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Wing clipping

sylven

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so what's the consensus on here then ? im toying with clipping my bird

obviously not yet though ( probably about a year or so ) pros & cons

cons :
taking her ability to fly about
more dependant on the owner
cant escape a situation by flying off

pros:

can come in the car (instead of being locked in the cage when we pop out)

can be taken to visit family (instead of being locked in the cage when we pop out)

can sit in the garden with us on the patio (instead of being locked in the cage when we are there)

wont have to worry about open windows etc ...
opinions??
 

sunnysmom

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All of your pros, I would have to disagree with. Even clipped birds can fly/glide to some degree and can be carried away on a gust of wind. If those are the reasons you have for wanting to clip, you may be better off harness training your bird. That way you can take him outside safely and he can still fly inside. It really is better for a bird mentally and physically to be able to fly. :)
 

Lwalker

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Controversial topic indeed but I would just say that if the bird you are talking about is the one in your avatar - a green cheek conure - none of the "pros" you list are realistic.
A bird loose in the car, clipped or not, is dangerous to both you and the bird who could easily flutter in your line of sight or end up under a pedal - definitely a driving distraction and safer secured in a travel cage. As for family, garden and windows - unless you truly butcher the wing feathers, a clipped bird can still fly/glide, especially with wind gust - they just can't fly well. this increases the risk of them getting hurt in my opinion. There are lots of old threads on the forum with lots of information and opinions but you might want to speak to your vet too. I have one flight-ed GCC and one who should be able to fly, but for some reason will not. (he is a re-home/rescue so I do not know his past). the flight-ed bird is more robust and has better muscle development, balance and depth perception. But I am sure more people will chime in.
 

TikiMyn

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I achter with sunnysmom! I would start harness training:)
You could also take your bird with you in a travel cage, or a pack o bird. I am harness training my lovies but in the meanwhile I take them out in a cage. I walk around our town with them and though nature and they love it. One of my lovies had his wings Clipped by his previous owners, so I am training him to fly with Clipped wings until he molts and I can assure you that outside it would only take a bit of wind and he would be gone!
 

Mizzely

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Clipped birds can and do fly away. Do not be lead into the false sense of security that they can't.

Actual pros:

Bird is healthier due to being able to properly exercise (heart disease is big in clipped birds)
Bird is more confident because it can trust its own body
Bird can choose to be with you which is an amazing feeling
 

TikiMyn

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The last one is awesome(though all of those Reasons are very important!), it feels wonderfull when your bird can fly away but chooses to be with you and completly surrender himself to you, because he trusts you. It js also amazing when they choose to be with you when they are stressed out, instead of sitting somewhere up high^^
 

cosmolove

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All of your pros really aren't guaranteed. I personally have a conure that can fly even when severely clipped. Depending on the severity of the clip just determined how gracefully he flew. He most certainly could have been picked up by the wind and flown for a long time. Harnesses or carriers are the only safe way to have a bird outside. I also have known people personally that have lost birds they had outside thinking that since the bird was clipped they were safe.

Clipping versus flighted honestly needs to be a personal decision but just make sure you don't have a false sense of security by thinking a clipped bird is a grounded bird.
 

Hjarta5

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You could also take your bird with you in a travel cage, or a pack o bird. I am harness training my lovies but in the meanwhile I take them out in a cage. I walk around our town with them and though nature and they love it. One of my lovies had his wings Clipped by his previous owners, so I am training him to fly with Clipped wings until he molts and I can assure you that outside it would only take a bit of wind and he would be gone!
I was also contemplating whether clipping was safer for my Quaker as well as being able to go out with her, and I decided to try out the Birdie Go Go (from Celltei, the same maker as the Pack O Bird). Easy to wear, very lightweight, etc. I have taken her on walks/hikes as well as short errands, and its been great (despite getting some weird looks). I think my next purchase would be a travel cage, so that when we are in the garden during the warmer months, she can hang out with us too without me worrying about her safety. I am not sure she would take to harness training though but maybe in the future :fairy2:
 

Whoviana

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Bird can choose to be with you which is an amazing feeling
My favorite part of the day is when Sunflower flies down the stairs to meet me when I come home from work. She is so excited to see me and get her kissy. Sunflower has her wings clipped, but she can still fly all around the apartment, including up on top of the cabinets.
 

