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Should I clip my birds wings?

RoyalRose

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I own a parrotlet who isn't clipped and I just got a conure a couple of months ago who isnt clipped as well. I do not like clipping my birds wings because I do know that they need exercise and being able to fly is a good way of getting that and they love to fly. Though my conure is not the best flyer at all and I'm worried that she is going to hurt herself. The other day she got started and flew into the the window straight on and I have noticed that she's not the best at landing as well. I'm just afraid that she is going to hurt herself very badly. Please help!!!
 

RoyalRose

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Close the curtains, birds can't see glass.
I am aware of that, though she has still ran into our cupboards and other walls before it was just she had most severely hit herself the other day on the window. I like to let her have light in the sun.
 

FeatheredM

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I use ones that are very thin. Is she new? If so she probably is still learning to fly, you can help her by training her to come on to your hand
 

RoyalRose

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I use ones that are very thin. Is she new? If so she probably is still learning to fly, you can help her by training her to come on to your hand
Shes still young about a 1 1/2 years old tho but she does know how to step up and she's comfortable going around places on my shoulder. Its just she tends to be really skittish and the slightest movement our noise scares her and she will panic and fly.
 

FeatheredM

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It probably would be safer to clip her wings once, while she gets use to the house. But then after awhile she'll be able to regain her flight. By then she'll probably won't have trouble. I had to edit this
 
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RoyalRose

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It probably would be safer to clip her wings once, while she gets use to the house. But then after awhile she'll be able to regain her flight. By then she'll probably won't have trouble. I had to edit this
Thank you, I really needed help cause there's so much controversy on whether or not you should clip them and I think that you gave a good solution.
 

Mizzely

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I would not clip her wings. How does that help her learn to fly? It makes learning harder. When our children learn to walk we don't strap them to a chair to keep them safe; we make the environment safer for them to learn in as we know falling is part of the process.
 

The_Mayor

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Rather than impairing the bird's ability to fly, is there any way to make the space that they're learning to fly in safer?

When I got my birds, I set up a flying zone with pvc and knotted netting so they could be out of the cage safely.

That was my solution, others probably have alternative suggestions for how to make your space safe for your bird to learn how to fly.

Jinx!
 

flyzipper

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Bird safe glass is a thing.

Ew2n-oFXMAEsomT.jpg

Usually it's sold to protect wild birds, but the same principles can be applied to protect our indoor birds. You can apply suitable decals to any existing window, to drastically reduce the risk of collisions. The application needs to be on the side of the pane facing the birds to be protected (indoors, in your case).

Showing your bird where the perimeters of its space can help, but so can being careful not to startle the birds to make them panic fly.

Keeping them flighted will allow them to increase their flight skills over time.

It's a rare situation that clipping will benefit a bird.

Do your birds have perches around the room that they can land on? Mine flee to their known perches even when they're startled.
 

FeatheredM

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But she said the bird gets spooked easily. A bird can die from crashing into a wall. And it's only for once so the bird isn't as afraid and feels safer around the house
 

Sodapop&Co.

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But she said the bird gets spooked easily. A bird can die from crashing into a wall. And it's only for once so the bird isn't as afraid and feels safer around the house
Every bird crashes into things when they learn to fly, and, if they don't have enough places to fly to and land, when they're scared. But we can minimize the things that scare them and teach them that there are safe places to go to to "escape" their fear. Please read Mizzely's wonderful analogy again; it's perfectly spot on. A child can technically also die if they fall badly enough while learning to walk; like if they fell down a stairs. But what do we do with kids? Keep them from walking? No! We block off those stairs, those hot ovens, those knives - anything that they could get hurt on, and we encourage them and help them learn to walk. It's all up to the caretakers; if we're creative, attentive, and caring enough we can minimize the dangers and help our "kids" learn to navigate their world safely and confidently.
Also, clipping does not make birds feel "safer" - it does the total opposite. Because it's taking away their one and only way to protect themselves. They don't fight, they don't run - they rely on their wings for (what they think is, even in a technically safe house) their safety. A bird who knows they can't save themselves is going to be scared a lot more.
 

FeatheredM

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It is more likely for a bird to get hurt crashing into a wall than a child falling. The bird isn't entirely tamed yet. A child will have complete trust in their parents.
 

Mizzely

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Trust has nothing do with injury level. My children have hurt themselves a LOT over the years doing normal kid things, like learning to walk, or just existing.

There is a fine line between having a difference of opinion and arguing with everyone that doesn't agree with you.
 

Sodapop&Co.

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It is more likely for a bird to get hurt crashing into a wall than a child falling. The bird isn't entirely tamed yet. A child will have complete trust in their parents.
A child might, but a bird won't, no matter how tame it is. In the wild their parents or flockmates aren't going to protect them - everyone is going to fly to save themselves. And like I said, there are many good ways to minimize the chances of the bird crashing into a wall at high speed (which will only really happen if they're scared; otherwise they are very gentle crashes) if you're willing to put in the work.
Also, clipping "once" so that you can make a bird tame and make them feel safe (that is, taking away their only self-defence strategy) in the house, before letting the wings grow out again... I'd be very worried about the bird being worse afterwards.
Should say I know every situation is different, sometimes clipping is necessary, etc. Usually it isn't, if we can be bothered to change their environment.
 
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Sodapop&Co.

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There is a fine line between having a difference of opinion and arguing with everyone that doesn't agree with you.
Yes. I'm not after an argument here so I'll back out of this thread, but it bothers/scares me to see people spreading their opinions as truth when very possibly they don't have the experience to back it up.
 

FeatheredM

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I guess so, sorry for being very, you know. It's just I know that I wouldn't be able to do that, and would have to clip my birds wings. It's also because I would see your point alot more clearly if the bird completely trusted the person to let the person lead the bird.
 

FeatheredM

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I do have experience, my bird accedently flew behind the fridge once and everyone's house is different. You can't force a bird to stay in one place to fly only in one room. Its just very dangerous for a bird to crash into a wall because the way they are so delicate. Once the bird is tame the person can slowly teach the bird to fly as it regains it flight. This bird gets spooked very easily meaning it's very likely to crash into a wall
 

saroj12

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My birds are conure size and above. I use nets for them to grab on to if they are headed that way

B486C9B2-C8E9-4F28-BDF3-25B9DF049205.jpeg 9DF0CF6C-4335-4FD0-BA33-B21006C8477A.jpeg 037B7BC4-EE8B-4426-94FF-3B44F821CEA5.jpeg
 
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