How to Trim a Parakeet's Claws

Parakeets are small birds that are typically green, white, yellow or blue in color. Taking care of your parakeet involves providing your parakeet with food, water, a clean cage and a safe environment. A parakeet also needs to be groomed properly to ensure that it stays healthy and has a long life. If you notice that your parakeet's toenails are growing sharp and long, you may need to carefully trim the bird's nails.

Things You'll Need

  • Nail clippers
  • Styptic powder
  • Nail filer
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Instructions

    • 1

      Obtain parakeet claw clippers from your local pet store or purchase human toenail clippers, which can also work to trim your bird's nails.

    • 2

      Keep styptic powder near you as you prepare to trim your parakeet's nails. This powder will help stop any bleeding if you accidentally cut too close to the quick, or the part of a bird's nail that contains the blood supply.

    • 3

      Have a family member or friend hold your parakeet in a towel. It will be difficult to attempt to trim a parakeet's claws on your own, and this way, you can trim while someone else holds the bird in place.

    • 4

      Locate the quick of the nail on a parakeet. You should see a vein in the part of the toenail (the quick) that is closest to the bird's body. The area of the quick is the area that you want to stay away from when trimming the parakeet's nails.

    • 5

      Use the toenail clippers to carefully trim the sharp ends of the parakeet's nails. The ends of the nails are the dead parts, and these are the only parts of the nails that you want to trim. Trimming the quick of the nail can harm your bird.

    • 6

      Take extra precaution when trimming if you cannot locate the vein in the parakeet's nail. Lighter-colored nails make the veins more visible compared to darker-colored nails.