How to Cut Parakeet Nails ( Expert Opinion)
Last Updated on December 29, 2023 by Ali Shahid
An owner of a bird should trim or clip their parakeet’s nails regularly. Parakeets’ claws can be sharp and extremely painful if you’ve ever been scratched by them. If you want to prevent this, you have to cut your parakeet’s nails. The first step in trimming a parakeet’s nails is to hold the bird in one hand while holding the clippers in the other. Identify the quick, pink part of the nail containing blood vessels and nerves, and do not cut it. Be careful not to cut more than the clear tip of the nail. When you accidentally cut into the quick, styptic powder should be applied to stop the bleeding.
Parakeets’ nails ought to be trimmed for many other reasons than personal comfort. One may protect their furniture and valuables with a quick nail trim now and then.
Besides, it’s never a bad idea to have a little extra handling time. You should therefore make sure to trim your parakeet’s nails regardless of the reason.
How to Cut Parakeet Nails?
- Things Required
- A washcloth
- Pair of clippers
- Helper
In the following steps, we are going to show you how to clip the nails on a parakeet:
- Take control
The first step is to wrap your parrot up in a towel. Don’t cover its head. While wrapping the towel around the bird’s body, please keep your fingers away from its chest. Due to the absence of a diaphragm, birds may suffocate if they are under too much pressure.
Wrapping your bird can upset even the most domesticated birds, so take control of the bird’s head to keep it from biting. It is necessary to hold the bird’s body with one hand while holding its head with the other hand.
Hold the bird firmly enough so that its head cannot turn freely while you place your thumb and middle finger on the bird’s head. Reassure your bird with words of comfort and use the index finger of your right hand to hold it still at the top of its head.
- Cutting the Nails
Trimming your bird’s nails is the same whether you do it, with a friend, or a relative. Make sure your bird can grasp a finger by placing it within reach. Trim just a small amount of the nail from each finger by lifting the nails with your thumb.
There is always the option to cut a little more from the nail, however, if you miss your mark and clip too much the first time around, you will be left with an upset bird that is bleeding profusely.
When a nail injury occurs, birds can bleed to death. It is important to determine the point at which the edge of the nail meets the quick in order to prevent this from occurring.
If you observe that your bird’s nails are dark, then extra care must be taken in trimming them and only a little bit at a time should be done.
As an added addition, if you feel that your bird is handling this experience well, you may wish to use a nail file to smooth out the edges of the nails, but that is not essential.
- Release Your Parakeet
After all the parakeet’s claws have been clipped, you are done with the process! Let go of your grip and let the parakeet walk around!
If he has been experiencing any stress just moments ago, he is going to be recovering very quickly from that stress.
Every time you notice that his claws are getting too long, you will need to repeat this procedure.
Reasons for Cutting Parakeet Nails
If you don’t trim your bird’s nails, your bird will grow unusual nails and will have the potential to cause some very painful injuries, so if you don’t do this, your bird will become very ill. Also, untrimmed nails can catch on to cage toys and cause the bird to suffer from tremendous pain.
The constant pressing of the weight of the body against the skin under the overgrown nails can cause great discomfort.
The result of this is that the bird can no longer bear weight on its feet, which will result in the bird becoming lame or deformed.
This could also lead to the bird’s nails curling inward, causing pain as the bird stands or walks, and ultimately, this may result in the bird’s toes becoming infected as the bird stands or walks.
When a parakeet’s feet become sore, he will become quite distressed. As a result, it is very important to keep your parakeet’s nails trimmed regularly if you want to prevent your parakeet from becoming distressed.
To clip his nails on your own, you will need to take your pet bird along with his cage to the vet in case you are unable to do so yourself.
How to Treat an Accidental Vein Cut while trimming birds’ nails?
During a nail care routine, there is the possibility that you may accidentally cut the nail vein. During such a situation, you may use styptic powder or cornstarch to clean the wound and prevent infection.
As an alternative, you can take a small amount of flour in your hand and apply it to the bleeding area. By doing this, you will be preventing further bleeding from occurring.
Because of the delicate nature of a parakeet, excessive bleeding for hours can be fatal, especially if the bird is extremely sensitive and soft. If the little one doesn’t seem to be feeling well, don’t delay, go to a professional as soon as possible.
How Often Should You Cut Parakeet Nails?
To keep the nails of your Parakeets in the correct size and shape, it is recommended that you trim their nails every two to four weeks.
If the bird were to require nail trimming, the amount of trimming that they require would depend on the species and the individual.
Even if four weeks have passed since you trimmed them, you should not trim them if they do not need trimming.
Safety Tips While Cutting Your Parakeet Nails
Make sure that you do not use any clippers or scissors unless they are designed specifically for birds, as it will only cause more injury.
It is important to only clip the very tip of the nail if you are going to use clippers. There may be something wrong with your bird’s nails that needs trimming if he is scratching at his feet. You can pick up your bird and examine his feet to see if there is anything wrong with them.
Although some birds become accustomed to having their claws trimmed, if they are in pain, they would still struggle.
The best thing to do before you attempt to clip your birds at home is to consult your vet or bird breeder for advice on what to do and how best to approach the task.
Be sure to have a first aid kit with you in case your parakeet becomes injured. Look closely at the quicks of the nail to determine the location. Make sure you stop trimming well before reaching the quicks.
This type of vein is especially vulnerable to being cut into and causing bleeding and pain. You must observe it to avoid this from happening.
You must trim your pet’s nails quickly so that you can reduce stress for yourself and the pet. When a bird has been toweled and restrained for even a short period they are likely to feel frightened and exhausted.
As a result, you should do your best to ensure that your nails are clipped in a timely and accurate manner.
Do not forget to talk gently to your bird throughout the process, and make sure he is reassured. You will likely find your bird frightened and disoriented, and he will likely be calmed by hearing your voice.
