:( she clipped the new baby

[iamwhoiam]

No reason to return the baby. I've had birds with clipped wings and never noticed any personality issues. The feathers will grow back when baby goes through the first molt. Best thing is to clip the other wing so the bird will be balanced. 'tiels can usually take flight to some extent even with clipped wings due to their body shape/size. I understand why you are unhappy with what the breeder did but the clipping does not make this baby into a bird that will have emotional problems.

 

[JLcribber]

What you can do is blast this breeder to her face for her uninformed and "dangerous" practice of clipping one wing on a fledgling bird making it horribly unbalanced and prone for a tragedy. Quote me directly if you desire.

Then spread the word about her.

We will help you look after this very special bird you now have my dear. Take heart and trust us. Please keep this bird because it needs you.

 

[Birdbabe]

Dont return the baby over a clip,,even a stupid one wing clip, that baby needs you, and who's to say the other bird you get from them wont be " one wing clipped "? The feathers will moult and grow back.. John's right, one wing clip are dangerous, mostly causing the bird to " spiral " and fly uncontrollably..keep the baby, keep the baby..

 

[Mockinbirdiva]

I agree, disappointing the breeder didn't ask you first, which they should have. It's been done, do as the others recommend and have the flights clipped on the other wing to give your cockatiel balance. When it moults it will grow new flights in. I've had several birds with clipped wings that became excellent fliers. Hoping you will keep the bird.

 

[Tiel Feathers]

I hope you keep this sweet baby. Please keep her and give her the love she needs. That love is what will shape her personality and make her blossom, not her wing clip. It’s too bad the breeder clipped her, but returning her doesn’t make sense. I hope you reconsider and love her to pieces.

 

[Ripshod]

I'm not going to repeat everything that has already been said, you're probably feeling a little overwhelmed by the replies so far, but I will say one thing.

He's already lost one clipped flight feather, which gives me hope that we're looking at less than a year before he's fully flighted again.

Feathers grow back. In the meantime you have been given the chance to build proper trust and a great bond. Sure he/she can't fly right away, that isn't a disability.
Tau my tiel had to have ALL his flight feathers heavily clipped due to damage. That hasn't held him back none. Yes I've put ropes in convenient places for him to get around more but he has adapted.
And now, he is growing in new pristine flights, six primary flights, and he's looking so proud now when he stretches. I know he'll be flying before the end of this year and I really don't feel that either of us has missed out on anything.

 

[Dona]

Throwing in my 2 cents, I would take the bird to the vet and have the other wing clipped. My Linnie was clipped as a baby, it took a very long time to get those feathers back, but she is an excellent flyer now at 16 months, confident and happy. I would take this opportunity to bond with your baby being sure to give her lots of choices so her lack of flight doesn't make her feel trapped.

 

[melissa68]

I hear you guys. I do. In a way it is about me; I don't have the experience in birds and I don't want to hurt this baby. That is where my concerns come from.

In hindsight, I can see everything I've done wrong (which is EVERYTHING).

Another concern I have is the baby and his/her age. I believe this bird is 6 weeks old. The breeder didn't hand feed as I thought. The bird was being fed by the parents. I have not seen the bird eat or drink anything since yesterday when we brought him/her home around 3pm.

I hope someone is around that can help with the age and feeding question because I have to make a decision to bring bird back in less than an hour

 

[Dona]

Hmm looks like not too many online here, early Sunday morning. I think you need some advice specific to cockatiels and age to bring home, as well as differences between hand fed and parent raised. When I brought Gigi home the breeder said it was not unusual if she did not eat until the following day, but she did eat and drink within a few hours of coming home. How is your baby acting? Friendly, afraid, moving around much?

Editing to ask, was baby weaned onto specific food and do you have that?

 

[Shezbug]

All baby birds learning to fly are gonna have multiple crashes, it’s how they learn. The concerns you have are concerns for clipped and unclipped baby birds.

I’m not sure what age cockatiels wean but being fed by parents is actually a good thing for your baby.
Did the Breeder say the baby was eating independently?
You say you haven’t seen the bird eat or drink and that is a worry but not completely unusual either. Is the bird still pooping? It may have eaten while you were not watching it.
I’m not sure if there is anyone online at the moment who would be more able to give you more sound advice. Hopefully someone will be on soon with better help for you.

