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Clipped now, want her fully flighted

SgtNikola

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Nika is 4 years old, she was fully flighted when she was surrendered to the shop I got her from. When she got there, she was clipped to make her easier to handle (she was a bit of a 'problem child'). I managed to talk to her breeder who said she didn't recommend clipping the babies, so I'm assuming Nika was flighted for most of her life. She was surrendered to the shop in the beginning of March 2019, and I picked her up shortly thereafter.

When I first brought her home, she was always trying to fly, even though all she could really do was glide. When I got her a taller cage she would go to the top and throw herself off of the cage top and glide to the floor. I tried to convince her to fly to me, but she'd just sit on top of her cage and wiggle her butt, twitch her wings, and point her head downwards while staring at me. I thought that meant she wanted to fly to me, but she always gave up and started screaming for me to come and get her.

Lately, she won't glide for playing, or to get places. She's tried to fly when she's been spooked, but not for anything else. Is there anything I can do to help build her confidence? Do I just have to wait and hope that her feathers finish growing back this fall? I'm assuming she'll be pretty out of practice after several months of barely gliding, do I need to pad the floor or anything?
 

tka

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"Gliding" is almost certainly not a good experience for her - she's barely in control of her flight, can only go down and can't manouevre as a fully flighted bird would be able to. A flighted parrot is a master of the air, able to make tight turns and even almost hover. Being in the air with barely any control over her movement is probably terrifying for her. No wonder she doesn't want to glide.

You're just going to have to wait for her flight feathers to regrow.
 
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SgtNikola

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Had no idea gliding was that bad! She seemed to try it all the time when I first brought her home. Thanks for the heads up!
When her flight feathers grow back, will she just know what to do, should I worry about blocking the windows or if she was flighted before should she be fine on her own?
 

Leih

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My lovebird was clipped and as her flights came back she started trying to fly more. I did encourage her a lot and now she's a pro. One of my linnies has his feathers back and I know he wants to fly but hasn't taken the plunge. I'm working on encouraging him.
 

Nikomania

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If she had been allowed to fledge, she will again be able to fly once her flights grow back in and after she regains her confidence.
 

clawnz

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If she had been allowed to fledge, she will again be able to fly once her flights grow back in and after she regains her confidence.
This is not True!
Birds suffer badly from the mental torture, and do suffer muscle atrophy.
Clipping an older bird DOES HAVE far more impact on their mental state, than clipping early.
Clipping early impacts on their general health and continuous clipping likely impacts on their longevity.
Most cases of obesity are from birds that do not get enough exercise.

Clipping needs to be banned in more countries than it is right now.
But we are working on getting this animal cruelty banned.

Working with birds and holding bird meetings, I get to see a number of birds in recovery.
Also have one myself, and he will never recover from the damage his first owner has done to him.
 

Lady Jane

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I never understand why its called clipping. Its cutting. I have watched a vet cutting flight feathers and he cut the entire feather, not just the ends of a feather.

you should make the room safe for flight in case she recovers. Cover all reflective surfaces like windows, mirrors and fish tanks if you have any. Turn off all fans, put toilet seat down. Keep out any predator pets like dog or cat. Make sure everyone knows not to open doors to outside if bird is flying. You can make signs saying Bird Flying and put on the inside and outside of doors. Be aware bird can fall behind furniture or land on a chair or sofa. Humans have been known to crush a bird by sitting on them.
 

Begone

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Is there anything I can do to help build her confidence?
Yes their is. From today stop helping her from all kinds of transportation. If she is on the floor and wants up, get her a ladder or a rope instead so she can make things on her own. Praise her everytime she chose to find a solution on her own. And that praise is important, always tell her what a good girl she is and offer her something she like. In the beginning it can be a very easy thing she manage to do, it's more important that she understands the purpose then how hard the task is.
If she start screaming for help offer her a tool not your hand.
You must make her things so she can transport her on her own. So a lot of ropes that she can climb on and perches too. Don't make it to easy for her.
You will soon find out what a happy bird she will be knowing that she can do this on her own, and feel that you like that. That will build her self confidence.
Had no idea gliding was that bad! She seemed to try it all the time when I first brought her home.
That was because she wanted to fly/was trying to fly. The natural way for transportation and exercise.
When her flight feathers grow back, will she just know what to do, should I worry about blocking the windows or if she was flighted before should she be fine on her own?
I think she will know what to do as she has been flying for so many years before and because she is a smaller and lighter bird. The worst problem is to get her self confidence back. But that you can fix now.
But safety for flying should always be their. They can always get scared and therefor windows should always be covered of something. (like window blinds)

Thank you for letting her fly again! ♥
 

Lady Jane

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Yes ladders are a great tool for birds that have cut flights. To this day my guys are very comfortable stepping on a long ladder i got for them early on. I put the ladder on the floor up to the cage door and my two learned to climb up into cage. Make sure the ladder is wide enough that her head does not get caught in the rungs.
 

