clipping an older budgies wings?

[budgzie]

In my budgie care book it says that clipping an older budgies wings can make them depressed because they have been used to having their wings not clipped, But I'm taking my budgie to the vet on Tuesday to get his wings clipped, But this has made me freak out a little. SHOULD I clip his wings? I'm guessing he is around 1 year old. But on wednesday he got out and it took us forever to get him back, and finger training gose much better with clipped wings and his cage is about the right size for a cockateil so when I go to finger train he flys aroung like crazy. I want to clip his wings but I don't want to make him depressed. What should I do?

[sugarbeth]

Originally Posted by budgzie

so when I go to finger train he flys aroung like crazy. I want to clip his wings but I don't want to make him depressed. What should I do?

If he's flying around like crazy when you try to finger train him, then you probably just need to rethink your finger training methods. What exactly are you doing?

The breeder clipped our first budgie when we got him, and it definitely affected his confidence. Luckily it was done right before a molt, so he's gotten his flights back pretty fast. Our second budgie is severely clipped (from petco) and I hate it. He can't get back to his cage from the floor. He's always getting stuck somewhere. And I want them both to be able to fly across the room to sit on the boing by the window. The one with the flights growing back still doesn't realize that he can probably make it over there now. Hopefully he'll have his skills back soon.

[budgzie]

Originally Posted by sugarbeth

If he's flying around like crazy when you try to finger train him, then you probably just need to rethink your finger training methods. What exactly are you doing?

I'm clicker traing him

[sugarbeth]

You might try doing the clicker training inside the cage first, or at the cage doorway. Then he wouldn't have the chance to fly crazy. (But then let him out for some flying time.) :)