Article: Many Cockatoos love the water, and they will dive right into a bowl of lukewarm bowl of water if you provide it.  The bowl should be very shallow, as they cannot swim and can drown in only inches of water.  They'll also love showers, which you can provide with a shower head or a watering can. Just start sprinkling it on your bird, and you will see it light up with excitement.  If your bird does not enjoy showers or water in general, do not fret it.  Forcing it upon them will cause unhealthy stress reactions.  Not showering will create more dander, but will not harm the bird.    When showering your bird, make sure the shower stream isn't too strong. It's best to bathe or shower your bird out of its cage, so you don't get water all over the cage. To trim your bird's nails, first you'll need to get a powdered clotting agent and guillotine-type trimmer for cats or small dogs. Have a helper hold the bird with a towel over its head, grasping the bird's body gently but firmly in 2 hands. Examine the bird's feet and look for the quick, the small pink vein running through it. Clip off the end of the nail, avoiding the quick.  If you hit the quick and your bird starts to bleed, put the clotting powder on it. You can find the powder at most drug stores and pet stores.  You can also use corn starch. If you are worried about cutting too deeply you can also use a small Dremel tool such is used for cats and dogs, which uses a rotating disk of sandpaper.  Use in short bursts to avoid the nail becoming too hot and burning the bird's toe. Trimming keeps your bird healthy and also keeps you from getting accidentally scratched.  Your veterinarian can do this for you if you don't feel comfortable doing it. You shouldn't try to trim a bird's beak by yourself. You can cut it into the wrong shape or get severely bitten. Plus, your vet will know if it needs trimming or not, and sometimes, a long beak can indicate a health condition. Find a veterinarian who specializes in birds.
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Give your bird a shower or bath at least once a week, if they'll allow it. Trim the bird's claws every 3-6 months. Take your bird to the vet for beak trimming once a year.