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Clipping of the parrot’s nails can be quite difficult to do. Your parrot will definitely refuse to have its nails to be trimmed, so the perfect timing when you attempt to trim your pet’s nails is when you are bonded with it.
You will have to keep your pet calm for the whole time of the clipping procedure. Try to trim a small portion first of your pet’s nail to prevent any cut that may occur and might cause bleeding. However, if you accidentally cut your pet, use a blood stopping powder to at least stop the flow of blood. Then take your pet to a veterinary as soon as possible.
Before You Proceed to Trim Procedure
Just make sure that your pet has close bonded with you as its pet owner. It is an important thing to know your parrot’s body language before you try to trim its claws. If you feel that your pet is not comfortable with you, then you should wait for the time that your pet has already bonded with you before you attempt to clip its nails.
It will be more traumatic for your pet parrot if it does not at least trust you. The signs that your pet already trusts you is when your pet sings, talks, or even whistles in your existence. Another sign that your pet is comfortable with you is when your pet flaps its wings if you’re with them. It is considered to be a good sign; this means that your pet is trying to get your attention, or it feels happy to see you. Your parrot will be more like a dog that wagging its tail to show that it is happy.
Gather All Materials and Tools You Need
Collect all the materials that you need to clip the nail of your pet onwards. The parrot may wriggle its body to show some indication of distress during the clipping procedure. So make sure that the materials you need are ready before you start clipping your pet’s nails.
Here are the materials and tools you need to prepare when trimming the nails of your parrot:
1. A Pair of Nail Clippers
In cutting your pet’s nails, you will need a pair of nail clippers. You can also use the nail clippers that are used in cutting human nails as long as its blade is strong enough to cut a parrot’s nail. But if your pet has a hard nail, try the toenail clippers instead.
2. Blood Stopping Powder
It is required that you also have a blood stopping powder in case that you accidentally cut your pet and may start bleeding. You can buy it in any pet store. But make sure that the powder is safe to use in any kind of bird-like parrot. You will also need a towel. It is preferred to use a plain color like white, because the parrot may feel scared with colorful towels.
3. Towel
A clean towel is needed to aid in clipping your parrot’s nails.
How to Trim the Nails of Your Parrot Using Nail Clippers
1. Don’t Shock Your Parrot
Allow your pet to get used to the towel by itself. Do not try to wrap your pet in the towel right away. It may cause your pet intense worry. Just put the towel in your hand, and gently persuade the parrot to crawl in that towel.
2. Talk to Your Parrot Gently
Talk to your pet in a soft tone and say things like “good parrot” as it proceeds toward the towel. Just permit your pet to stay on the towel for a few minutes. For your pet to feel comfortable with the towel before you do the clipping procedure.
3. Wrap Your Parrot in the Towel
If you feel that your pet is already comfortable with the towel, then wrap your pet in the towel. You are required to do this cautiously to prevent any injury that may occur to your pet. Avoid putting pressure, especially in your pet’s chest as you wrap the towel in it.
Just loose, the towel over the parrot’s back, just leave the parrot’s head uncovered. Try to hold your pet to its side without holding its chest, and then wrap the towel throughout its body. From this position, hold the parrot’s head using your other hand to avoid it from biting you. And try to place your thumb in the one side of the bird’s head, then your finger on the other side. Just make sure to hold your parrot securely enough so that it cannot turn its head. It is also advisable to have a companion for help.
4. Ask for Help as Needed
Maybe you’re not able to clip your parrot’s nails on just your own. A companion can hold the wrap of the towel in your pet while you are the one doing the trimming method.
5. Trim Your Parrot’s Nails
If you are already trimming your parrot’s nails, just permit your pet to grip onto your finger. The feet of your pet must be open at the bottom of the towel. Just place your finger close to the parrot’s feet then allow it to grip into your finger by itself. It may usually take at least a few minutes, so just be patient.
If the parrot already grips into your finger, then this may lessen the stress of the parrot’s clipping procedure. Raise each parrot’s nail with your thumb. Then you clip the nails one by one. Once that your pet is already gripped into your fingers, you may now use your thumb to raise each single nails. Grasp the nail in any rea with your thumb as you clip the nails.
6. Give a Treat
After you successfully trim your parrot’s nails and your parrots behave during that process, then it is essential to give your pet a treat after clipping its nails. If you want your pet to link nail trimming with happy or positive thoughts. Give your pet a treat so that your pet may likely behave the next time you clip its nails. Offer them treats as a reward for behaving.
Safety Tips When Trimming the Nails of Your Pet Parrot
For your parrot’s safety, you may need to quickly recognize the nerve ending of your pet’s nail. If you accidentally cut it, your pet will surely feel fear and bleed. It is possible for parrots to die if it’s bleeding a lot throughout the clipping sessions.
But luckily, if your parrot has clear or as simply light-colored nails, then it should be easy to find these nerve. It is usually pink, and you can see it in the nails of the parrots. While if you have a dark-colored parrot nail, this may usually thicker. Just clip a small amount of the parrot’s nail at a time. If you have a parrot that has a darker nail, you should only clip off the tips of its nails because this might rick of any accidentally cut into the nerve up to higher.
You may stop if you feel that your pet is extremely upset. Parrots usually show some physical reactions to stress. If you see that your pet is struggling with its breathing, then stop trying to clip its nails. Try it with some other time. If your pet looks like having quick or short breaths, put your pet back to its cage until it calms itself. Try to speak to it in a soothing tone to engage your pet to relax. If you feel you don’t actually do it, then have a veterinarian to clip your parrot’s nails.
Conclusion
Now you are ready to use nail clippers for your parrot. Just keep the tips and recommendations shared above this post to help you better approach your parrot when removing its nails. Be gentle and introduce clipping slowly and positively. Don’t rush your parrot. In time, you’ll encourage your pet to participate in this grooming activity.
