Pet Bird — grooming & hygiene (bathing/preening, feathers/skin, nails/claws, water hygiene)
Source: first-hand owner-practical care pages, saved to source_file; every claim below is a C1 byte-substring of it.
Claims (verified C1 substrings of source_file)
If they're not stimulated enough, they can develop behavior problems like biting, screaming, or pulling out their feathers.To keep your bird healthy and help it live longer, give it nutritious food, take it to the vet at least once a year, and keep its cage and food bowls clean.Also always have fresh, clean water available.Some birds dip food in their water bowls and get their water dirty, so using a water bottle can help keep water clean.Bathing is essential for a bird’s feather maintenance and skin hydration.It keeps feathers dirt-free and encourages birds to preen (groom) their feathers, which helps to preserve their wonderful, natural luster.Bathing also helps the bird remove the dander that collects on the feathers and skin when they preen.For that reason, you should encourage your pet bird to bathe at least 3 to 4 times a week.Most pet birds are hand-reared by human caretakers, so they are not taught proper ways to bathe or groom themselves.Birds should be offered a bath daily.Birds should be encouraged to bathe often, as their feathers and skin will be healthier if they bathe frequently.If your bird wants to take a bath, it will do most of the work — you only need to supply lukewarm water.A shallow sink of water is another convenient place for birds to bathe.You can also use a clean spray bottle, such as a plant mister, to gently mist your bird, simulating rain.If your municipality has chlorinated tap water, use bottled water for bathing instead.Never use commercial bathing solutions on birds , as they contain chemicals, soaps, or other ingredients that can be harmful when ingested.Birds ingest anything on their feathers as they preen, and many ingredients that are safe topically are not safe when ingested.A sunny, warm room, free of drafts, provides your bird with a comfortable place to dry out and preen, without getting chilled.
Source: pdf-raw/owner-care/bird_grooming_combined.txt · Merck bird-owner page + VCA 'Bathing Birds' (https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/birds)