Hopefully, you will not need this information, but you should purchase and keep on hand a supply of Quik-stop or other blood coagulant in case you do have a problem. If a toenail is cut too short and it bleeds, you can apply the coagulant with a little pressure and it should subside quickly. In the event you are unable to stop the bleeding, you should get to a veterinarian quickly as birds can only afford to lose a little blood. Also, if a bird breaks a blood feather, it can bleed profusely and must be pulled. A blood feather is a new feather growing in - the feather shaft has not opened up and it resembles a small straw with blood in it that feeds the newly growing feather. Should you have blood on your birds wing or tail, it is most likely a broken blood feather. Hold the bleeding area under lukewarm water and cleanse it to determine which feather is broken. Then take needlenose pliers, tweezers or hemostats, grip the feather at the very base next to the skin and give a good, swift yank. The bird may squeal, but it will hurt only briefly and could save his life. Again, if you cannot find where the bleeding is coming from, get him to a vet immediately.
You should always supervise your bird when it is not caged, as there are many common household dangers which can be life threatening to your bird. Open toilets or sinks of water where your pet could drown, open pots and pans cooking on the stove as well as hot burners, household chemicals, any items made of lead, electrical cords, pet dogs and cats - these are just a few of the common dangers you should protect your pet from. While there's no reason why dogs, cats and birds cannot co-exist happily in the same household, they should be closely supervised, and you should not encourage or allow dogs or cats to play with your bird, or visa-versa. Even if intended only as play, one snap or swat from one of these pets could easily kill your bird. Even if you consider your dog or cat completely tolerant of other pets, the parrots can and will bite them, and the dog or cat should not be expected to tolerate this - they have to protect themselves the only way they know how. Too many pet birds have met their fate in the jaws of the family dog or cat, and you should not put the bird, dog or cat, not to mention yourself, through this emotional trauma.
Hopefully, you will never have to worry about any of the above problems, but if you are conscientious in your care and don't lose your head in an emergency, you should be able to handle any problems that come your way!
We hope you enjoy your new parrot friend, and with proper care, he should provide you with a lifetime of companionship, entertainment and enjoyment!
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