 

[Shezbug]

@Ripshod or @Zara?

 

[melissa68]

Hmm looks like not too many online here, early Sunday morning. I think you need some advice specific to cockatiels and age to bring home, as well as differences between hand fed and parent raised. When I brought Gigi home the breeder said it was not unusual if she did not eat until the following day, but she did eat and drink within a few hours of coming home. How is your baby acting? Friendly, afraid, moving around much?

Editing to ask, was baby weaned onto specific food and do you have that?

s/he is not moving around much. Pretty much perched towards the back of the cage. Last night, right before bed, it had what I would describe as a panic attack. Was trying to fly and climb the bars and chirping a lot. S/he finally calmed down and I put the bird to bed.

Breeder told me s/he is eating the "stuff you get at Walmart" (yes, it gets worse. see above about me not knowing what to ask). Texting with the breeder last night and this is when I found out that the bird is clipped, wasn't hand fed, has been fed by parents and "I saw it eating the seed and millet for a few days now".

 

[melissa68]

I have pellets and Wayle's dry chop in a bowl. I have millet, broken up Nutriberries, and Sproutpeople's 'lil bird' seed mix scattered on the towel that is on the bottom of the cage.

Edited to add that I do know that the bird might not want to eat for a day or two but I'm concerned that it doesn't know how to eat. Will it eventually eat because it's hungry enough? Or, would it just starve or dehydrate to death? I'd step in and hand-feed but if it's not used to hand feeding would it even know what the heck I'm trying to do?

 

[Zara]

Tiels wean at about 10-12 weeks on average but really they can wean whenever.

"I saw it eating the seed and millet for a few days now".

Is this what the breeder said?
It could be that the bird is still in the weaning process. Birds will eat their foods but still go back to be fed by mum or syringe. Try putting a place of warm veggies out or cooked mashed sweet potato. I'm assuming she won't take it from a spoon?

 

[Appolosmom]

I just adopted 2 bourke siblings, the former owner clipped the female's wings because said she was an escape artist. (she had them in a small cage) I think I would be an escape artist also, anyway I can't wait for her to start her molt so she can fly again. They will be 5 in September I know she's depressed as she watches everyone else flying, but hopefully she will be able too soon. hang in there things will turn around.

 

[melissa68]

Tiels wean at about 10-12 weeks on average but really they can wean whenever.


Is this what the breeder said?
It could be that the bird is still in the weaning process. Birds will eat their foods but still go back to be fed by mum or syringe. Try putting a place of warm veggies out or cooked mashed sweet potato. I'm assuming she won't take it from a spoon?

Yes, that is what the breeder said she has been seen eating seed and mullet for a few days. I found out last night that she puts the babies back in with the parents at night so I'm assuming that is when they were feeding/eating.

I tried Unapproved Vendor's Ancient Grains mash-warm last night. I also tried warm chop. Nothing. I tried some on finger, some on spoon. Bird just kept the little beak closed

When she called and said that the bird was weaned and ready to go. I assumed it was the case. I also assumed the bird was older because who the heck sells a baby before it's fully weaned??

 

[Dona]

I understand all your concerns. She was clipped against your wishes, fed by parents instead of hand fed, perhaps weaned too early, weaned onto crappy food. I think the least of your worries is the clip.

 

[Zara]

When was the last time the parents fed the chick?

If you have the time off work etc, sit by the cage and observe. When my birds were chicks, I´d have a nursey cage here on my table next to my computer so I could watch what they eat/drink.

 

[Ripshod]

Another point is it's in a new cage in a new place with a strange hooman hanging around. When eating it's head is down and it can't see all around so is probably feeling a little insecure especially if you're constantly there hanging around. Maybe just back off a bit. Sit across the room if you want to watch her. This insecurity can also extend to only eating when you are not there.

 

[MommyBird]

I agree the clip is not really a problem, but should be done on both sides for balance.
The best way to know is he's eating is to have a decent gram scale and weigh him daily at the same time of day.
You should weigh every week just as part of good practice so need the scale anyway.
Practically every new bird will not let you see him eat or drink the first few days. Being fed by parents is also not a problem.
I would say the actual problem is his age and if he's actually weaned.
Get a gram scale at walmart or such. Since cockatiels are so small, it would be nice if it read to 0.1 or 0.01g and doesn't need to handle much weight.
Let us know what you decide with the baby!