Nail clipping

Hey guys!
How can you tell when it's time to get your conures nails clipped?

Nails should appear in an arc shape, like the first pic...once they begin to bend from this arc shape (second pic) the nail is overgrown....the remaining pics show blood supply & the trim point.....

Unless the bird's nails are white, allowing you to see the blood, just clipping the very tip will get you started.....I had a nanday that came with overgrown nails, not too severe, but enough that it took me about 6 months to get them trimmed back to what might be considered a normal nail...I would snip a little bit every week & never had any problem.....as the nail is trimmed back like that, the blood actually recedes back up the toe.....for severely overgrown nails, you would be wise to let an avian vet do the trimming...the bottom image in pic 2 can also cause the bird to be unsure of its footing.....


Note the clip direction of the fifth pic....carefully look at the toe when clipping so that you don't make the clip to leave the point to the outside...that can cause a bird to be nervous about its footing and can also cause it to slip on smooth surfaces.....

What do you clip the nails with? Nail clippers? Scissors? Is there something I can buy in case my bird does end up bleeding... I know how incredibly dangerous that can be. Is there like a blood stopper of some sort that is okay for birds?

Also, what is the best way to hold a bird when clipping it's nails? mine is new and still doesnt trust me completely yet... I'm worried that clipping his nails will just make it worse... though they clearly need it

kellie said:

What do you clip the nails with? Nail clippers? Scissors? Is there something I can buy in case my bird does end up bleeding... I know how incredibly dangerous that can be. Is there like a blood stopper of some sort that is okay for birds?

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My favorite clippers to use are small animal nail clippers meant for cats and small dogs. They look like little scissors but with the only blade part being a small notch in either "blade".

Something like this, although there are many variations. They are available at most pet stores.

Whisker City™ Nail Scissors - Sale - Cat - PetSmart


As for in case of bleeding, many people use a product called Kwik Stop, which is basically styptic powder. I have, however heard that it is not okay for birds to ingest this, and I prefer to use corn starch as a clotting agent.

If you clip avian nails (or the nails of any creature for that matter), you WILL end up accidentally cutting them too short and causing bleeding. Don't freak out, apply the clotting agent and hold a little pressure there for a moment and it will be fine. When I have to use corn starch, I actually wipe it along the length of a paper towel and drape the paper towel over a T stand I made and have my bird sit on top of it, which keeps the affected toe properly in contact with the starch.

What specie bird do you have?

I use small nail clippers, but if you have a large bird, you can use toe nail clippers or go to a beauty supply house and look at their nail clippers...they look like pliers/wire cutters.....

You may want to have someone help you & towel the bird until you have done it several times & feel comfortable doing the clipping, but if you have a Patagonian conure or other bird larger than a smaller conure, you may want a helper every time you trim their nails.....

Here's a link with toweling photos that are pretty good:

Bird Toy Outlet Bird Safety Article - How to towel a bird

The size of the towel would be dependent on the size of the bird...you don't want to wrap a parrotlet in a beach towel.....also, you don't want to keep the bird wrapped too long, as it can overheat...likewise holding a small bird in your hand.....

You might want to check with pet stores and area veterinarians whether they trim parrots nails, what they charge & if they are willing to show you the proper way to trim...that way you might be a bit more confident when doing it yourself.....when you do decide to clip, you will need to firmly hold the toe to prevent the bird from wiggling it out of your grip as you close the clippers...that's usually the reason many nails are clipped wrong.....

To get your bird used to towels, make a game of it...let the towel lay around on a table & let the bird beak it, taste it, walk around it and/or play with it.....then you could drag it across the table/floor & tease the bird with it, while laughing & making a big deal out of it...even wrapping & unwrapping the bird, until it doesn't shy away or get stressed around the towel.....

For stopping bleeding, flour, cornstarch, cayenne pepper or you can purchase quickstop at most pet stores.....unlike we humans, the capsicum in pepper does not affect parrots and it will quickly cause clotting of the blood, instead of just packing the toenail to stop the bleeding.....

Good luck.....

Great guide, weco.

What happens if I don't clip my bird's nails? I haven't in over a year. Does it pose a hazard to him?

I'm afraid to do it myself and afraid to take him to the vet (they might be rough one him, diseases etc

An easy indicator is if when standing on a flat surface, the nail causes the toe to come away from the surface; if it does, then it's too long.

It's a two-man job, unless you've got an incredibly obedient bird.

BoomBoom said:

What happens if I don't clip my bird's nails? I haven't in over a year. Does it pose a hazard to him?

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They either grow longer or your cage has something in it that the bird is using them to keep its trimmed...or...the bird may have seen you or somebody else chewing their nails.....actually, a couple of concrete perches...the ones with the smooth top & bottom & rough sides is what my guys use.....

Like Grenage said, if the bird is standing flat footed on a flat surface & its toe pads are raised off of the surface, the nails are too long.....

Thanks, weco. I don't think Boomer's is that long yet.

If it is too long, is it bad for the bird?