how it burns soft tissue and should be used only on nails. Since birds will always want to preen it off immediately with those inquiring tongues, I've long opted to not use it at all. Amazon.com sells a gel called Clotisol that Dr Margaret Wissman, well-known FL vet, recommends. Use of a dremel eliminates bleeding, doesn't it?

Thank you for your replies. PurpleHeart, great advice, thank you so much!

I have a severe macaw and a blue/gold macaw. Both very tame and loving. We're very close and I can kiss their tummies and toes. They've been my feathered kids for many years.

My husband and I have been trimming their toes and wings lately, and I do towel them first just to keep it quick and safe. They don't like the toe grooming, which I use a bird toe trimmer to do. Sometimes I also use a nail file to smooth a rough edge. But immediately afterwards they return to being playful and trusting with us. I've never seen any resentment. More like "what the heck was that? Oh, ok. Play with me now." I can't say the same after the vet visits. After a vet grooming they cling to me, all sweaty, and I have to calm them in the examination room for a few minutes before taking them home. Then at home they become very quiet and distant for an hour or so. This is why I am grooming them at home now. It's much easier on them, and I can use that extra cash I saved for toys.

I should also mention that I work from home and these two are out of their cages all day. They're not used to being packed away in a smaller cage and the car rides. I think between that and dealing with a stranger handling them, there is a lot of stress prior to the grooming. Here, I can just towel them quick, lay them on the bed and baby talk them while I clip and it's over much sooner.

Good call, Bluesbird Exotics My blue/gold does has a crossed over beak. My severe is fine and doesn't really need a beak trimming because he seems to take care of that himself. But my sweet blue/gold needs help. Yes, sad this must be done, but very necessary. She also has scoliosis, and her head is slightly bent to one side. She can't fly, but she can safely flutter to the ground. But omg she is the most adorable bluegold I've ever seen! It was love at first sight.

I was very fortunate to have two great avian vets, one in CA and one here in TX. They encouraged me to ask questions. Both explained to me each time they dremelled my BG's beak what they were doing and why, and how this assists her to chew easier. I'm confident I can do this. Also, I'm very conservative and gentle and will start out slow.

When I tried to use my electric dremel it didn't seem to impact the beak very well. So I will try the bits PurpleHeart suggested. My blue/gold seemed fine after the one attempt. No one is going to appreciate that dentist drill sound, but afterwards she wasn't stressed out. But maybe I will try a battery operated dremel to reduce the sound.

Thanks everyone for your replies.

Our Hahn's has to have her beak trimed. She hates the vet (he made the mistake of looking at her vent...lol...the only time she's ever bitten to hurt... and she got me!) so last time we were there, for a cracked beak, we asked him to show us how to do it. She'll lay on her back and let us work on her beak. For some reason she won't work on her beak, she has tons of wood toys, both hard and soft, and large shreader toys, but she rarely chews on them.
Darlene, have you had a lot of problems with your Hahn's breaking its beak? Jewel has had 3 cracked beaks in the past 6 months. Our vet advised us to put a mineral block in her cage thinking it might help. What did you do to stop it? Anything? Jewel's only 11 months old so our vet said she may grow out of it and start chewing on things more as she gets older. We have to trim it because she'll break a notch in the center of her bottom beak and then if it's not trimmed down it'll crack. Just curious.

Hi
I have found all the posts extremely interesting. I have an 11 year BG. The first vet visit for a trim was her last. time. He was good but the look of dismay and unbelief was not good. He toweled and then clipped her wings and trimmed her toes. Drew blood of course.

I have had pet all my life and clipped lots of nails, so I tried my hand at Petri. I found a skittle would buy me one toe. Then later all the toes. It was especially funny after clipping the cats nails, that petri raised her foot for a toe trim. BY golly if the cat got so did she even if it was a toe clip.

I now have a concrete perch on her stand. Ever since I put the perch in place I have no need for a trim. The nails are nice and smooth, the beak is kept down. Her feet are not callused. This is the perch she picks to sleep on. The rest of the time she is on other perches.
It is not the highest perch. I think she likes the security of the grip. I have not need to trim a toe in over a year.
I would recommend a concrete perch.
Lori