How to Trim a Blue Fronted Amazon Parrot
Known for their ability to talk and sing, blue-fronted amazon parrots are highly intelligent and make interesting pets. These birds often have their wings clipped to make taming easier and prevent accidental escape. While trimming feathers is equivalent to cutting fingernails and does not cause pain or bleeding if done correctly, it can be a frightening experience for the pet. A large parrot can inflict harm or injure itself if not properly restrained.
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Things You'll Need
- Thick bath towel or large bird net
- Work gloves (optional)
- Blunt-end or bandage scissors
- Styptic pencil or alum
Instructions
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Hold the bird's head and neck in one hand. If the parrot is in a net or thick towel, slide one hand along the bird's back and cover its head with the other. Control the parrot's lower jaw and neck with a thumb and ring finger. Index and middle fingers should go over the head and alongside the upper beak. In this position the bird cannot bite. Parrots are afraid of gloves, so most experts do not use them. An assistant is essential if the bird is not cooperative.
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Hold the parrot's body in a clutch, or football, hold. Do not grasp the bird by its chest or restrict its breathing in any way. Secure the feet and the other wing.
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Extend the parrot's wing, fanning it. Hold it gently by the bone at the top, not the feathers. The ten long primary flight feathers on the outer edge of the wing are the ones to trim on an amazon parrot. Protect "blood feathers" from breakage or accidental cuts. They are sheathed and have dark blue or black veins, which can bleed profusely.
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Cut one feather at a time, inspecting each. Take off from 1 to 2 inches (less on juvenile birds). Avoid secondary feathers, which are closer to the bird's body, as these provide wind resistance that allows the bird to glide to the ground in case it falls. Do not trim too deeply or cut too many feathers. If any bleeding occurs, stop the flow at once with the styptic pencil or alum, and discontinue clipping the wing.
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Test the trim indoors on a carpeted floor. Hold the bird on an arm or perch and quickly drop it; the parrot should glide to the floor and not take flight around the room. Trimming one wing impairs balance and is enough to ground most amazons. If the bird can fly, feathers need to be trimmed a little more.
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Tips & Warnings
Both wings can be trimmed for a more symmetrical appearance. Some parrot owners prefer to have the beauty of long flight feathers, at least on one side.
Trim every three or four months--otherwise it may fly before you realize that feathers have grown back.
In the case of broken or cut blood feathers, the open vein is like a straw, and blood loss can quickly become life-threatening. In an emergency, grasp the feather with a pair of pliers and pluck it out of the bird's body. Bleeding will be easier to stop on the skin's surface.
