should i get wings clipped?

[kristy29]

When you say that it is possible to bird proof your home, how do you bird proof your walls? The major problem I have with my birds is when they fly into a wall, I am afraid they are going to get hurt. And no, I need my walls, otherwise I would live outside. They also fly into the windows, and I know that curtains will help that, but I am trying to sell my house and I am going to move soon, so I am not going to spend a lot of money on curtains that I am only going to use for a couple of months. I will buy darker curtains in my new home.

[The Outlaw]

You can't bird proof your house. You'll think you have, and they'll surprise you every time. As for clipping, a member just posted that their new parrotlet is high up on a light fixture. JUST ANOTHER REASON TO CLIP THOSE WINGS.

[tielfan]

Although some parrot species will pluck due to stress, cockatiels rarely do this. When tiels pluck it's usually due to a medical condition, so a vet visit is in order if you think this isn't a molt.

From the National Cockatiel Society website at http://www.cockatiels.org/articles/care/molting.html :
"A young cockatiel molts at about 6 month, at about a year, and then about once a year thereafter. The molt usually lasts between 4 and 6 weeks. Sometimes environmental conditions cause variations in the pattern of molting. Tiels kept in warm climates with little seasonal variation may have a subtle molt where they drop a few feathers at a time throughout the year. Birds in more temperate areas with more pronounced seasons usually have a more pronounced molt. Sometimes a molt doesn’t seem to go right. There are several diseases that affect feather growth and birds experiencing an abnormal molt should see the vet."

I live in Arizona and my tiels have a series of mini-molts several times a year. Basically any bird that's kept indoors is experiencing "warm climates with little seasonal variation" so you may not see the standard once a year molt. But what you shouldn't see in any kind of molt is bare skin, so if you see any exposed flesh you need to hustle her off to the vet.

[gizmotis]

hmmm

the anti cliping folks bring up some interesting points which i'd like to discuss.

1. flight capability yes the feathers grow back but more often than not people reclip the moment the new feathers come back in so it seems to me that is a spurious argument and believe it or not flight skills can be "unlearned." i've read plenty of stories about people who want to begin recall training with their birds only to find the parrot has no interest in flying at all after having been kept clipped for many years.

2 exercise sorry but flapping does not equal flying, it can't. flying is a much more strenuous activity and goes on longer that flapping sessions can. i was in texas in october to teach a recall and trick training seminar which was put on a great breeder and good friend of mine whom i had worked with to get one of her pet parrots recall trained. we flew our birds together and ehr bird samantha, who had been flying outside for more than a month at that point did not have the stamina of my boys who have been fliyng outside for quite a bit longer. so if flapping equals flight then flight should equal flight and samantha couldn't handle a long flight (4+ minutes) and i can't believe that a bird who hasn't actually flown would be able to manage that either.

3 safety a bird that knows how to fly and knows their surroundings won't fly into walls or windows or toilets or anything else for that matter. the operative there is know how to fly. just because a bird has wings with feathers doesn't mean they know how to fly and control their flight, but with time and training thats not an issue, while until that point there may be a few dings and dents, the control usually comes quickly, after all a bird in the wild that doesn't fly well ends up as someone's lunch, so there is a biological imperative to get that control quickly.

and as for the parrotlet in the lights, soe basic recall training would get that bird down without any problem.

just my 2 cents

[gizmotis]

[QUOTE=gizmotis;298298]hmmm

the anti cliping folks bring up some interesting points which i'd like to discuss.

sorry i meant to say the clipping folks.

oops

[Cindy215]

Gizmotis, I agree. That Parrotlet was new to that poster's home like a week, and the first time out, got loose from restraint in a towel in the room with the light. And it was nighttime/evening. That bird was fully flighted for 4 years. But no one knows if she knows how to fly.

No one would recommend that procedure. She had no bond with the humans or her cage or her dwelling and wasnt ready for that. She went for the first safe place, as we know height signifies safety in that situation. You've probably seen the studies about the more timid Macaws flying up the highest in the trees when there's an alert. But unfortunately it's called dominance in the captive parrots. jmho.

[The Outlaw]

The average parrotlet in the United States has an expected life span of less than 3 years. This is usually due to accidents. Rarely is it a medical problem. Be careful.

[ParrotJoe]

Lately I have been really considering clipping my BG Macaw's wings. She's reaching that age of "terrible two's" and when I let her out of her cage she does extremely naughty things like fly on top of doors and door frames and begin to chew them or reach for the popcorn ceiling and start messing with that. Of course I get her down immediately and say "No" in a stern commanding voice but that is usually followed by a little nip on the fingers and her flying away to the top of her cage or wherever ( just to regroup mind you, seconds later shes off trying to fly on top of something else).

I am definately impressed by her flying ability however as we don't have a big house and she can stop on a dime in mid air and go the other way without a problem.

I know and have experienced first hand the benefits of keeping a Macaw fully flighted however because of her ability to fly and get into trouble I have to put her in her cage whenever I need both hands for a job around the house. Because of this she only gets a couple hours out of the cage per day. I want to do what is best for her and although clipping her wings would have its downfalls, it would also have what I see as great benefit because then she could spend much more time out of her cage, and supposedly it will help smooth out some of her crazy behavior.

Thoughts on the subject welcome ;)

[Joel]

Joe...... (Hey ya buddy, good to see ya drop in yet again).

IMO - If ya can't build a walk-in type full flight aviary right now (suitable for a MaCaw, then ya got to do what ya got to do it seems). Hopefully some day you will have the room and/or etc. to do so. Sorry I can't be of more help with your question specifically.

[birdyland]

Originally Posted by Cindy215

The strongest case for clipping says for safety and that people cant make the house bird - safe so just clip them. I say make the house safe.

I would love to. Simply not feasible.

First, I think there is no way to birdproff a house, beyond building/making an inside conservatory with attached outside aviary, and NEVER taking the bird outside, EVER, even in a harness. When I have the funds to do it right, I gladly will.

Second. A legally blind person is in residence in my home. No need to explain that one further, it presents a million problems to a flighted bird.