wing clipping do or dont??

[Linearis]

Flying for a bird is a big part of who and what they are. People do not adjust easily, happily or well to disabilities yet they have the ability to understand what has happened to them, how can a bird adjust to having one of its (most important) natural abilities removed when they can not understand why it has been done? It will only cause confusion and fear and then condition the bird to just sit still (give up) when hands (predators) are coming as they know they do not have a chance at protecting themselves by getting away. This is not a relationship with your bird, it is torture and unfair. Forced friendship or forced acceptance is not something I would ever want from my bird.
For anyone wanting to clip without a valid medical reason I beg you to temporarily disable yourself (blindfold, bandage up both hands, stop knees from bending, etc) and honestly live like that for a week before deciding to clip your bird, I would almost bet (if you have compassion) that you will decide not to clip and find some patience and imagination to get around the problems you feel are there because your bird has wings.

I'm anti-wing clipping overall but what you said made me think of something a bit funny... xD; Having my bird out on me kind of does leave me handicapped because she likes perching on my arm instead of my shoulder and a lot of the times it makes me have to do stuff like brush my teeth, get water, etc with just one arm. I'm not trying to make a point, just reminded me of that.

 

[Begone]

I have pulled out clipped flights more than ten times on parakeets (wing clipped by stores or former owners) and canaries (feathers worn out due to failing to molt - rescue birds.)

Please stop doing that. That is very painful and my vet wouldn't do it even if the bird is sedated.
The only thing to do if you want them to fly faster is imping.

I don't think this is something you want to do to a Macaw. IMO, pulling out a flight feather would be very painful.

It is VERY painful to any bird.
I watch an animal vet serie here in Sweden for some year ago, and they did pull out some flights to a wild hawk to help it.
The avian vet said that is was very painful and should never be done to our tame birds. The hawk was an emergency that needed to be done.
Since then I have remember that and to do something painful to a animal I will never do.

 

[Serin]

The birds don't show any discomfort after the fact, and show no pain guarding of their wingtips, it's as simple as pluck pluck pluck and then they go back to what they were doing and they can fly in four weeks instead of four months to a year.

 

[Begone]

The birds don't show any discomfort after the fact, and show no pain guarding of their wingtips,

That is typical to birds and doesn't tell that you not are hurting them. Ask your avian vet if you don't trust me. But until then, stop hurting them.

 

[sezii]

As frustrating as it is to watch her struggle to fly (since I got her already clipped) I could never even think of pulling her feathers just to make it faster that's like pulling a finger nail out and pretending like just because it was pulled it doesnt hurt after the fact. She's about 7 months old right now and appears to be molting (I can feel very thick "roots" to head feathers) and I can only hope her flight feathers will be in within the next few months. I want to help her "fly" by holding her and gently "tossing" her to my partner so she can flutter to her and then do the same back so she gets used to the flying motion but I don't want to break our bond by forcing her to fly back and forth when she can't choose if she wants to or not any ideas on a good happy medium??

 

[Begone]

I don't want to break our bond by forcing her to fly back and forth when she can't choose if she wants to or not any ideas on a good happy medium??

Be on the bed, and let her jump between you. (begin with let her go between your hands) Hold her really low so if she fall she will not fall long.
As long as she does it she likes it. And when she no longer will, stop. Take the time and stop some minutes earlier the next time. Often 5-15 min is enough.
You can encourage her to tell her with a happy voice what a good girl she is and for every jump of course give her, her favorite treat.
Never tossing her, all flight and jumps should be her choice. Good luck!

 

[Shezbug]

Wow I just found out that in the state I live in it is actually illegal to clip a bird's wings without it being advised or done by an AV.

 

[Feather]

Wow I just found out that in the state I live in it is actually illegal to clip a bird's wings without it being advised or done by an AV.

If you ask me, that should be the case everywhere. I'm against wing clipping on the best of days, but I've seen some especially ghastly hack jobs performed by clueless or careless owners.

 

[Shezbug]

I think the exact same way and can not understand how it is not classed as animal cruelty. I also have a hard time understanding people saying it is personal choice or not harmful to the birds. We do not alter dogs legs because they dig or run too fast because it would be cruel. It is not the same as hair cutting like I hear so many people say.......we do not rely on our hair to help us get around! One look at a parrots feet should be enough for any dunce to realize they are not made for walking great distances but for holding things like rounded branches and foods.

