How to Keep Finches Groomed

Co-authored by Ryan Corrigan, LVT, VTS-EVN

Last Updated: June 10, 2021

Finches are generally clean birds that require relatively little maintenance or grooming on the part of their owners. However, their cleanliness and good grooming is important: birds depend on their feathers to fly, regulate body temperature, and to repel water.^{[1]
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Research source} You'll need to provide finches with regular access to water in order for them bathe and groom themselves. Finches also need to have their nails regularly trimmed.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Providing Mist and Baths

1
Gently mist your finches with a water bottle every day. This will mimic a light rainstorm, dampen the birds' feathers, and allow them to better groom, clean, and straighten the plumage. Do not spray the finches directly in the face. Instead, set the water bottle nozzle on the “mist” or “spray” setting, and gently mist the finches from outside the top of their cage.
- Set aside a specific water bottle that you use only for this purpose. Avoid misting your finches with another water bottle that you use around the house.
- Regularly clean the water bottle and fill it with fresh water.
2
Offer your finches a birdbath twice a week. Finches will be better able to groom themselves with a bi-weekly birdbath. Offer this in addition to the daily misting. Set a small, shallow dish filled with 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water in the bottom of the finches' birdcage, and watch them as they groom themselves. As soon as the birds have completed grooming in the bath, remove the dish from the cage.
- The birdbath should be filled with room-temperature or lukewarm water. Finches will not enjoy hot or frigid water.
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3
Prevent any drafts when misting or bathing the birds. When your finches are wet (either from mist or the birdbath), they will be more susceptible to becoming chilled by a draft or breeze. Being chilled while wet can lead to the finches catching a respiratory illness.
- This may involve moving the cage altogether. If the finches' cage is near a drafty location (for example, an open window), move it to an interior room away from moving air.
4
Let the birds air dry on their own. Provide perches that are long enough for your birds to dry off, spread their wings, and ruffle their feathers. Do not blow-dry finches after their bird bath. If your blow drier has a non-stick coating on the heating coils, it will emit fumes which can be harmful or poisonous to the finches.^{[2]
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- While your finches air dry, make sure that the temperature in their room is comfortable.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Allowing Finches to Groom

1
Let the finches groom themselves. Like most species of birds, finches are meticulous about grooming their own feathers. The birds will take the time that they need to arrange, clean, straighten, and groom their own plumage.
- Finches are social birds, and you may also see a pair of finches grooming one another's feathers.
2
Observe the finches during molting. Finches will molt two times a year. During this process, the birds will lose all of their feathers and re-grow new plumage. Molting is normal and healthy—however, health problems can emerge during this phase. If you notice that a finch has bald patches or areas of thin, translucent feathers after molting, take the bird to a veterinarian.^{[3]
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- The molting process can take from several weeks to a couple of months. Don't become worried if you notice your finches growing new feathers slowly.
3
Contact your veterinarian if a finch stops grooming itself. A lack of grooming is a common sign of illness in all breeds of finches. If you notice that your finch's feathers have become ruffled, dirty, or disorderly, your finch may have a bacterial infection or other sickness. Take the bird to a vet as soon as reasonably possible.
- In case the finch's illness is infections, quarantine the sick bird from the rest of the birds which share its cage.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Grooming Finches' Nails and Wings

1
Trim the finches' nails. Finches' nails can become quite long, and you'll need to trim them manually. Pick up each finch by setting the palm of your hand on its back, and wrapping your fingers around its body. This will pin the bird's wings against its sides. Then, use an ordinary nail clipper to trim the nails.
- If a finch's feet are on a flat surface and the toe is lifted off of the ground, the nails should be trimmed.
- You'll only need to remove the very tip of the birds' nail. Avoid cutting into the quick. If you accidentally do so, the nail will start to bleed.
- If you cut the quick, apply light pressure to the nail for a minute or two with a clean cloth. If the bleeding hasn't stopped after two minutes, apply a product like styptic sticks, cornstarch, or flour to the nail.
2
Take the finches to a veterinarian to have their nails trimmed. Instead of cutting the nails yourself, if you're a first-time bird owner, or are uncomfortable with trimming the birds' nails, you can take the bird to a veterinarian. Vets frequently trim birds' nails.^{[4]
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Research source} Of course, the vet will charge a small fee for providing this service.
- Another possibility is to take your finch to the vet for the birds' first nail trim. Once you've seen how short the vet cuts the nails, you can replicate the trimming on your own at home.^{[5]
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3
Do not trim your finch's wings. Unlike other breeds of bird which move around primarily by walking, finches transport themselves primarily by flying. Trimming the finches' wings will render them immobile and seriously decrease their quality of life.
- Many bird owners enjoy watching their finches flit from perch to perch inside their cage. Clipping the birds' wings will prevent them from doing this.

Warnings

Do not try to groom or bathe your birds. They will do a better job themselves and it is also part of their social interaction. Trying to do it yourself could damage their feathers and stress the birds out.

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