Pet Bird

Pet birds require the occasional grooming and bathing, aside from the regular cleaning of their birdcages. To keep your pet bird healthy and happy, you need to groom it every once in a while.

Bird Grooming Supplies You May Need

Grooming your pet bird will require a lot of patience. Unlike dogs and cats, birds can be extremely fragile. If you think dogs can be disobedient and whiny, birds can also be quite difficult in their own way. You will need a secluded room such as your bathroom, cat nail clippers, a dish that won’t easily tip, styptic powder to stop bleeding, and a towel.

Clip the Nails of Your Pet Bird

Wild birds have a lot of activities that help keep their nails trim but pet birds usually stay confined in their cages the whole day. They only have the activity of perching that can keep their nails worn down, but this is not always enough to keep their nails trim. They could even end up having foot problems in the long run. You can help avoid these issues by cutting their nails with a cat nail clipper. In case you cut the nails too short, styptic powder can be used to stop any blood flow. When initially cutting the nails of your pet, you can wrap the bird gently in a towel, allowing the head, tail and nails to stick out.

Bathe your Pet Bird

It would be nice to have a clean bird as well as a clean birdcage. While the bits and pieces of your bird’s cage are drying out, this is the perfect time to give your bird a bath. There are some birds that will tremendously enjoy a bathing experience by splashing around in the water. There are also other pet birds that can make it challenging. Try to make the experience as enjoyable as possible. First, test if your bird will bathe itself by placing a birdbath or a bowl that doesn’t easily tip. Fill it up with room temperature water. You can try bathing your bird in the kitchen sink or in your bathroom. You can put the dish directly below the faucet. Make sure the sink has a strainer so that your bird will not accidentally fall in the drain.

If your bird will not bathe itself, you can use a spray bottle filled with tepid water. Adjust the spray to ‘mist’ and you can use this to wash down your bird. This is a wonderful way to reduce allergies from dander and also encourages the preening instincts of your bird. It will also reduce chances of mite infestation.

Provide Materials to Keep Your Bird’s Beak in Tiptop Condition

Make sure you also provide the essentials for beak grooming, since birds’ beaks grow throughout their lives. Cuttlebones, wooden perches, and wooden bird toys will help keep your bird’s beak ground down. If the beak is too overgrown, you can take it to the vet to have it trimmed.

Photo: http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d81/Marmalade_man/bird.jpg

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