 

[clawnz]

Wow I just found out that in the state I live in it is actually illegal to clip a bird's wings without it being advised or done by an AV.

Where about's are you talking about. We need to get this out there, to others.


Of course it is animal cruelty. There is no other name for handicapping a bird.
I understand I get off side with the pro clippers over this one.
But facts are facts.

 

[tka]

I think the exact same way and can not understand how it is not classed as animal cruelty. I also have a hard time understanding people saying it is personal choice or not harmful to the birds. We do not alter dogs legs because they dig or run too fast because it would be cruel. It is not the same as hair cutting like I hear so many people say.......we do not rely on our hair to help us get around! One look at a parrots feet should be enough for any dunce to realize they are not made for walking great distances but for holding things like rounded branches and foods.

Sadly, people do this to their cats - declawing a cat means cutting off part of their toe and all because a cat might do something entirely natural to them. Similar with cutting a dog's vocal cords because they bark, or cropping a dog's ears or docking their tail. Those things are illegal in the UK but still go on in the US.

 

[Lady Jane]

Please stop doing that. That is very painful and my vet wouldn't do it even if the bird is sedated.
The only thing to do if you want them to fly faster is imping.

I completely agree. There is no way to speed up the re growth of cut flight feathers. Pulling out the human cut flight feathers is done under anesthesia by a licensed avian vet. There is a reason for this - It is painful. Budgies are known to die right in your hand from shock, and pain is a shock.

 

[TikiMyn]

About the pulling feathers, Henkie had two (secondary) flights pulled for DNA testing(I commend all the AV’s that don’t do it! If I knew better at the time I would have picked another method, but I didn’t imagine something painfull would be common practice) and he Made the saddest noise. An awful little peep, he was definitly hurting and it brought tears to my eyes. At the wildlife rescue sometimes flights were pulled as well. Sometimes it was nessecary and other times to help a badly injured bird along, but they got medication beforehand. Can’t remember the details though.
I am also against clipping Unless it is for the animals health. So Many reasons not to, for me health and freedom of choice/Happiness are the most important ones

 

[Lady Jane]

My vet just plucked a few chest feathers for a DNA. It was not painful at all.

 

[Feather]

About the pulling feathers, Henkie had two (secondary) flights pulled for DNA testing(I commend all the AV’s that don’t do it! If I knew better at the time I would have picked another method, but I didn’t imagine something painfull would be common practice) and he Made the saddest noise. An awful little peep, he was definitly hurting and it brought tears to my eyes. At the wildlife rescue sometimes flights were pulled as well. Sometimes it was nessecary and other times to help a badly injured bird along, but they got medication beforehand. Can’t remember the details though.
I am also against clipping Unless it is for the animals health. So Many reasons not to, for me health and freedom of choice/Happiness are the most important ones

Aw man, I've never heard of them pulling flight feathers for DNA tests! How awful. I had feather DNA tests done for my lovebirds, Rowan, and Highrise, but the feathers they required were just little ones from the birds' chests. Not nearly so painful as pulling out a big feather. About as much resistance as yanking a hair from your head, and none of my fids even cried when they were pulled.

 

[Linearis]

The only time I kinda understand if someone clips wings is at first when they bring them home, so it's easier to gain their trust and also to get used to the surroundings but... the problem still is for me the clip lasts way too long and I think a lot of the times when people think it's necessary... it's not. I could be totally wrong on this but I think a lot of the issues is people not going at the bird's pace, and wanting to set the pace themselves out of selfishness. I get it's your pet but it's still not an object it's a living creature with it's own boundaries. I think a lot of bad stuff could be avoided if instead of trying to pull a flighted bird out of a cage when you introduce it into your home (even if you left it alone for 2-3 days), which makes it likely the bird will freak out and fly all over the room trying to get away, you just leave the cage door open and the bird can decide. I think best thing to do is to have it in an enclosed room (like a bedroom) at least at first, set aside a time where you don't need to open the room's door. Cover windows, mirrors etc and then just... leave the cage door open. Just leave it open and do your own thing, if you want you can entice the bird to get close to opening or even come out onto your finger. But then if it flies off and lands on top of something, don't try to make it come down. Just do your own thing until the bird willingly comes to you or allows you to let it climb up onto your finger or a stick. Maybe this is my ignorance speaking because my bird was already clipped when I got her (I didn't even know at the time), but I don't see how she could have freaked out ever. I mean it helps she was already hand-tamed so again this could be my ignorance and maybe sometimes it is better. But you know how I got her out of the cage the first time? I didn't. She came out, she wanted to come out and see me so of course she didn't freak out. I had already fed her treats from my hand before this point so she had already associated me with good things.

