How to enjoy a flighted bird?

[Jassa]

After reading several threads that have now made me officially feel like an ultimate bird-owning failure, I had a question.

(my girl is clipped and has been her entire life)

To fulfill my conure's life (according to 70%+ of the opinions/'facts' I have read) I would like to let her wings grow out.

My question is:

How do you protect your furniture from doo doo?
Would covering everything with sheets work?

Thanks all! I have really been enjoying the Avenue so far... learning lots!

 

[AmberMuffinz]

I would place perches around the room and show her them so that she lands on those when she flies. If she has been clipped her entire life, I have heard that they don't "think on the wing" (I believe that is the term) like birds who have been flighted, so they will decide where to land before flying there. My birds generally land in the same areas, so maybe she will as well. You could also have some more playstands out so she goes to those rather than other naughty places.

 

[wonderb]

It's not really very hard or messy. Make sure she has an interior room (no doors that lead directly outside), let her wings grow out, and you will both adapt together. Usually they are still either on their gyms or on their person, even when flighted.

 

[Jassa]

Thanks you two!

That really does make sense... she definitely prefers high perches to any furniture in the house.
I'll just put a slab of newspaper under there and- BAM! Done.

Ha, I don't know why I didn't think of that before.

Is there anything I can do to help her learn to fly? I have a feeling this is going to be a clumsy, crashy endeavor.

(ChiChi loves this dancing banana)...

 

[Leza]

Every bird is different when flighted and get into their own kind of mischief, but so far I have not encountered any naughty flighted birds. All my birds "station" at a tree when landing, or on a shoulder. My red belly has taken to landing on my head too. If they were landing somewhere I didn't want like a table, couch, or chameleon cage(which he totally does not appreciate) they are picked up, either put on my shoulder or softly told no, and sent somewhere else. Typically I send them flying again until they land in a good place, then they are rewarded and treated. All my birds have picked up on this pretty quickly.

For teaching flight you can show them a perch or their cage from a short distance where they have to hop, then slowly increase the distance til they are flying at their destination. Sounds complicated but rather easy to implement.

 

[LuvMyRB2]

I also have several landing areas, a bird tree, or playstand stationed around the room, and I just try to reinforce using those areas. I've covered some areas like the top of the couch since it does not wipe clean as easy, but other surfaces are pretty easy to clean. It kind of really depends on whose poop it is though, as one of some droppings are much easier to clean than the others.

 

[Stevo]

A box of tissues on hand for any accidents is all it takes It really is no big deal. Good luck, and good on you for giving it a go!

 

[Erithacus]

I have no problem with the poops. You will get used to it. Seeing the bird able to fly is more important that the furniture.

 

[JLcribber]

How old is "her entire life"? Was she fledged as a young bird? If not and it's up into middle age there's a chance she won't fly simply because she does not want to either because she can't or has fear of it. First you have to let those wings grow out and that will take a while if all her flights are clipped. Then once she "knows" she has wings you have to see if she will attempt it on her own.

 

[lwis]

You can try training her to poop in a designated area or when you say a cue...some people say that training them to poop on command may cause the bird to only go when you tell them, and that they could hold it too long, but I honestly don't think that would be a problem with most birds. Our bird is mostly trained to poop in a certain area or when we say "poop", but he is young and is still learning to "hold it". He rarely poops on us, and I would say, maybe %75 of the time he does it in a designated stand we when we say.
All we do is bring him to his "poop stand" and use a verbal cue about every ten minutes, until he learned that that is where he is suppose to poop. He can hold hold it for over half an hour now, Though we still bring him to his stand more frequently when we are just hanging out. He hasn't quite learned to go there on his own yet when he needs to go, but he has done this a few times, so we are hoping he catches on. He understands the verbal cue though; we have asked him to poop a couple of times when we thought he needed to go, and he squatted a few times and gave it a real good try before looking at us as if to say, I don't have to go!...it was quite funny. He still has accidents where we don't want him to, but it is not that frequent and the mess is not bad at all.
I would agree that flight is more important than clean furniture...I don't believe that we physically alter any other pet to save our furniture from poop. And there are definitely better ways to deal with it, it just takes a little effort in the beginning
Good luck with her!

 

[Saemma]

You can try training her to poop in a designated area or when you say a cue...some people say that training them to poop on command may cause the bird to only go when you tell them, and that they could hold it too long, but I honestly don't think that would be a problem with most birds. Our bird is mostly trained to poop in a certain area or when we say "poop", but he is young and is still learning to "hold it". He rarely poops on us, and I would say, maybe %75 of the time he does it in a designated stand we when we say.
All we do is bring him to his "poop stand" and use a verbal cue about every ten minutes, until he learned that that is where he is suppose to poop. He can hold hold it for over half an hour now, Though we still bring him to his stand more frequently when we are just hanging out. He hasn't quite learned to go there on his own yet when he needs to go, but he has done this a few times, so we are hoping he catches on. He understands the verbal cue though; we have asked him to poop a couple of times when we thought he needed to go, and he squatted a few times and gave it a real good try before looking at us as if to say, I don't have to go!...it was quite funny. He still has accidents where we don't want him to, but it is not that frequent and the mess is not bad at all.
I would agree that flight is more important than clean furniture...I don't believe that we physically alter any other pet to save our furniture from poop. And there are definitely better ways to deal with it, it just takes a little effort in the beginning
Good luck with her!

