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Which Birds Require Grooming?
Parrots and a handful of other pet birds may require wing trimming to prevent
flight and escape. Many species, however, should never be trimmed. The common cage
birds not requiring wing trimming include: pigeons and doves, canaries, poultry,
turacos, most toucans, and most passerine birds (finches, mynahs, crows, jays, mousebirds,
etc.). Many of these species are aviary birds and are often not handled by their
owners, nor are they let out of their flight cages.
Due to the lack of normal wear and differences in housing and feeding, many birds
will require nail trims. Curled, bent, broken or overgrown nails are readily apparent
to the bird owner. Overgrown nails pose a threat to the bird in the form of broken
toes, legs and torn nails.
Wing Trimming
Your avian veterinarian is the best person to trim your bird’s wings for the
following reasons:
- Someone other than their
owner should trim birds since many birds will react negatively to this procedure.
- Improper trimming often results
in cutting blood feathers, amputating the end of the wing, and most commonly, cutting
too much off. Your avian veterinarian knows the appropriate place and amount to cut.
- Proper restraint is essential.
Improper restraint will result in stress and sometimes death in inexperienced hands.
- Avian veterinarians are able
to recognize if any feather disease or damage is present and alert you to more serious
concerns.
Nail Trimming
Properly housed birds, with appropriate perching, and on good diets rarely have
overgrown nails. However, they may become very sharp and intolerable when your bird
is perching on your arm. Despite claims, sandpaper, plastic, cement and plaster perches
do little to dull bird toenails. These rough perches usually just cause foot irritation.
Cement perches, however, can be an excellent stone to rub beaks on for some birds
and should be placed as the lowest perch in the cage.
As with wing trimming, your avian veterinarian is the best person to perform nail
trimming. When properly cut, most every nail will bleed. Cutting just the tips will
predispose to overgrown nails, excessive bleeding during nail breakage, and promote
injury.
Beak Trimming
Healthy birds on excellent nutrition rarely, if ever, require beak trimming.
Many may have abnormal wear on the beak and also may have special needs for beak
grooming. Usually beak trims are needed only to remove the sharpness off the tip
of the beak.
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