Need ideas on kennel travel

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Captain has now figured out he CAN fly. Yesterday, he flew from the cage to the closet and from the cage to the kitchen countertop.

I am visiting the bird lady this week-end to pick up some toys and an outside cage. She charges $30 to trim the nails and clip the wings.

On pretty days, I want to put him in the outside cage. Have not had time to train recall and don't want to lose him going outside.

Does anyone know if putting him in a dog kennel and traveling to get the clipping done will cause him to have aggression to me when he gets home?

Also, any ideas in getting him in the kennel the first time and than the next after the clipping. I picture him being petrified and possibly aggressive toward anyone.

Has anyone had to do this to get the wings and nails clipped?

[ROYJOY]

I use the large collapsable dog carrier from petco. she dosent seem to mind cause she thinks we are going flying every time i put her in it.

[Greycloud]

A lg dog kennel should be fine. Put a towel in the bottom, or even better if you can drill holes and add a perch. When you go to put him in I assume since you mentioned before, you use a perch, get him to step up on the perch. As you get him near the crate place your hand over his head so he won't grab on to the edge of the crate. Or you can offer him a treat or stuffed animal to hold as you put him in. This keeps his beak busy. Same thing goes on homecoming. He may be a little grumpy when he is finished, but he will get over it. Remeber you have to gain his trust and this happens with patience, treats, praise and love.

[MissV]

Yeep yep, dog kennel is pretty much your only affordable choice with a macaw.
>_> dern those tails...


Anyway, about the clipping...have you discussed what style of clipping with thelady that will do it? I'm not a fan of full clips, which is why I say this....it's better to control flight, not impair it totally...in other words so the bird can't gain altitude but just coast nicely on the same level for a few seconds.

I've gotten my fids clipped before and been absolutely furious when they suddenly jump from somewhere and just flap helplessly as the plummet straight down. ; . ;

[CaptainGentleGiant]

MissV,
Wow, I didn't think about different types of clips. If I get a play stand near the sofa where we watch TV, I wonder if a partial clip will still enable him to coast over on the sofa.

I honestly am getting so confused at what I am doing. Gotta go, he's on the floor.

[ROYJOY]

or dont clip. he'll learn to coast all by himself.

[MissV]

Roy, I swear, you should just a get a bot that replies to these things for you. ;P


Captain - I'm afraid it would. But a full clip isn't going to keep him from jumping up and gaining enough air to lift off the stand. Macaws have a massive space of webbing to work with and incredibly strength in their arms, so even fully clipped they can gain quite a bit off lift in one jump.

Moderate clips are best though, in my opinion. It still allows them that confidence of getting around and being able to light off without excellerating or gaining air and injuring themselves/sailing out a window/whatever.

And you could, of course, not clip, but that's going to require lots of training and work and diligence on your part. It is always a personal choice.

[HarLEYsDAD]

Originally Posted by MissV

Yeep yep, dog kennel is pretty much your only affordable choice with a macaw.
>_> dern those tails...


Anyway, about the clipping...have you discussed what style of clipping with thelady that will do it? I'm not a fan of full clips, which is why I say this....it's better to control flight, not impair it totally...in other words so the bird can't gain altitude but just coast nicely on the same level for a few seconds.

I've gotten my fids clipped before and been absolutely furious when they suddenly jump from somewhere and just flap helplessly as the plummet straight down. ; . ;

I hacked my dogs kennel so I could add a removable perch when needed. He doesn't really like it but since we are the best of friends he doesn't hold a grudge.

I recently got Harleys wings clipped and it was bad! I got to talking to the ladies running the shop and before I knew it they were done. I swear they clipped 12 on each side! I always get just the first 5!

Poor thing is like a brick! I don't think Harley was ever fledged since he doesn't even try to fly. We had been working on floating. (I was tossing him up in the air off my arm and he would float back to me.) Now, forget it, he cannot stay in the air long enough to get to back to me.

I'm still mad but know that he will molt new ones shortly.

[CaptainGentleGiant]

Harley'sdad,
How long does it take to grow out the flight feathers? I am not sure what to do. But, don't want to lose Captain when I have to take him outside.

If I decide to clip...I will remember your story and watch carefully that she only cuts a few inches.

[jenseits]

Originally Posted by CaptainGentleGiant

Harley'sdad,
How long does it take to grow out the flight feathers? I am not sure what to do. But, don't want to lose Captain when I have to take him outside.

How are you planning on taking him outside? I would not recommend taking even a clipped macaw outside without some sort of restraint (unless you've already done a ton of free-flight prep). Macaws are strong flyers... even clipped, they could easily take to the air and be out of your reach within the blink of an eye.

You don't clip a bird in order to take it outside unrestrained. I'd hazard to guess that's the #1 way that people lose their birds to flyoffs (i.e., taking it outside because they think it can't fly).

If you're going to clip, I would advise starting by clipping the outside 5 flight feathers and seeing how that affects his flight skills inside the house. If he can still fly around easily, clip a few more. Do not cut any secondary feathers of the coverts. I also don't recommend leave the outside feathers intact (show clip).

It'll take a full molt cycle to regrow all the flight feathers (the come in one at a time; you can't cut blood feathers and you should avoid allowing blood feathers come in unprotected, so don't cut the neighboring feathers either). That usually means there's a short period of time where feathers are coming in during a molt where he could regain some of his flight strength. Don't underestimate how well a macaw can fly with just a partial clip (i.e., don't take him outside without a harness or a carrier).