don't know.....clipping your own birds wings

[debie hinkley]

This question I find is so controversy. Still I need an educated answer from someone with their own birds. I have 1 scarlet macaw 2 quakers a bunch of love birds. My friends have 1 blue and gold macaw 1 mulucan cockatoo 1 female ekkie 1 teil and a bunch of love birds.

Between all of us we are spending big bucks to have our birds wings clipped ech month.

any problem with me doing it myself, been watching it done for sometime now.

[bangkokphil]

Hi Debbie.

There is no problem in clipping your own birds wings providing you are sure you know how,.I suggest if your current clipper is friendly you ask if you can try clipping them while they watch (Supervise.) so that they can stop you doing anything wrong.

IF they wont do this I suggest you contact the local bird club or a breeder and see if they know someone who can help.. I would start with the love Birds first,Remember the most important thing is not to stress your birds and if you feel unsure your birds will sense this and become uncomfortable.

Good Luck hope all goes well keep us informed. Phil

[Lisa B]

I do have mine clipped. all except a disabled one who needs her wings to get around....mine are clipped because I cant provide a safe bird utopia, and guarentee there will not be any accidents. I have windows, I have doors in which humans that go through freely.
I also help with lost and found, and have for nearly two decades.
I can count HUNDREDS of birds who never came home.

with that said....
clipping can be done if you know what you are looking for and what species are lighter and heavier. all birds dont require the same amount of primaries cut to be able to SAFELY glide to the ground.

Larger species will require more then two hands for the proceedure.

In reality, you shouldnt have to go each month to have it done. Tho feathers grow at differnt times, you should only have to clip a few a month.

Your vet should have no problem explaining what they are doing what they are looking for, while you watch.

However, if you are unexperienced, one slip could end up perminently disabling your bird, or if you cut a blood feather, they CAN bleed to death.

Think it over hard before trying, and read everything you can.

Like Phil said, you have to be comfortable enough to do it, to keep the bird stress free as well.

[jimpierce7]

with proper instruction it should be no problem. I will do the in between clips clip. Holding them still is the hard part.

[debie hinkley]

Thank you so much to anyone who answered my clipping birds myself question. I deeply it. Appreciate your answers and opinions.

[Ainon]

I clip my amazon myself.

I just fold the birds wing up with one hand and clip with the other hand while my amazon sits on the back of a chair.

If you know what to clip, how much and what to look out for it's no problem.

[BitterPickle]

I clip my birds feathers myself, of course I know how to do it.

Be careful for blood feathers and not to cut them too short.

Wings should be clipped every 6 months (Unless molting happens) so why are they being clipped so often?