How to Trim a Bird's Nails

Because numerous problems can arise from your bird's nails growing excessively sharp and long, don't put off periodic nail clipping sessions. Here's how to avoid claw complications for your bird and yourself.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bird Nail Clippers
• Styptic Powders
• Diamond Nail Files
• Small Rotary Tools

1. Purchase commercially prepared styptic powder and a clipping instrument from a pet supply store.

2. Choose a motor-driven, variable-speed hobby grinder with a cone-shaped stone bit if you're trimming the nails of a group of birds or a large parrot.

3. Have an assistant restrain the bird and help hold its foot. (See "How to Restrain a Bird.")

4. Look through light-colored nails to find the blood vessels, so you know how far you can clip.

5. Clip about 2 millimeters from the end of the nail.

6. Shape and smooth nails with a diamond nail file.

7. Realize that a small amount of bleeding may result from clipping until you get enough practice to know how far to trim the nail.

8. Dab the nail and apply styptic powder if the nail begins to bleed at any point.

9. Look for any new bleeding after the bird has been returned to his or her environment.

Tips & Warnings

• Nail clippers designed for birds are best, but human nail clippers are also satisfactory.
• Nails that have grown too long will need to be clipped a small amount (1 to 2 mm) each week until the normal length is attained.
• Nails that curve to the side or rotate will need more attention with the file, and may indicate that there's a problem with the perch. Make sure that a variety of perch diameters and surfaces are available, and avoid the typical smooth wood dowel perch and sandpaper perch.
• Work quickly to avoid causing the bird excessive stress. An overly stressed bird can die suddenly.
• Extremely long nails or beaks could indicate medical problems, such as liver disease or poor nutrition. Have your bird checked by a veterinarian.

[squirmy]

on 4/22/2009 This article should be pulled and expanded greatly with much more detail on exactly how to mechanically trim bird's claws; the various types and brands of acceptable cutters. We need to read more than 'The angle is different for an animal's nails'. Go ahead and give this article the detail and depth it deserves.

[WeyrFalcon]

on 12/1/2008 Re: Avrilsteel....if the bird is standing on a flat surface and their nail is long enough that it lifts the end of their toe off the ground, the nail is too long. They OUGHT to be just long enough so that both toe and the tip of their nail rests on the "ground".

[avrilsteel]

on 10/29/2008 i have a baby african grey and have searched loads of articals but none actually tell you how long long you can let your birds nails grow or when they need clipped!! can anyone give me an answer??

on 2/25/2006 You can use flour as a styptic powder, it works just as well.

on 11/22/2005 If you cut the nail too short and it is bleeding (remember a little blood to us is a lot to a bird), and styptic powder doesn't work then Crazy Glue would be the next step. The vet recommended this to us when the bird flinched as I cut the nail. If that doesn't work, a trip to the vet is necessary.