My friend completely cut off this bird's tail

[Cricketful]

I fell in love with cockatiels after meeting my friend's bird. She had completely cut this bird's tail, primaries, and secondaries. I read up on cockatiels, including this forum, and learned how wrong that can be. I convinced her to let her grow out the bird's feathers. However, we recently go into a fight so she decided to cut everything again--four months of progress gone (and the bird was starting to fly!). She did it out of revenge by saying that I can't tell her what to do and that she feels it's best for the bird to move around the cage better. The trouble is she really cut the tail off--so much that I'm worried she's abused the bird. Is this abuse?? I ended up giving her several hundred dollars so that the bird is now in my possession and not hers.

 

[fluffypoptarts]

Your “friend” is an evil monster. Just saying. Glad you rescued this poor bird.

P.S. Yes, it’s abuse, especially with that motivation.

 

[Loveofbird]

Oh my... That is so horrible, I never even heard of cutting a birds tail! There is absolutely no point in it besides being a cruel person and I consider it abuse in my opinion. Your friend really does not need to own a bird I'm so happy you ended up getting it even at the expense of your own finances. You are an amazing person and I'm sure the cockatiel will be very happy with you.

 

[Aves]

It's so sad to see people be so cruel..
You need to stop being friends with that person..
They clearly know nothing about birds..
Glad you rescued that poor bird...
That is so abusive...

 

[Greylady1966]

The poor bird is lucky that she didn't cut into blood feathers. If she thought it was ok to chop feathers off I highly doubt she would know what to do if he started bleeding. So sad, he's probably so unbalanced now.

 

[Cricketful]

Thank you, guys! I don't think she meant to physically hurt the bird--she was heartbroken to sell her to me, or at least she says she is. In my opinion, once you have a pet they are family and you shouldn't give them up for money. My heart hurts for this bird and I worry she won't recover. She still thinks she can fly so she crashes--I have to be careful. I am thinking of taking her to the vet ASAP because she's also on a seed only diet. My four month old cockatiel is on a pellet diet and feathered. I'm just so worried about this bird.

 

[Feather]

That is deeply disturbing, and YES, that is abusive. Even dismissing the tail - which obviously we should not - that isn't even close to a proper wing clip! This poor bird. I'm really glad he belongs to you, now.

In your shoes, I would seriously reconsider counting that monster as my friend. Taking her anger out on a defenseless animal is inexcusable.

 

[Cricketful]

The poor bird is lucky that she didn't cut into blood feathers. If she thought it was ok to chop feathers off I highly doubt she would know what to do if he started bleeding. So sad, he's probably so unbalanced now.

She is! I can feel her wobble on my finger. My other cockatiel doesn't do that. I took a swing out of her cage just in case she accidentally steps on it and gets stuck. I put varying perches and boards to help with her balance.

 

[Greylady1966]

I'm glad you have him now.

 

[GoDucks]

Your friend needs help and she really shouldn't be around small animals.

 

[Ephy]

This person is not a friend, not a friend to humans or animals.
What a horrible, horrible person.
Give this bird all the love, patience and care that we all know he never got with her.

 

[Kassiani]

I’m afraid it sounds like your friend is very immature. Cutting off the bird’s tail was an extremely childish act that reflected no regard or care for the helpless creature. I’m so very sorry.

I’m glad that sweet cockatiel is now in your care!

 

[Mizzely]

This makes my heart hurt and my blood boil. That poor bird.

 

[Cricketful]

I don't think my friend meant to hurt the bird--she did treat her with a lot of care. She just overloaded her cage with toys and thought cutting would be better for her. After we fought, I noticed she cut everything off and she complained that I was telling her how to handle her bird. :-(

 

[GoDucks]

"....she complained that I was telling her how to handle her bird." :-(

Well somebody had to!...she sure wasn't getting it on her own. You read up on birds- why couldn't she?

Seriously, who cuts off a bird's tail?

 

[Feather]

I don't think my friend meant to hurt the bird--she did treat her with a lot of care. She just overloaded her cage with toys and thought cutting would be better for her. After we fought, I noticed she cut everything off and she complained that I was telling her how to handle her bird. :-(

Whether she claims she meant to or not, she did hurt him, and what's worse is she knew better: She had the information you had given her. Doing something this horrific out of sheer ignorance is one thing, but after learning that it is wrong? That's willful. That's spite. That's abuse. That's cruel.

Obviously none of us here know your friend or anything about her, but I'll say again - this kind of treatment of any animal is inexcusable, and I would never trust her near another animal again.

 

[Shezbug]

Omg, I’m honestly lost for words that are allowed to be used on this forum. How heartbreaking!

I really am so happy to hear you now have the bird and it now has a chance at a normal and happy life. You are an angel!
Your friend may not have meant to deliberately hurt the bird but the level of maturity and knowledge shown by her actions are actually terrifying. How frightening to think of what she’d be capable of if her intent was to inflict pain.
I seriously can’t think of a normal person who would believe that what your friend did was to benefit the bird so it could move better- if she thought that then she really needs to never own another living creature without total supervision.

 

[finchly]

Seriously, who cuts off a bird's tail

A psychopath?

 

[Cricketful]

Thank you all! She told me she was only letting her grow her wings out to make me happy and that cutting them helps her move better, that her tail got in the way. I have taken the bird, renamed her so that she gets a new life, and have given her a much better cage (cleaner and larger). I am going to take her to the vet soon just to get her checked out. I've been having issues with this friend--family friend--in other ways too.

Is this bird also male?? My friend said it was female but it's a normal grey and can sing (I had started teaching her when I visited), whistles, loves mirrors, etc. I gave her a unisex name (Pebble) versus her female name before.

 

[Feather]

Is this bird also male?? My friend said it was female but it's a normal grey and can sing (I had started teaching her when I visited), whistles, loves mirrors, etc. I gave her a unisex name (Pebble) versus her female name before.

Yes, that is a male cockatiel. Pebble is a great name!