I have not had to trim any beaks except the scarlet macaw I use to have. I did his while he was hanging on the cage bars. I only used clippers a time or two and used a heavy metal nail file from then on. He didn't mind at all but would have bitten me badly if I had tried while he was out of the cage.

I also did his toenails while he was hanging from the bars. Now all of my birds have a concrete perch that keeps their nails blunted. Being a parrot, Rio liked toys a lot so I gave him a strong heavy nail file as a toy. That also helped with the beak.

I doubt that your hawk plays with toys. Does she? How do wild hawks keep their beaks short? If you know, give her whatever the wild ones use. Do they chew on their prey's bones?

Annie

I need to tell about one experience I had with a vet who's employees were not honest with me. I took an amazon to a vet without knowing anything about her. The staff told me she could trim wings and toenails. I went for a wings and toenail trim because he was being cranky with me and I knew I couldn't do it alone. A vet tech took him to the back in his tote cage. It took way longer than I thought it should. Finally 4 ladies came out with my bird in his cage. I never did find out which one was the vet.

I paid my bill and picked up the cage and went to the car. Then I saw the blood. She had cut every single toenail right down into the quick and every one was bleeding. Then I realized his beak was bleeding. They had cut his beak very short. I was horrified but did not go back inside. I fought with myself for a moment before deciding that I could help him more than she could. My town is small so I was home within 10 minutes and I knew what to do to stop the bleeding. I feel pretty sure that he bit someone and they paid him back by cutting his beak. I have never been so angry at a vet in my life. She did not know what she was doing. If I had had more birding experience I'd have known not to go to her, but I learned a lesson at the expense of my poor bird.

He did fine after I got the bleeding stopped.

Annie

 

 

 

After i got my third bird... oh how long ago that seems! I invested in a drimmel. I have never once thought it a waste of money in all of these years. I do all of the kids toes with them. The only one of my birds that I do the beak on is my owl. I am blessed enough to have a great avian vet (I work for him) that does everyones beak once a year during their annual visit if it is needed. It would save you a step from having to cut and then file if you just useda drimmel to take her beak shorter.

~Tyed~