What a day!!!

[Tiffany]

Yesterday I took Missy, Louie and Lola to get their wings clipped. Man was it rough!!! Up first was Missy my parakeet . As so as I opened her flight cage, she flew around the room. It must have taken 20 minutes to catch her. They ended up having to use a fish net. She ended up being clipped on the floor so that she wouldn't fly away. Next up was Louie my white-face cockatiel . I handled him because I knew he would bite. Yep....bit me on 5 fingers and he drew blood. Lola was the easiet to clip. Louie and Lola came to me from a breeder who was getting out of cockatiels. I figure she never handled them, because they will not come near a hand. Hopefully this will help them calm down.

[MaryG1959]

lol, try a macaw! ha ha

We have a blue and gold macaw that should've been named Tarzan!! lol

I know what you mean about a cockatiel bite, I think they are worse than some bigger bird bites.....

At least it is done and they won't be flying away from you anytime soon.

Mary

[Tiffany]

Hopefully I can train Louie and Lola that hands are not a bad thing. If I try to stick my hand in the cage, Louie will bite me. That is one of the reasons I decided to clip his wings.

[Copper]

A story of a wing clip....
When we first got the house in MO, decided that for their safety, that the grays would get clipped. This house is a lot of windows, and patio doors, and felt that it would be a good thing for them to get used to the different lay out.
I have been given several excellent recomendations for an avian vet, so got the appointment, went in and talked with the one vet and saw the other.
Lacy was the first out of the cage, and not real happy with the strange vet, but since I had handed her over, she figured I knew best.
The vet buzzed her nails down a bit first, and Lacy was good as gold.
She let her take a bit of a break, and then wrapped her again and handed her to the tech to hold.
She extended the fist wing, when Lacy broke her silence and YELLED, "HELP! HELP!! LET ME OUT! I'M BEING HELD PRISIONER!!!"
Both the vet and the tech started laughing so hard, they had to put her down on the exam table and leave the room..... Which was what Lacy wanted.
Ten minutes later they were able to come back in and finish the job.
Of course I had to explain that I had taught them to say that when they wanted out of their cages in the morning after breakfast.
The next regular check up, I had the other vet, and all he had to do was hear the birds names, to know just who they were.
I haven't seen the need to clip them since, but for regular check-ups Jeremiah tells the vets they are a 'bad boy or a bad girl', and Lacy tells them 'don't mess with the best.'

[Star]

I'm sorry you had such a hard time. That is very frustrating. Budgies tend to be a little feisty.

[carlowman37]

i know all about bites ,first day i brought bud home i reached in to handle him out of bird box and well i should have known better i think they slipped jaws in there in stead lol and my wife was picking him of the laundry basket and with one bite the blood started to come,now his nips arent to bad that r im just used to it now hehe his calmed down so much and his wings r clipped also

[Cindy215]

Sorry, I don't believe that wing clipping calms birds down it makes them paranoid and more nippy. Because they cant escape any perceived danger. They're born with wings for a reason including balance. Also they can't get the exercise that they need especially Tiels who are prone to Lipomas.

Please reconsider not clipping again. Breeder birds are that way, that's what makes them good parents they are not "pet" type birds usually.

Also was it a vet office that did the clipping? Why would they have you open the cage, have the birds flying around and stress them out so much and use a NET?

I never heard of that ...a vet would have just reached in the cage and removed the birds. And when I had a pet store and did grooming I did the same thing. NO matter what type of bird even an Amazon or Macaw....

LOL clipping on the FLOOR? Yeah this person couldnt have been a vet. You just hold the bird even against your body. They will escape the floor OR a table if you don't hold them right.

I'm just saying this to let you know whoever that was doesnt really know about birds and is probably giving you some other not so good advise. I would avoid them in the future.

[carlowman37]

im not saying bud calmed down cause his wings r clipped also birds arent born to be put in cages but they r and we all love our birds,i know where u r coming from i wouldnt get them clipped again as hopefully he would be more calm and trained by then but i would rather not see bud flying around stressed out with me trying to catch him,maybe im totaly wrong on this and if i am im sorry

[Copper]

Cindy,
Clipping is not the way I like it either...
Having said that, since most of my birds were rescues, having them clipped for the first year did help with adjusting and training. They learned that it was and is ok to be held by human hands, at least these human hands. It helped them know that a shoulder (for a small bird) is a safe place to perch.
It helped them understand that even though there are restrictions, they are loved.
Everyone here except Angel-Rose is again fully flighted, and they are more than happy to fly to the outstretched hand. Angel-Rose had only minimal handling by her two previous owners, and with her new flights coming in I'm hoping that my work with her will mean that her flights will stay, but her safety is first. We still have a lot to learn about each other.
The natural instincts when any bird is surprised is flight or fight. In a cage it becomes their 'nest' or home territory. A hand comes in the door, they are not only defending themselves, but defending the territory. Outside the cage and away, the flight is key. There are windows that offer escape, but in a panic they wouldn't realise that the clear view could mean possible death if it's smacked with enough force.
We all have to do what we think best for our charges.

[MaryG1959]

Funniest story I've ever heard---I'll bet the vet almost wet her pants, lol