Lady Jane

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Please update us when you can.
 

Nikomania

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This is not True!
Birds suffer badly from the mental torture, and do suffer muscle atrophy.
Clipping an older bird DOES HAVE far more impact on their mental state, than clipping early.
Clipping early impacts on their general health and continuous clipping likely impacts on their longevity.
Most cases of obesity are from birds that do not get enough exercise.

Clipping needs to be banned in more countries than it is right now.
But we are working on getting this animal cruelty banned.

Working with birds and holding bird meetings, I get to see a number of birds in recovery.
Also have one myself, and he will never recover from the damage his first owner has done to him.
I have had birds that had been allowed to fledge, but were unfortunately clipped before I received them. I also have birds that had never been allowed to fledge. Those that had fledged regained their ability to flight quickly vs those that had no muscle memory of flight and had to be taught what wings were for.
All my birds are flighted now, but I did have to actively work with those that came here never having fledged. True, their muscles atrophy and it's horrible for them mentally (simply my opinion, too, but everyone must reach what is best for them given their circumstances), but I stand behind what I said; that they can fly again, especially if they'd once fledged.
 
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Gazimon

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I would agree with Nikomania, that there is hope of better recovery once they have had proper experience and practice of flying after fledging. Rainbow came to me with chopped primaries on one wing. The seller told me he had "partial-clipped" coz the fledglings flew too high; but it was in no way a partial clip, more like a butcher. I had to cut some primaries on the other wing to balance her out. Until her primaries grew back, she literally fell off the table in a straight downwards fall because she WANTED to fly. It wasn't even a controlled glide, just a straight fall. After a few nasty-sounding plops I had to confine her to her cage for a few months for fear that she would take too much keel-bone damage.

She flies fine now that her feathers are back. She started with small steps of course, from cage top to cage top, then small distances from cage top to an elevated wall lamp nearby [no longer wired or in use], cage top to table nearby... and so on. Now she can fly from living room past dining room to the top of kitchen fridge.
 

tka

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@Eloy has given you some fantastic advice.

What clipping does is take away a bird's independence. They are unable to get around as they normally would - by flying to wherever they wanted to go. If a bird is scared, it takes to flight. If it's hungry or thirsty, it flies to find food and water. If it's curious, it flies to investigate whatever caught its attention. If it's tired, it will fly to its favoured roosting place to rest. Clipping takes away all of that. A bird has to stay where it is placed. It becomes dependent on the humans around it to move it around. It may try to take flight but realises that it cannot fly with any kind of control or skill, and eventually stops trying.

The bird will be reliant on the humans around it but that doesn't mean that it's tame. Instead, it's in a state of "learned helplessness".

Having independence and agency is vital to a parrot's wellbeing, and in the absence of flight, you must try to let your bird make as many decisions as she is able. Ladders and rope will help her get around. If she is on your hand, look carefully to see which direction she leans in - she will tell you where she wants to go. Sometimes I let Leia pilot me around as a trust-building game.

A true relationship with a parrot happens when the bird has choices that it can make freely - and it chooses you.
 

Begone

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but I stand behind what I said; that they can fly again, especially if they'd once fledged
And I agree with you. I'm that kind of person that always think their is hope for everyone therefore you should never give up.
Perhaps some never will be great fliers but they will fly because that is the natural thing for them and you will see that in any bird when they get really scare. (Sadly that is also how most people lost their birds when they are outside)

But...

I also agree with Clive that amputation (that should be the right word for this) has more impact of an adults birds mentally state.
If that bird is weak or in some way have been broken down it's not sure that you can repair that damage. Their muscles are easy to fix so that is not the problem.
I don't know why but for what I have seen birds really give up on therself and stop trying. :(
That is the saddest part, when a human that suppose to love this bird create a helplessness animal and is taking away his natural instinct.

For safety you don't amputate them, you safety your home or chose another animal that will suite you better.
 

clawnz

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Your buddy should be ok. She should make a full recovery.
You have had some great advice on encouragement.
Age and the short time of being clipped are in your favor.

We all need to keep in mind, in any situation there is hope.
Shame that does not always equate to results.

