Sand Perch Covers: Useful, and Easy to Overdo

Sanded covers are sold as a way to keep nails trim. They work, and they can also cause harm.

What they do

The abrasive surface wears the nail tip slightly as the bird moves. On a perch the bird uses occasionally, that is helpful.

What to avoid

Covering the perch the bird sleeps on. Standing on abrasive for eight hours a night abrades the foot, not just the nail.

A sensible setup

One covered perch out of three or four, positioned somewhere the bird passes rather than settles.