Parakeet Nail Care

Parakeets have long tapered tails and are social and playful by nature. Like any pet, parakeets require certain things from their owners, including grooming assistance. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals website recommends trimming a parakeet's nails.

  1. Parakeet Nails

    • A parakeet uses its nails to anchor itself on perches, furniture, its owners eyeglasses or wherever it chooses to land. The mischievous ones use them to sit on the edge of a drinking cup, lean in and help themselves to their owner's beverage. Parakeets need their nails. Sometimes the nails get too long and need to be trimmed so the parakeet doesn't injure itself by getting the long nails caught on something.

    Restraining the Parakeet

    • To trim a parakeet's nails, the bird must be restrained to minimize the risk of cutting into the quick and to protect the owner from being bitten. Toweling is the accepted method of restraining a parakeet. Toweling involves placing an appropriately sized towel over the parakeet's back and gently wrapping it around to the front to contain the bird's wings. The bird is turned over onto its back for the clipping procedure.

    The Quick

    • Trimming any pets nails involves paying attention to where the quick is located. The quick is the blood supply to the nail. It is usually easy to see in a parakeet because their nails are light in color. Cutting into the quick results in profuse bleeding, which can be stopped by applying styptic powder of flour in a pinch.

    Clipping

    • The nails of smaller parakeets can be trimmed with human nail clippers. Trimming larger parakeets requires pet nail trimmers. Nail trimmers come in scissor or "guillotine-style" and are found in the small animal section of pet stores. The hook of the nail is clipped off in small sections.