Grooming your bird includes trimming its
wings and nails, filing its beak, preening
your bird and bathing your bird. Grooming
your bird gives you a chance to spend quality
time with your bird and helps you to form
a stronger bond with your pet.
Clipping your bird's wings serves several
purposes. The taming process is much easier
and faster with their wings clipped and
you have better control over your bird while
taming it. Wing trimming will also prevent
your bird from flying into objects such
as windows or mirrors and injuring itself.
Although wing clipping is necessary for
all pet birds, it does remove one of the
exercise modalities that birds depend on.
Therefore, it is important for you as a
responsible bird owner to offer your bird
an alternative exercise method. We recommend
a cage large enough for your bird to climb
around in, with several different toys to
encourage play. We also feel it is important
that you have your bird out of its cage
as often as possible. A good place for the
bird to play when it is out of its cage
is on a playpen. There are several different
varieties on the market now. Some companies
will even custom build them to your specifications.
Avian Treasures custom builds great playpens
and offers several types for birds of all
sizes. A playpen provides your bird with
a place of his own where he can exercise
and play without being confined to his cage.
Birds with clipped wings will almost always
stay on their playpens, especially if the
playpen offers a lot to keep them occupied.
Several different methods of wing clipping
are in print and everyone has their own
opinion on the correct method. The method
we have found that works the best is to
clip the outer primaries of BOTH wings,
below the level of the primary coverts.
The number to remove on each side varies
with species as well as individually. The
primaries must be cut because they are the
feathers that give lift when the bird flaps
its wings. The secondary flight feathers
should be left intact to give some air resistance
in case the bird falls. It is important
to trim both wings so the bird is able to
maintain its balance. We do not recommend
plucking the feathers because they will
grow back out in six weeks and it is a very
uncomfortable experience for the bird. It
is important to remember that clipped feathers
will molt out and new ones will replace
them within a few months. When the new feathers
grow in they contain a pulp consisting of
blood vessels and nerves. You should not
clip the blood feathers because they will
bleed profusely and cause the bird a lot
of pain, stress, and blood loss. It is best
to wait until the feathers are fully mature
before clipping the wings again.
Some birds are very strong fliers and may
still be able to fly even after being clipped.
So, do not risk taking the bird outside,
trusting the wing clip, only to have something
suddenly scare your bird, and cause it to
fly off into the wild blue yonder. You will
be left standing there with your mouth open,
thinking --"But, ....But,...s/he was
clipped!" I have seen it happen, with
no matter as to the tameness of the bird.
Just as a side thought, please do not put
those nasty leg chains on your bird. They
will invariably lead to a broken leg.
Trimming your birds' nails also serves
several purposes. When their nails become
too long perching is uncomfortable and it
may lead to more serious foot problems.
Long sharp nails are also uncomfortable
to you when your bird perches on your bare
skin. Long nails may also become snagged
in toys, clothing or on a cage and can result
in serious leg or foot injuries.
When trimming your bird's nails it is important
to remember that each nail has a blood and
a nerve supply called the quick. Remember
that the quick grows with the nail and an
overgrown nail will have a longer quick.
If you trim the nail too far back and cut
the quick, it will bleed and will be painful
to the bird. Any amount of blood loss, however
small, is significant and should be stopped
immediately with pressure and a styptic
compound.
The beak also has a quick like the nails
and the same precautions should be considered
when correcting the beak length. If your
bird has plenty of toys to chew on, a Polly
Perfect or lava rock perch to rub its beak
on, and its beak is growing normally, it
should not be necessary to trim the beak.
It may be necessary, however, to file the
tip with an emery board or nail file to
dull the point or shorten its length slightly.
If the beak is growing too fast or growing
abnormally, you should see your avian veterinarian
to determine the cause and cure.
Wing, nail and beak trimming are simple
procedures. If you are inexperienced with
how to perform them, then have your avian
veterinarian show you the proper instruments
needed and the correct method of trimming.
Once you have done it a few times it becomes
easier. I recommend, however, that owners
let others do the grooming so their bird
does not become distrustful to the owner.
