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Cheddar and the wing clip

Mark & Da Boyz

Rollerblading along the road
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I hated to clip him but he was out of control, chasing all the other bird and biting me. Well he was out of sorts at first but as settled down now. He climbs up to my shoulder and settles in there like a cuddly guy instead of the little monster he was. Ha can get around the birdroom quite well and spends time on top of Riti's cage and in it as well and he can even make to Da Tielish Ones cage but then he has a hard time getting back so he doesn't go there often. I hope when his feathers grow back he will have changed his ay as I hate having to clip him. God cave birds wing for a reason and it wasn't to have them clipped.
 

Kokako

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Perhaps take this time to reevaluate his diet (protein and fats especially), sleep and/or seasonal hormone cycle, handling, love-interests (animal, vegetable, mineral, human ;D) and write down any triggers for inappropriate adult behaviors or aggression that you can think of. And maybe start training hands off behaviors and direction such as stepping up on a stick, a ‘go home’ or ‘go to perch’ as future-proofing for petsitting and such, and just in case taking a break from his wings (and to some degree his full confidence and security) doesn’t fix the problem long term - the last thing you want is to feel trapped in a clipping cycle to keep yourself and your other birds safe! I’m glad you are all safe now! But please don’t think the problem has been solved by clipping... you just bought potentially more time than you need to change some major factors in his life. Working with him flighted in his cage for a few weeks might have been enough to start really developing the hands-off direction to keep you and birdies safe while other slower changes helped him feel different.


I have to reevaluate every couple of months, re-tailor things to my birds-of-the-moment, not the birds-they-were a season ago or before the mango ran out or we ate too many walnuts or before I got really busy and forgot to cuddle them exactly as much as is necessary. They let me know - Em-bird will gnaw much harder while I rub her ears if she has too much hormone-inducing rich foods, Mer-bird will be less interested in stepping up on fingers or even his trusty step-up wand if the cuddle-deficit gets too bad! Cheddar just had to let you know really really clearly this time :p It can get better! Regular reevaluating is a normal part of any long term relationship, really.. we just have to conceptualise the process more clearly with our pets than with humans and take ‘bad’ or potentially painful behaviors as the loud communication they are. :hug8:
 

Farlie

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Central Arkansas
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Rick
I'm having to same issues with Farlie including unnecessary SCREAMING. Never thot of that 'punishment' before. I might have to do the same thing.
Hmmm, a wing clip, a nail clip and a beak clip. Hmmm
 

Kokako

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How about seeing if less (to no, situation-depending) out time and serious target and station training in cage can help you guide his behaviors when out? A few weeks of training could fix the danger of attacks and is worth trying first.

Clipping gives you time, sure, but it also disguises how effective your training or approach actually is and the whole thing can start again when they get their wings back. Alternatively, your bird could respond quickly and you could have a very protracted period without any flying which is not good for birdo’s confidence or health.. or how you feel. It gives you way too much time, really! Months! In birds with poor starts to life or illnesses, it can potentially take years to regain all feathers in good condition.

And screaming is likely to be a long term game anyway, if it isn’t caused by something acute (Do you have reason to check? Voice changes can be a symptom). We play “make a cuter sound” at my house and take seriously our flock-ly duty of answering cute flock calls when out of sight at least a couple of times per vocal check in.
 

Monica

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I agree with @Kokako At best, wing clipping is only a temporary solution to a long term issue. At worse, it does nothing at all.


Please start target training and evaluating the situation to see if you can change the bird's behavior.
 
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