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    Canary Clinic





    Canaries being prepared for breeding should be in the peak of condition. This applies equally to the feet and legs as it does to the constitution of the bird. My practice is to supply a selection of grits throughout the year, with an added calcium supply in preparation for the forthcoming egg laying cycle. This means I need to keep a watchful eye on the birds toe nails, as they can grow quite quickly, if left unchecked. Long nails may be harmful to the birds if they get entangled on thin perching or aviary wires etc, and can result in damaged toes if they become entangled in nesting material. Similarly, eggs can be punctured, or matings may be unsuccessful.

    Introducing birds to their flight cages provides an ideal opportunity to check the nails.

    Using a training cage, assess the length of each birds nails. Ideally, they should be no more than a quarter of an inch long. Healthy nails are slightly curved, and without twists or kinks. Over long nails grow in circles, turning back underneath the perch, when the bird is resting.

    Trimming

    Trimming canary nails is simplicity itself. Hold the bird in one hand, allowing one claw to wrap around your finger as you curl your hand around the body of the bird. The head should be popping out above your thumb and first finger, with the tail pointing down your wrist. Turning your hand over, it is an easy matter to lift out one leg, and extend the claws.

    Mostly, it is just the hind claw and the middle front facing claw which will need trimming. Never use scissors. They are difficult to manage, and may slip. Instead, use a small pair of nail clippers, which have a curved pair of jaws, are designed for the job, and which can be easily operated using only one hand.

    Hold the extended claw to the light and you will see a single vein running through the centre of the nail. Clip near to this vein, but be careful not to cut it as you do not want the canary to suffer any loss of blood. If an accident happens, a dab of iodine usually works, or cauterise the wound with a lit cigarette in severe cases.

    Attention to beaks

    Some canaries beaks also grow, and over or undershot beaks are another hazard to look out for. Whilst you have the bird in your hand, place your thumb gently on the birds head and assess how the beak is aligned. The lower and upper mandibles should meet each other, enabling the bird to feed with ease. If they don’t, then snipping off the excess using the nail clippers is another simple task. That is why you have a thumb or finger on top of the birds head. You are keeping its mouth shot – you don’t want to nick it’s tongue! As you examine the condition of the legs, consider whether the bird would benefit by having any horns or scales reduced. It is a simple matter to massage some olive oil or a proprietary solution onto the leg for a few days, which will have the effect of softening and lessening the worst of the problem. Delay introduction into the flight until this ongoing operation has been completed.

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