How to cut the claws of a budgerigar?

Feathered pets are very popular in Russian families. The cheerful chirping of budgerigars touches households from small to large. Naturally, any pet needs gentle care. One of the obligatory procedures is to trim the claws of a budgerigar. It is necessary for the feathered "friends" who live in the apartment.

If in the wild parrots grind their claws naturally, then in greenhouse conditions such a situation is hardly possible. In most cases, poultry sits on the owner's shoulder or arm for a huge amount of time, which leads to unpleasant consequences. As a rule, a vigilant owner should monitor the condition of the feathered pet's claws. Visually, the bird's legs consist of four strong and grasping fingers with sharp, hard claws. The claw itself can be divided into three parts:

• base;
• the end of the vessel;
• edge.

In most cases, parrots suffer from excessive claw growth. The reasons for this trouble are as follows:

• metabolic disorders due to improper diet;
• parasitic diseases and liver problems;
• lack of vitamins and minerals;
• unfavorable living conditions;
• finger injury, which subsequently contributes to abnormal growth of claws.

Cutting the claws of a budgerigar is a compulsory necessity. First of all, long claws are extremely dangerous for the bird itself. They begin to cling to various objects, and the parrot can severely injure a limb. Also, regrown claws prevent the pet from moving on flat surfaces.In addition, there is a high risk of flaking, breakage of the nails, which leads to painful sensations and profuse bleeding.

It is necessary to trim the claws of a parrot in the following cases:

• the pet walks on a straight surface, and its fingers are bent up high;
• the bird touches various materials with its claws and with great difficulty gets rid of them.

In order for the feathered "friend" to avoid injury, the claws must be carefully trimmed.

To shorten the claws of parrots, you will need such devices.

• "Nail clipper" or tweezers from a manicure set. The first tool can be easily purchased at any pet store.
• Gloves made of thick material.
• Cotton pads.
• Hemostatic powder. If it is not available, you will need a weak solution of potassium permanganate.

First of all, the bird must be properly handled. Namely, we take a parrot so that its back is on the palm, protected by a glove. With the other hand (also in a glove) we gently pull out the finger of a feathered pet with a grown claw and look through the lamp light where the capillary is located. We retreat from it 2-3 mm and cut off the tip of the claw with one clear movement of the "claw cutter". The cut should be blunt, as a sharp cut will injure the bird in the future. Further, with the help of a nail file, it is necessary to remove all irregularities from the cut line.

If the parrot behaves nervously, breaks loose and bites, then call your household for help. They will help to hold the bird correctly, and you will continue the process of removing the overgrown horny bases on the fingers of the feathered "friend".

After the claw trimming procedure, the parrot is in a stressful state. In order to bring the feathered pet "to life", give him a treat or a new toy. The parrot should not be disturbed for about a day after clipping the claws - it should calm down.

To prevent excessive growth of parrot's claws, you can do the following.

• Replace the plastic perches with wooden ones.
• Allow your pet to walk on a hard, level surface (such as the floor).
• Place small stones and bark of fruit trees inside the cage.
• The thickness of the perch must be at least 15 mm in order for the bird to be able to grasp it halfway. With the right fit, the claws will grind naturally.
• Allow the parrot to move freely around the apartment, after closing all the windows.

For information on how to cut the claws of a budgerigar, see below.