Grooming and Cleanliness

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Bird - Grooming

Grooming and Cleanliness

Introducing a pet bird to your family is an exciting time, but with it comes the responsibility to groom your new pet regularly. This ensures he remains as clean and healthy as the day you brought him home.

It's also important your bird's environment, including his cage, food and water dishes, toys and any other items he may use, be kept spotless through regular cleaning and sterilization.

Grooming Routine

Here's a helpful list of what a full-grooming session with your bird should include.

A Bath - Bathing your bird two or three times a week not only makes him look pretty, but also keeps him healthy by promoting preening and controlling dry skin. To bathe your bird, first gently mist him with a spray bottle filled with lukewarm water. Set up a cage-door birdbath, place a shallow bowl in the sink. Afterwards, keep your bird out of cool drafts until he is dry. Some birds like to be blown dry. Nail Trims - Overgrown nails can cause you pain and make it hard for your bird to perch properly. If you haven't trimmed your bird's nails before, it's a good idea to have a vet or professional groomer show you how.

Trimming the Beak - Your bird's beak, like his nails, also grows continually. To prevent it from overgrowing and endangering your bird, make sure he has something hard to chew on. Give him a piece of cuttlebone or mineral rock, or provide him with very hard toys. Unless you are very experienced, you should never try to file down your bird's beak at home. Done improperly, your bird may not be able to eat. Leave beak trimming to an experienced avian vet.

Wing Clipping - Ironically, flying can be hazardous to your bird. That's why if you cannot ensure a safe haven for your bird to fly in, you should clip his wings. Clippings should be performed after the newly molted feathers have completely grown in - about one or twice a year. If you have not clipped your bird's wings before, please ask your vet or a professional groomer to show you how.

General Cleanliness

A general cleanliness regimen for your bird should include the following.

Changing Cage Substrate - Droppings expose your bird to potential illness from bacteria, so you should change your bird's cage substrate every two or three days, or more often if your bird spends most of his time in the cage.

Keeping the Cage Clean - Your bird's cage should be washed weekly with hot, soapy water and completely disinfected once a month. The best disinfectant to use is common household chlorine bleach. Add two or three drops to a gallon of water and be sure to rinse the cage thoroughly with hot water to remove all traces of the bleach. Have a spare cage handy where you can place your bird during the cleaning operation. While the cage dries, scrub perches with hot water and a brush. Do NOT use bleach as it won't rinse out of wooden objects. Bake dry the perches or use a second set while the first ones dry naturally.

Cleaning Dishes - Your bird's food and water dishes should be cleaned every day. It's a good idea to have two sets of dishes so your bird has food and water at all times. Simply wash the dishes in the dishwasher or pour hot water and bleach into them and let them sit for a half hour, then wash them thoroughly with hot water and rinse well.

Grooming & Cleanliness Schedule

Activity	Time Frame
Wing Trimming	Check For Molting; Feathers Re-Grow Once to Twice Yearly
Trimming nails	Trim When Necessary
Beak Trimming	Check Regularly To Be Sure The Beak Hasn't Overgrown
Bathing	Two Or Three Times A Week
Changing Cage Papers	Every Two Or Three Days
Cleaning & Disinfecting Cage	Washed Weekly; Disinfected Monthly
Cleaning Food & Water Dishes	Every Day