How to Groom a Cockatoo at Home

Cockatoos are a lively and engaging breed of parrot, and most enjoy playing in water. This love of water makes it fairly easy to groom a cockatoo at home. Like most birds, cockatoos are self-groomers, and they're constantly preening their feathers. Similar to caring for a cat, minimal grooming efforts are required on the part of the owner. Grooming consists of providing water for a bath and clipping the bird's nails. Most birds don't need weekly nail clippings, especially if you provide a nail filing perch. Most birds need clippings once or twice a month. Baths should be provided every five to seven days.

Things You'll Need

  • Bathtub
  • Towels
  • Perch
  • Bird treats
  • Bird nail clippers
  • Styptic powder
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put the drain stopper inside the bathtub drain and fill the tub with about 2 inches of warm water.

    • 2

      Bring your bird into the bathtub. Put your hand in the water and tell your bird to "step off" or "step down." Nervous birds may feel better if you sit in the bathtub with them while others will be eager to play in the water alone.

    • 3

      Allow the bird to bathe in the clean, warm water on the tub floor for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn on the shower head and let the bird splash in the spray.

    • 4

      Drain the tub and tell the bird to "step up" onto your arm. Pat the bird's plumage with a towel and let it shake its body to remove the water.

    • 5

      Put your cockatoo on a perch in a warm, draft-free location. Allow the bird's feathers to dry.

    • 6

      Offer bird treats and praise to reward your bird for taking a bath. Treats and praise will reinforce the good behavior, making it more likely to occur in the future.

    • 7

      Examine the bird's nails. Look closely at the nails to locate the quick -- the live part of the nail. The section of nail that contains the quick will have a pink or brown color, whereas the nail tip will be clear. You must clip the clear, quick-free nail tip once it reaches a length of approximately 1/4-inch.

    • 8

      Open a container of styptic powder and place it beside the bird's perch. You must dip the bird's nail into the jar to stop the bleeding if you accidentally clip the nail quick.

    • 9

      Clip the bird's nails while it's standing on the perch. If the bird gets frightened and tries to walk or fly away, ask a friend to hold the bird during the clipping process. Wrap the bird in a towel and use the towel to block the cockatoo's view of its feet during the clipping process.

    • 10

      Offer bird treats and attention to reward the bird for allowing you to clip its nails.