DO I CLIP THE COCKATIELS WINGS.......

[alyssanor]

i have said in other posts that i need to clip their wings but you guys say no.............

 

[conureluv]

It’s not that we say no; it’s a pretty controversial topic. For me, my bird came with clipped wings. Does that effect him emotionally? It appears not. Physically? He can fly short distances, slowly decreasing in height. I’d say not to unless you’re in an area where he could easily hurt himself flying, then you can make that decision. If you do clip, it grows back in about 4-6 months.

 

[Zara]

Aside from the fact that brds should fly because they were born with wings..

1. You have cat that you said ¨wants to attack 24/7¨ so you shoul not clip so that should the two be in the same room, and the cat attacks, the birds at least have a chance to fly away instead of being a snack and you finding a pile of feathers and a beak.

2. You want to breed, flighted birds are the best breeders.

3.. Cockatiels are prone to laying problems namely egg-binging, flight can help keep them healthy and lessen the chances.

4. It doesn´t matter how small your room is, you could live in a cupboard under the stairs and still it wouldn´t justify clipping the birds wings.

5. You just got these birds, and you want to build trust... to start that process you are thinking about handicapping them... this is not a way to build trust, but to lose it.

Should I clip my birds wings?

I know these blog posts have been shared in the forum by @Lady Jane , but I thought a thread with all parts together would be handy. Before clipping your birds wings, please read all 6 parts of the blog by Pamela Clark; Part One: Parrots, Flight, and Humans – Pamela Clark, CPBC Part Two...

forums.avianavenue.com

A new thread won´t make me give you a different answer.
Did you know there´s a forum here where we talk about living with our flighted birds and share tips on how to keep them safe?

The Airport

A place to chat about how to live with your flighted parrot

forums.avianavenue.com

 

[alyssanor]

It’s not that we say no; it’s a pretty controversial topic. For me, my bird came with clipped wings. Does that effect him emotionally? It appears not. Physically? He can fly short distances, slowly decreasing in height. I’d say not to unless you’re in an area where he could easily hurt himself flying, then you can make that decision. If you do clip, it grows back in about 4-6 months.

they can get hurt in my room it is sooo small and i have budgies and 2 cockatiels.

 

[Zara]

they can get hurt in my room it is sooo small and i have budgies and 2 cockatiels.

If that is the case then they will get hurt in their cage?
This makes no sense.

 

[Shezbug]

Need and want are two very different things- I do not believe for even a second that you 'need' to clip their wings- needing to do it would be for a specific necessary benefit to the bird... your reasoning is not for your new birds benefit in any way whatsoever, it is for you... you seem to have some false beliefs that clipping will fix the perceived problems you are currently facing when in reality it is only likely to make things worse for the birds. Although it may make it easier for you to grab your birds and force them to spend time with you or force them back into the cage it will not fix their willingness to be with you and be tamed and it will not allow them to learn how to fly their best.
I honestly feel that anyone who wants to handicap their birds by cutting feathers off really should be forced to superglue their own legs together to see how being disabled makes life easier and better for everyone- I am sure that no one would think this way when the same disabling or physical maiming is suggested to be done to them to fix something.

 

[hrafn]

The thing is, clipping their wings doesn't guarantee their safety. You mentioned in your other thread that the 'tiels were flying into the walls, but if you take away their ability to fly, they'll just be crashing into the floor instead. A bird who knows how to fly and has it taken away from them will continue to try, and can be very badly hurt in the process; I had a grey who was clipped at the humane society despite previously being an experienced flyer, and I wound up having to heavily pad the floor with foam and thick blankets to protect her from the many, many falls she took in trying to use her wings like she always had. If she'd had a bad landing, she could have broken her keel bone or her beak or her spine. The psychological and emotional toll was also significant, and she was absolutely terrified of me because her usual method of escape had been stolen from her.

Allowing them to keep their wings intact will not only be healthier for them, but it will also help as you try to bond with them. Knowing that they can fly away if they need to makes you less of a threat, and also lets you know when they're uncomfortable with what you're doing so you can back away.

Just my

 

[Ember-Tiel]

It seems very unnecessary to clip their wings only because your room is small. They won't willingly let you cut them, they will struggle in your hands and try to fly away from the scissors giving them a bad impression and will make it harder for them to trust you even more.

 

[JewellBird]

As I said in your other thread I do not believe in clipping birds wings. Three out of my six birds came to me with clipped wings. I am waiting for my little white budgie Pips flight feathers to molt and grow back. It is so sad to see her watch my other budgies fly around and sometimes attempt to fly with them and fall. I can definitely tell that she is not extremely happy and having her wings clipped has done no good for her and instead has just affected her psychologically and made her seem almost depressed at times since she cannot currently fly. Clipping her wings would have never been a choice I would have made, but the breeder did it even though I said I didn't want it done. It worries me anytime she is out of her cage because I have to be very careful that she does not fall and hurt herself. So I have soft blankets etc. around her cage incase she tries to fly and falls. And even with all of the safety measure I go to to make sure she is safe, she still managed to bruise her cere the other day from what I'm assuming was probably a fall from trying to fly. Most of the time birds wings are clipped for the convenience of the owner without thought to how detrimental it can be to some birds. So please wait to make this decision and let the cockatiels get acclimated to their new environment before jumping to wing clipping.

