Birds, like all pets, require routine care and grooming. The next section covers the specifics of routine care for pet birds.
Wing Clipping or Trimming
Some people choose to trim their birds’ wings, whereas others do not. Wing trims help protect against loss or escape of pet birds but are not a foolproof way of preventing escape. A bird that can only glide indoors may be able to fly away on a gust of wind outdoors. Plus, the difference between flying and not flying may only be a few millimeters of feather regrowth, so be sure that you always test your bird’s ability to fly before you take the bird outside. Wing trims also can be very helpful when training a bird indoors to control its movement. Trimming should be done only by an experienced veterinarian or other individual who understands the proper way to trim wings without inflicting injury or trimming inappropriate feathers.
Nail Trimming
Trimming birds’ nails is performed to prevent them from scratching the owner’s skin and to help prevent nail overgrowth. Pet birds’ nails typically wear down more slowly than those of wild birds, because pet birds do not typically climb and move around as much as wild birds. Care must be taken not to over-trim a bird’s nails and decrease its ability to grasp when perching. Proper trimming involves cutting off the needle-like tip of the nail just enough to blunt it while still leaving enough nail for the bird to grip properly. Trimming the nails of birds is not difficult if the bird becomes accustomed to it at a young age. All birds, regardless of age, should be trained to allow trimming. This can be accomplished gradually by giving the bird a small food treat each time its foot or toe is touched and eventually rewarding the bird with the treat only when the bird allows a nail to be trimmed. Training the bird to accept nail trims in this way makes the experience much less traumatic for the bird than having to forcibly restrain them for nail trims.
Cement perch
The use of cement perches (available in various sizes and textures) may eliminate the need for nail trimming in some birds if the perch is selected and placed appropriately. If used, it is best to place a cement perch where the bird stands for brief periods (such as in front of a food bowl or treat cup). To avoid irritation to the bottom of the feet, the cement perch should not be the main perch used by the bird to preen or sleep.
Beak Trimming
Normal, healthy birds that are provided with abrasive surfaces (such as rough wood or commercially available concrete perches) typically do not require beak trims. The area around the nostrils near the upper beak can sometimes become thick, flaky, and brown in females due to hormonal effects on keratin protein in the beak. This condition is normal and generally does not need to be removed unless the beak gets so thick as to prevent normal breathing through the nostrils. However, a truly overgrown beak can be a sign of possible underlying illness and should be examined by a bird-savvy veterinarian as soon as possible.
Means of Identification
There are 2 common methods for identifying caged birds-–leg banding and microchipping. Traditionally, birds are leg banded by breeders to identify in what state and from which flock they were born. Most birds wear their bands their whole lives without any issue, but occasionally, bands get caught on objects within a cage or can cut off circulation to a leg if a bird gains a lot of weight. In these instances, they should be removed, but only by a trained professional using proper equipment, or the leg could break during removal.
Leg banding is being replaced or augmented by microchipping as a means of permanent identification. In pet birds, microchips are normally placed deep in the left pectoral (chest) muscle. This procedure is normally done under local or general anesthesia as the needle used to place the chip in the muscle is large, and the process can be painful for the bird. Adverse reactions or microchip failures in birds are uncommon.
Vaccinations
A few vaccines are available for pet birds (notably polyomavirus vaccine), but most caged birds are not routinely vaccinated. If you have questions about the need to vaccinate your bird, you should discuss your concerns with your veterinarian.
