Parrots Should Have Their Nails and Beaks Trimmed
Aside from giving your bird a weekly bath, you should also have their nails and beaks trimmed. This prevents them from becoming too sharp or overgrown which may cause injuries especially when they are kept inside a home.
One way to keep their nails blunt instead of sharp is to buy concrete or sandy perches. But this doesn’t prevent the nails from growing so the parrot must still undergo regular trimming.
Trimming the nails of a parrot is a two man operation. One person will have to hold the bird while the other one trims the nails. Initially, this job can be done by a veterinarian and once you have learned how to do it properly, you can do it by yourself. If you see that the parrot is stressed, stop trimming for a few minutes and get back to it again later on.
You can tell if you did a good job trimming the nails by putting the parrot on a flat surface. If the nails no longer lift the toes off the floor, then it was done correctly.
There are three simple tips to trim the nails of your parrot. First, have styptic powder ready so you can apply it on the nail should there be some blood loss. Second, then holding the bird down, cover it with a towel to reduce the bird’s anxiety and you have a solid grip of your pet. Third, do it quickly but carefully. Lastly, talk to your parrot making it feel that there is nothing to be scared about because as his or her master, your voice should calm it down.
So what about the beak? Unlike nail trimming, this is a task that must only be done by a trained professional. This is because this part of the bird has a blood supply and nerve endings fairly close to the tip and if you make a mistake, you could be bitten or the bird will sustain an injury.
Why is beak trimming so important? Just like the nails, if it overgrows, it is often an indication that there is a health problem. You should bring the parrot at once to the vet for proper action but all of this could have been avoided if the beak and the nails were trimmed regularly. Something that the parrot will get used to if it is started at a young age.