Please read.. Can't find John's original thread but it's somewhere on this forum.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/safety-avenue/20749-potty-training-dangerous.html

 

[Celia58]

My little gcc had never flown when I got her at 18mnths.They had kept her primarys and secondary feathers clipped so close she would hit the ground like a rock, it was sad..It was another good 6mnths before her feathers grew in enough to fly.
She could only go about six feet at first.From her cage to the couch.It took quite awhile for her to build up enough strength to fly onto my shoulder from across the room.Mostly she just practiced from the couch to her cage for at least a month or more..She also had some crashes, even into walls and windows even with a sheer curtain covering them, very scary really.
Now she flys like an Ace and can go wherever she wants without incident..I keep antibacterial hand wipes around for her little poops on the backs of the recliner..

 

[Min]

[h=1]How to enjoy a flighted bird?[/h]In my house, learn to duck! I have a big CAG that flies back and forth the length of the house almost constantly when he's out of the cage. He has his own perch in front of the window with newspaper under it. The quakers have their own perches and so does my other grey. They have learned who goes where and their poop stays where the perches are. The cockatiel will poop everywhere, but it's nice that he's easy to clean up after. We just keep a box of kleenex handy. The exercise from flying is important. Mine just need close supervision, being birds of different sizes. Accidents happen when you have flighted birds -- whether it's crashing into something or getting too close together. I think the exercise and "doing what a bird is suppose to do" keeps them healthier and happier. I do sometimes give my quakers a gentle clip to slow them because they tend to get really bossy when it's mating season. They want to take over everyone else's cages. If they are clipped, they still can fly the whole length of the house, but it slows down their getaway time and they tend to back off.

 

[SandraK]

Most of my birds are flighted - the few that are not are either in the process of growing in wings or, like Daisy, have a problem with a wing and cannot fly. The majority of them will fly to a high point in the family room - either the playstands on top of cages, the tops of the bookshelves or the small shelves that are on the fake beams if someone sounds an alarm or someone gets spooked.

Some of them will come over to the sofa/loveseat/computer desk if someone is sitting there - partly to hang out and partly to see what's being eaten or drunk (specially the heathen conures). We have some cheapy fleece blankets/fleec remnants which I put over the back, seat/arms. I can always wash the covers at night once everyone is "in bed".

Word of warning though - once your little Chihirro is fully flighted make extra sure that your computer keyboard is covered safely - gccs seem to have a specific love for popping off keys and they don't care if you can't get them back on the keyboard.

 

[EmilyGrace]

It really isn't much work. My green cheek is flighted. He's only allowed out in my room. I have a sheet on my bed that catches anything. Under play areas, I have tile or those plastic mats for under desk chairs. For anywhere else, tissues. But I had all of this set up already when he was clipped.

 

[Jassa]

Thanks everyone!

I liked the antibacterial wipe idea. Found some sheets to cover the 'bad fabric' furniture.

She hasn't been clipped since fall/winterish of last year, we must have timed it right because her flights didn't grow back as fast.
They are just now starting to emerge. I had a talk with the family, shared some articles to validate my case, and we have all agreed it's a good idea to give flying a try!

A member asked if she had ever fledged as a kiddo. The answer is no, she didn't have that opportunity (I am surprised she isn't more poorly behaved or unconfident)- she has literally never flown. She is about two years old now... so, we'll see if she chooses to fly!

Everyone in the household is excited.

 

[Feather]

Most of my birds fly all day long. There's nothing like watching their aerial stunts.

 

[Meatball]

I would just like to mention that just because your conure has been clipped does not make you a failure as a bird owner I am sure she is very loved and spoiled and since she has never known anything else doesn't know what she is missing. The fact that you are researching and wanting to enrich your birds life makes you a very good parront and your bird very lucky.
Having said that I am very happy that you have decided to give flight a try as it really is a wonderful thing to allow your bird to do what he was born to do. It is also great exercise for them. Once you see your baby fly you will never want to clip her again, its the most magical thing.

Kudos to you for wanting to do what is best for your birdy

 

[Jassa]

Thank you Crystal,

I just try to do my best by all of my animals- I try to train them as well as I can so they can enjoy as much freedom as possible. I greatly enjoy owning offleash-safe dogs and a lead-ropeless horse. It took a lot of training. Months for the dogs- years for the horse. But it is so incredibly worth it to have a majestic animal who is allowed plenty of freedom... not leave your side for anything. Truly unique experience.

I always knew that having a flighted or clipped bird was a touchy subject... but I just could not deny the simple fact that their entire body is geared up for flight; it makes sense how a flighted bird may live a healthier life than a clipped bird- however, I know clipped birds can be healthy as well; I just want to give little Cheech the opportunity to fly if that is what will "complete" her life! I will do ANYTHING to make my animals happier and healthier.

I felt somewhat attacked by the posts I read (even though they were written long ago and not aimed at me at ALL) and couldn't shake the fact that they seemed to be very correct, valid statements. Chihirro is already well enriched and gets plenty of exercise and flapping in... but there is nothing wrong with trying flight as long as we are all careful and go that extra mile on precautions.

The risk, work, training, and my own nervousness will most likely pay off!!!

 

[Renae]

Please read.. Can't find John's original thread but it's somewhere on this forum.

http://forums.avianavenue.com/safety-avenue/20749-potty-training-dangerous.html

This. I wouldn't potty train any bird, in my opinion, the cons outweigh the pros.

In a situation where a clipped bird will soon be fully flighted and isn't aware of windows/mirrors/walls etc, I have heard people have taken their bird around the house and showed them where windows and mirrors especially are, so they become aware of them being there. But, having curtains closed and even covering mirrors can help avoid them crashing into them.