Lady Jane

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Please use caution with birds in a cage outdoors. A few months age a video was posted with 2 budgies in a cage. Owner thought birds were safe because they were caged. A hawk landed on cage top and managed to get into the cage and killed one budgie.
 

Monica

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Lodah

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When Pilo came to us he was clipped professionally and still retained some flight... He was also very wary of anything that might be conceived as a threat and at times bounced off objects because he lacked full control. Pilo was also lethargic and lacked confidence! The amazing transition occurred when his flight feathers grew back, and to our amazement the total change in his character and health! He no longer seems to be out of breath as he used to be just trying to fly to the ground. He has confidence, wonderful color in his feathers, LOVES to fly to me and is a totally different fid compared to how he was when he first came to us! Pilo is independent, full of health and vitality and has a CHOICE as to where he wants to be, rather than where he doesn't want to be!

Add up all the positives and you can guess my answer as to clipping... YES it involves training and patience, but isn't that why they are with us in the first place? ;)

Albeit, some fids cannot fly due to numerous reasons, but that doesn't mean their Parronts want them to be couch potatoes either! :o:

:)
 
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BrianB

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I clipped my GCC because twice she took a header into the sliding glass door. She didn't get hurt and she recovered before she hit the floor, but I didn't want her to get hurt either. Now that the flight feathers are coming back in, she's starting to fly again, but is much more cautious about it. I really didn't want to clip her, but it was for her safety. I wasn't sure about harness at the time.
 

Donna turner

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I'd like to add something about sitting on the patio with your bird. Even if it enclosed by a fence cats can and will get in. You would never know it was lurking in the shadows until it's running off with your bird.
 

Lady Jane

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I thing a person can change the environment rather than disabling a bird. Example I have sliding glass doors which get blinds drawn whenever birds are out flying.
 

Monica

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Birds can be taught to not fly into windows - and there are ways to cover *most* windows so birds don't fly into them. It does, of course, take work. A flighted parrot does have more control of *where* they fly, but they can fly *fast*. A clipped parrot can have *less* control of where they fly, but they should, hopefully, fly slower, but it's no guarantee.


 

BrianB

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We'll see how the little one does when the primaries grow back in. The bigger bird has his flight feathers, but hasn't flown since he's been here. The previous owner said he was clipped some years ago, but she's not sure if he will fly now. Since he's a bigger bird and will let me know if the cat gets too close to his cage, I'm ok with leaving his cage open. He gets up on the top, but has shown no interest in going anywhere else. Besides, there are all sorts of things to watch through the window. He goes in the cage if he gets bothers too much. The cat seems fascinated by the little bird, but is afraid of the Blue Crown. I'm not going to do anything to discourage that. The little one is never alone when she's out of the cage. I take her with me if I leave the office, even if it is just a quick trip to the restroom or the kitchen. We'll see how it goes when the little one starts to fly again.
 

Lady Jane

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My budgies were both clipped by the breeder before fledgling. Murphy the male can now fly just fine. Female Mickey has her flight feathers back but so far not flying well. She tries but falls to the floor. Hopefully it's a matter of getting flying muscles stronger.

 

JLcribber

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so what's the consensus on here then ? im toying with clipping my bird
We don't toy with our birds well being.

As long as you agree to tie your legs together for as long as it will take for your bird to replace all those feathers (a good year) I say give it shot.

But since your bird has no choice to unclip his wings, if this doesn't work for you those legs still stay tied up for a year.
 
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