Any feedback would be appreciated, if I'm wrong tell me because I've never tried taming a flighted bird from scratch so this is just my thoughts. I just hate when people say things are for the best for an animal when it's really just for their own convenience or because they're scared of making mistakes (like leaving the window open... it can happen but it could also not happen. I rather make my best effort in it never happening and for my bird to be happiest). I feel really sad my bird's feathers are clipped

 

[Laurul Feather Cat]

NO!!! Birds need to fly to be healthy.

 

[Shezbug]

Sadly, people do this to their cats - declawing a cat means cutting off part of their toe and all because a cat might do something entirely natural to them. Similar with cutting a dog's vocal cords because they bark, or cropping a dog's ears or docking their tail. Those things are illegal in the UK but still go on in the US.

I am fairly sure that all of these things are actually illegal where I live. There are exceptions I believe but very few vets will do these procedures.

 

[Shezbug]

The only time I kinda understand if someone clips wings is at first when they bring them home, so it's easier to gain their trust and also to get used to the surroundings but... the problem still is for me the clip lasts way too long and I think a lot of the times when people think it's necessary... it's not. I could be totally wrong on this but I think a lot of the issues is people not going at the bird's pace, and wanting to set the pace themselves out of selfishness. I get it's your pet but it's still not an object it's a living creature with it's own boundaries. I think a lot of bad stuff could be avoided if instead of trying to pull a flighted bird out of a cage when you introduce it into your home (even if you left it alone for 2-3 days), which makes it likely the bird will freak out and fly all over the room trying to get away, you just leave the cage door open and the bird can decide. I think best thing to do is to have it in an enclosed room (like a bedroom) at least at first, set aside a time where you don't need to open the room's door. Cover windows, mirrors etc and then just... leave the cage door open. Just leave it open and do your own thing, if you want you can entice the bird to get close to opening or even come out onto your finger. But then if it flies off and lands on top of something, don't try to make it come down. Just do your own thing until the bird willingly comes to you or allows you to let it climb up onto your finger or a stick. Maybe this is my ignorance speaking because my bird was already clipped when I got her (I didn't even know at the time), but I don't see how she could have freaked out ever. I mean it helps she was already hand-tamed so again this could be my ignorance and maybe sometimes it is better. But you know how I got her out of the cage the first time? I didn't. She came out, she wanted to come out and see me so of course she didn't freak out. I had already fed her treats from my hand before this point so she had already associated me with good things.

Any feedback would be appreciated, if I'm wrong tell me because I've never tried taming a flighted bird from scratch so this is just my thoughts. I just hate when people say things are for the best for an animal when it's really just for their own convenience or because they're scared of making mistakes (like leaving the window open... it can happen but it could also not happen. I rather make my best effort in it never happening and for my bird to be happiest). I feel really sad my bird's feathers are clipped

I do not understand doing it for the reason you first mention.......how can a bird trust you faster, better or easier after you have grabbed it and removed it's ability to protect itself by flying away? This will make taming and bonding harder as you have the hurdle of lost trust (that had not yet been gained) and also confidence issues after clipping. Also if you think people should go at the birds pace then clipping it's wings is going completely against the birds time frame and pace for trust building and friendship. JMHO on wing clipping for taming

 

[Feather]

I do not understand doing it for the reason you first mention.......how can a bird trust you faster, better or easier after you have grabbed it and removed it's ability to protect itself by flying away? This will make taming and bonding harder as you have the hurdle of lost trust (that had not yet been gained) and also confidence issues after clipping. Also if you think people should go at the birds pace then clipping it's wings is going completely against the birds time frame and pace for trust building and friendship. JMHO on wing clipping for taming

Nothing beats that moment when a flighted bird comes to you on their own volition for the first time.