And some here know why I am so mad at people who clip.
They fail to tell you the new dangers they are introducing. Only because if they did they would have to except clipping is wrong.
Clipped birds fly at higher speeds to maintain flight.
Normally a bird will cause a stall to land. And this is harder to do when air flow over the wings is disrupted cue to missing flight surface.
Why do birds fly into things? Could it be that they are working too hard at flight? Ever seen a clipped bird look relaxed in flight? NO!
NO Muscle atrophy cannot be fixed, all too many times, they do not recover lost muscle. Atrophy is a real word. So please stop saying this can be recovered. As all too often "IT CAN NOT". Another excuse offered by the clipping fraternity, to make themselves feel better, about animal abuse.
I hate how many times I have been down this track, with so many who Yell they do get over it.
I think 4yrs of working with Alex, gives me a few clues.
This is a bird I see fly over 1km 3yrs ago.
Managed to get vid of him flying back to me 3yrs ago.
What he can do. 20ft in normal flight. Try that twice and he is poked.
What he cannot do. Descend. Though we may have made another mile stone, as he manged a 500ml drop and turn just the other day.
I cannot tell you HOW BIG it has been to see that.
I have made him fly everyday for all the time I have had him.
Why I set up the Flight Club. So I could fly him inside a decent size hall.
We are a year of meetings now.
Alex is just about the only one there, who would prefer to be at home.
That is the reality of the damage he has suffered.

Dexter took 3yrs to get any flight back.

So I literally hate hearing "Oh They get over it."
No they bloody well don't. Clipping is damaging, and emotionally messes with them.
Re learning is better than having to learn, after it is too late for the connections to be made in the brain.
(Just another fact people dismiss).
The trouble is any clipping impacts on them one way or another.

A bird left alone flies with confidence and if you watch "They enjoy" that ability.
All the ones I see at our meetings are in two different classes. Never clipped. And have some damage, and fly mostly in straight lines.
No ducking weaving and just having fun.
That is more the reality of clipping.
 

clawnz

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@clawnz would you mind if i copy this awesome post for the breeders and others that think its not harmful to cut flight feathers?
Thank You.
Most say I am overly demanding.

You are more than welcome to copy and use.
If you pm me I may have other information, to add.
Bone density.
Plucking.
Barbering.
Liver condition.
Even egg binding may be influenced by lack of exercise.
And I for got to add no bird can get a full cardiovascular workout, without flight. How's that likely to impact on longevity.
 

Lady Jane

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My two were with cut flight feathers before fledging by the breeder. After re growth they were flying pretty well after hitting the ceiling a few times. Only physical problem so far is with female. She has hypertrophy of cere which vet says is a result of too much estrogen secreting from adrenal gland or a tumor on or near the gland. Only way to really know is a CT scan which of about $1500 or more. I am applying coconut oil every day to help keep the cere from curling up. Thanks for all your input.
 

Appolosmom

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Your buddy should be ok. She should make a full recovery.
You have had some great advice on encouragement.
Age and the short time of being clipped are in your favor.

We all need to keep in mind, in any situation there is hope.
Shame that does not always equate to results.

And some here know why I am so mad at people who clip.
They fail to tell you the new dangers they are introducing. Only because if they did they would have to except clipping is wrong.
Clipped birds fly at higher speeds to maintain flight.
Normally a bird will cause a stall to land. And this is harder to do when air flow over the wings is disrupted cue to missing flight surface.
Why do birds fly into things? Could it be that they are working too hard at flight? Ever seen a clipped bird look relaxed in flight? NO!
NO Muscle atrophy cannot be fixed, all too many times, they do not recover lost muscle. Atrophy is a real word. So please stop saying this can be recovered. As all too often "IT CAN NOT". Another excuse offered by the clipping fraternity, to make themselves feel better, about animal abuse.
I hate how many times I have been down this track, with so many who Yell they do get over it.
I think 4yrs of working with Alex, gives me a few clues.
This is a bird I see fly over 1km 3yrs ago.
Managed to get vid of him flying back to me 3yrs ago.
What he can do. 20ft in normal flight. Try that twice and he is poked.
What he cannot do. Descend. Though we may have made another mile stone, as he manged a 500ml drop and turn just the other day.
I cannot tell you HOW BIG it has been to see that.
I have made him fly everyday for all the time I have had him.
Why I set up the Flight Club. So I could fly him inside a decent size hall.
We are a year of meetings now.
Alex is just about the only one there, who would prefer to be at home.
That is the reality of the damage he has suffered.

Dexter took 3yrs to get any flight back.

So I literally hate hearing "Oh They get over it."
No they bloody well don't. Clipping is damaging, and emotionally messes with them.
Re learning is better than having to learn, after it is too late for the connections to be made in the brain.
(Just another fact people dismiss).
The trouble is any clipping impacts on them one way or another.

A bird left alone flies with confidence and if you watch "They enjoy" that ability.
All the ones I see at our meetings are in two different classes. Never clipped. And have some damage, and fly mostly in straight lines.
No ducking weaving and just having fun.
That is more the reality of clipping.
if i'm reading this correctly my bourke Gracie who will be 5 sept 1st may never fly again,because the former owner clipped her wings? i don't know alot but i do know that bourke"s need to be able to fly.
 
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