Grooming Your Parrot

With most pets, we all have to do some kind of grooming. With parrots, we get asked all the time about clipping their flight feathers, or doing their nails. We have a site for clipping parrot's flight feathers with pictures we will include here. We feel it is important to note that although people claim that one person can do the clipping of the nails and wing feathers. We don't suggest doing bigger parrots by your self.

Doing their nails or clipping flight feathers you want to cause as less stress as possible. If you're not experiencing or un-easy on doing their nails or flight feathers go to your vet.
Although many people are scared of clipping their parrots flight feathers due to they don't want to cut the blood feathers. When it comes to clipping flight feathers not all agree that this should be done. However, although people might think this is wrong, on the other hand, this is done to protect the parrot(s). We always hear about someone's pet parrot(s) that got out the door or window. Only after this they wish they would have clipped the parrot(s) flight feathers.

People that let their parrot(s) fly in the house, must remember the chances of the parrot getting hurt with their flight feathers not clipped, verses clipped are really asking for trouble. Parrots can easily fly into a wall, or window which can in most cases break their necks or doing major damage. You don't have to clip all wing feathers off, just enough that they can't get full flight. Depending on the size of the parrot 3 to 4 is a good start. You just want to clip enough where they can't get full flight.
When it comes to clipping the toe nails of the parrots, we find using the common toenail clippers work well for small parrots. When we mean small parrots, we're talking about Quaker parrots or smaller. When it comes to the larger parrots using the common toenail clippers can, in fact, hurt the parrot, plus causing un-due to stress. Common toenail clippers operate by the pressure of two blades squeezed together to cut through the nail. With clippers, it's easy to cut off too much nail and cause the quick to bleed.

Dremel Rotary Tool has made this job so much better for the parrot. If you're not experience go to your vet and get him to show you how to do it. Furthermore, with bigger parrots try and get someone to help you. Remember the less stress the parrot is under the better. Below we have added a good site not just for trimming the feathers. Although it says Cockatiel's, you can use this for other parrots. Plus they have other interesting articles

Trimming a Cockatiel's Wing Feathers

How to Trim Parrot Feathers (Video)

Nail Trimming