When to trim nails?

[claudzilla]

How do you know when or if to trim your bird's nails? Saturday spends a lot of time on a sand perch and chewing on her feet, but her claws are still pretty long. How do you know if they're too long?

Thanks!

[Callie]

The sand perch should keep Saturday's nails worn down to a good length. An important thing about concrete/sand perches is that they need to be thick enough where your bird's feet don't close all the way around the perch when they sit on it. You want the nails to rub on the perch when your bird sits on it so the toes should not go more than 3/4 of the way around the perch.

Too long is when the nails start catching in your clothing or on other things. Can you share a photo with us?

[claudzilla]

Her nails are long enough that she can climb my shirt, but she doesn't get stuck. This (http://www.petco.com/product/10598/Insight-Sand-Perches.aspx?CoreCat=BirdFC_Perches) is the kind of sand perch she has. Here's a couple of pictures of her toes, but I don't know how clear they came out - it was hard to get her to hold still.
http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z438/claudzilla72/IMG_0511.jpg
http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z438/claudzilla72/IMG_0509.jpg

[michiganlet]

Be very carful trimming nails. Jesse broke a nail and wouldn't put his foot down. I took him to the vet, he said the toenail has a lot of nerve endings in it and that was why it was hurting.
It took a week to heal.
If you want to do the trimming take her to the vet and let them show you how.

[Bodie]

Bodie does his own nails and they look just like your baby. Parrotlets tend to ball their feet up when you try to trim them.

[Callie]

From your photos, it looks like the perch is doing its job. Saturday should be able to use nails to climb and they don't look overly long from my point of view. :)

[claudzilla]

Thanks everybody! I thought she was probably fine, but wanted to be sure. And I definitely want her to be able to climb, since she can't fly. Thanks!

[skthurley]

I have had Jack for over 2 years, and I have never had to take him in for a nail trim.

Parrotlets trim their own nails apparently. I also have a pedi-perch that I rotate in and out of his cage every few months.