My budgie’s wings are clipped and she keeps falling!!

[Gemmy1057]

Help!! My six-seven month old Budgie, pineapple, had her wings clipped by Petco when I first bought her. I didn’t do my research on Petco and didn’t know they clip their birds wings. She has since moved from a smaller cage to a much bigger and taller flight cage with my other budgie, Sonny. I bought Sonny from a breeder and he loves to fly, but pineapple can’t! They have bonded very quickly and I can’t bear to separate them, but the problem is that Pineapple keeps falling trying to move from perch to perch. She falls to the bottom of the cage a couple times a day and tries to flap her wings but she can’t fly, and I am worried sick! Is there something I can do for her?? I don’t want to put her in a smaller cage because I don’t want to separate her and Sonny. I also don’t want to move Sonny to a smaller cage with her because he will have no room to fly… what can I do to help pineapple?? I would never have clipped her wings if it was up to me, but I just don’t know what to do

 

[Ripshod]

Do you have a grate in the bottom of the cage? It should absorb most of the impact.
How long have you had Pineapple?
It may be safer (as you don't want to seperate them) to put them both in the smaller cage. Given her age I'd expect her to moult in the next few months so it's not for that long and won't do them any harm.

 

[Gemmy1057]

I have had pineapple for a little under four months now….I really hope you’re right about her moulting soon! There is a grate at the bottom of the cage, so that absorbs most of the impact? I just don’t want her to be in any pain when she falls. Part of it might be due to the fact that this is her first day in the flight cage (She and Sonny have interacted outside the cages) and she might just be getting used to the setup. I think you’re right though maybe I should put them in her old cage until she moults thank you so much

 

[BirdLady13]

They won't enjoy being cooped up together in a smaller cage, so personally I would just put more perches in their cage, or put the current ones closer together. She'll soon learn she can't fly right now.

 

[Kassiani]

You can put towels over the grate at the bottom to make for a softer landing. Also, it helps to arrange the perches so that it is easier for your budgie to hop from perch to perch to get where she wants to go. Rope perches also make good bird highways to get from one end of the cage to another.

 

[The_Mayor]

First, Pineapple's lucky that she came to live with you and Sonny. This, too, shall pass.

Did she have problems falling in her original cage? Maybe you can look at the setup there and figure out how she moved around the cage there and then set things up so she's got the same accommodations in the new cage.

Also, since this cage is bigger and taller, I'm wondering if she's falling from a greater height than maybe happened sometimes before. If that might be a contributing factor, you could put everything lower, for now, and then move them up to use all the space once she has her new feathers in.

Also agreed about the rope walks. My birds are both good flyers, but they also regularly use ropes that are strung across their space to move around. That might also help her stay fit and not turn into too much of a perch potato if she can easily move herself around the cage.

Another thing, I agree that the grate will help to soften her fall a little. I always cover my grates. One, I find it easier to clean if I just need to take paper out rather than having to take the grate out and clean it (since I have little birds who don't do massive, wet poops I usually put in a stack of papers and then just take out the top couple of sheets as needed). Two, my birds like to run around and that gave them a flat surface to do so on. Three, for Pineapple it'll give her a little extra cushioning if she does have a tumble and you won't worry about a wing or leg going through the grate if she does fall. Not that either a wing or leg would get stuck, but Mustrum once *thought* he was stuck because his jewelry kept catching at exactly the angle he was trying to pull his leg out. There was much excitement that day.

Lastly, as I understand it, four months isn't by any means a long time for her not to have molted any of those feathers. Still, it might be good to look at her diet and exercise. Molting's hard on them and if she's not nutritionally in great shape that may slow things down.

Good luck, we'll all be looking forward to the day Pineapple takes her first flight.

 

[Gemmy1057]

Thank you so much I’ll keep that in mind too! She’s being doing better, I think she’s getting used to the new cage

 

[Gemmy1057]

Good luck, we'll all be looking forward to the day Pineapple takes her first flight.
[/QUOTE]

thank you so so much! I think the ropes are the towels are a great idea! It will definitely make me feel better about her safety for sure!

 

[Gemmy1057]

Good luck, we'll all be looking forward to the day Pineapple takes her first flight.

Pineapple has started to grow flight feathers!! I see two long ones poking out the clipped edge of her wings, and I’m so excited! She has also started making daring jumps from one of her lower perches to the carpet LOL! I think she’s trying to get the hang of it! Thanks so much for keeping me in your thoughts