 

[MiniMacaw]

My opinion would be no. I have birds from parrotlet to macaw size with physical disabilities and none have their wings clipped. It gives them a sense of helplessness and I wouldn’t voluntarily choose that. Doing things as have been suggested (the smaller the room the easier it should be) like hanging curtains, ribbons etc may help. Also, they’re not unintelligent and I would think after having time to settle in, they’d be less crazy with flying all over the place into walls. They’re just scared. Further scaring them may make holding them a bit easier, but really it’s just the making of less happy birds.
I know many people still have this old school thinking (which it sounds like his previous home may have) where if a bird is difficult then you clip the wings. But modern studies (anecdotal and science based) say otherwise.

 

[alyssanor]

If that is the case then they will get hurt in their cage?
This makes no sense.

my room is to small to fully fly in with all my stuff in there , i reconsidered it and i am gonna move into the basemet and give my birds my room

 

[gamermouse]

One of my tiels came clipped. I've never clipped his wings again but he's clumsy and constantly breaks feathers. and I know in my heart it's because the breeder clipped him too young and he never had a chance to adapt to having flighted wings. Of all my birds, I've had the most trouble with him hitting walls, windows, ceiling, stationery objects, everything.

He has had more injuries to his blood feathers than any bird in this home. As new feathers grew in, lacking the cushion and support of neighboring feathers meant they stuck out like a sore thumb and he'd brush them against anything and everything. I increased their residence to a flight cage—it didn't help.

Clipping wings will not help.

 

[ellbell]

i have said in other posts that i need to clip their wings but you guys say no.............

I clipped my birds wings against the other members advice and it was not a good idea, he seemed sad, and didn’t play with his toys or try to fly a lot I definitely don’t recommend it and I won’t be doing it again

 

[Shezbug]

they can get hurt in my room it is sooo small and i have budgies and 2 cockatiels.

This excuse to disable your birds honestly makes no sense to any reasonable thinking knowledgeable bird keeper at all.
I do not mean to be rude but going on the recent past I am guessing you will likely clip anyway and then you will be back here saying your bird is stressed, terrified, depressed and now crashing even worse than before and you’ll be asking how to fix that.
I really think it is time for you to just stop and really think hard about why so many successful bird keepers here are telling you the opposite of what you think is right and want to do- some of the people advising you have absolutely wonderful close relationships with their fully flighted bird/s- I can bet you none of them clipped their bird to teach it how to be a better flier and stop crashing, or to make their relationship work, or to get their birds back into the cage- Please just stop grabbing for the fastest way to get to the end result you are hoping for and start reevaluating why you are making certain choices for yourself and your birds... listen to the experienced people here, they are not trying to ruin your fun or chances- they are trying to help you do things the best and easiest way for both you and your birds.
Please be aware that many who still chose to clip against the advise given here ended up causing them and their birds many many more problems than the clipping was supposed to fix for them and then they still had the exact same original issues to deal with plus some extras as well as a panicked, unhappy, often injured clipped bird.

 

[Loveofbird]

Look it is your choice, none of us can stop you But I say you wait a couple months and bond with your birds and when they get used to you if you still wish to clip them then like I said none of us can stop you.

I know clipping seems easier which I guess sort of in a way it makes it easier for the owner but when you go through that hard work of taming an unclipped bird the feeling is amazing because not only does the bird trust you, it trusts you because it wants to not because your forcing it to.

You do want the bird to love you because it wants to and not because it has to right? Real love isn't forced it's about getting to know one another over time and eventually trusting each other, basically it's earned. I'm talking about animals here but I guess it can somewhat apply to humans.

Here trying putting yourself in the bird's shoes(feathers lol?) Imagine if you could fly(and wouldn't that be amazing?) Then someone took that ability away from you, would you still trust them? Really ask yourself this.

Like I said how about wait a couple months then see what happens, take people's advice about taming. Yeah it might be a slow process but it is worth every second of it, you won't realize it until that hard work has paid off

 

[Feather]

If you cannot accommodate an animal with wings, don't have an animal with wings.

 

[Aves]

At this point they already have the birds so there is no reason to say don't have birds if you can't accommodate them. Both my birds are fully flighted and they love it. The other members are totally right, because birds are born to fly. By clipping, their wonderful body is missing out on what they are meant to do. Flying gives birds confidence, and exercise. I suggest using training or bright decals on the walls. I think you should get a playstand or diy one. It can even hang from the ceiling.

 

[Mizzely]

If you take two birds that are used to free flying around, shove then in a tiny cage and then take away their flight, you aren't going to have docile, tamed pets. You are going to have two birds with broken spirits, and it will make it harder for you to become friends. They need time to adjust to all of these changes. They don't understand why their entire world is upside down. They need every form of confidence you can provide to them, and their ability to move is a big one. Take that away and what do they have left right now?

 

[Ember-Tiel]

my room is to small to fully fly in with all my stuff in there , i reconsidered it and i am gonna move into the basemet and give my birds my room

I agree with what everyones saying here but doesn't this quote here mean she isn't going to clip them?

 

[Mizzely]

I agree with what everyones saying here but doesn't this quote here mean she isn't going to clip them?

Hopefully. Everyone is just answering the original question