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Post by Manon on Jan 4, 2005 3:09:11 GMT -7
Great new forum! But very emty now, lol. I have read a lot of information in parrots, but one thing I'm not sure about. Should we or shouldent we clip parrots wings? My ex neigbor has a parrot (cokateel) and he is not sure. We want to advise him. Thank you!
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Post by Jane on Jan 4, 2005 3:25:40 GMT -7
Wing clipping is a personal decision. It does mean that the bird is less likely to injure itself by flying into things and is also less likely to escape although birds with clipped wings can still flutter around and need to be able to land safely. Wing clipping should be carried out by someone experienced as different birds need a different clip and bad clipping can lead to problems with the feathers. Jane
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Raffi
Baby Bird
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 10
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Post by Raffi on Jan 4, 2005 5:13:32 GMT -7
My Grey is 8 months old and NOT clipped!! Why do so many americans think they need to cripple their birds? If you are careful .. windows closed .. net curtains etc. ... you should not have any problems --- I think its just being lazy and not even considering the bird!! How would you like it to have your legs constantly tied together?! and not be able to walk?! Dont be lazy .. be conscientious about looking after your bird and allow him to be able to fly .... it is about the only natural thing he will be able to do! P.S. sorry about the ref. to "americans" but in europe NObody clips their birds wings! Raffi (Lise's Grey)
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Post by Manon on Jan 4, 2005 7:02:21 GMT -7
I am not sure, every body says different. But I think clippings wings is not a problem. Kiki is shy and sometimes gets into problem. Last week she fly into into wall, she was scared. If we decde yes, the neighbor will no clip the wings. He will take her to specialist. Thank you!
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Preston
Super Talker
NEED HELP? WE WILL ANSWER AS FAST AS WE CAN (Note: Preston passed away in 2012. We hold his memories dearly, he was a great person and super moderator.)
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Post by Preston on Jan 4, 2005 13:07:24 GMT -7
Easy Raffi (Lise), No need for inflammatory remarks here. Jane sites the personal preferences of the subject. Manon has not a problem with it per say. My birds are semi-flightless. I for one will accept your post scripted apology. Why are mine restricted? I made a conscious decision to learn how to clip them just enough to not allow over 5 feet off the floor, although they would fly free if loosed from an open window or door. The reason is that: we have 6 parrots, and two c.o.c.katiels flew into ceiling fans at different times. I live in Texas, and ceiling fans are in every room of 90% of houses here. I had to find a way to allow our beloved birds to be cool, and keep their scalps at the same time. Look at my site; you will find that they are flighted except for 4 smaller primaries you can’t see. My answer is: Necessity!
P.S. There never has been an American, Brittan, Canadian, Bulgarian, Turk, or Dutch Citizen/Subject on this forum in the two years I have been here. Please choose your words more carefully. We are all just Grey lovers! Thanks for listening.
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Post by Africanewbie on May 4, 2005 7:37:12 GMT -7
This may be a good reason to clip if you take your bird outdoors for fresh air.
On Saturday evening while in the park, this boy walking with his parents had a beautiful sulphur crested cockatoo on his hand. There was a loud crack, sounded like a car backfiring which startled the cockatoo off the boy’s hand into the treetop. For over two hours the boy and parents desperately called to it until it became too dark, he was in tears and I overheard his father saying to the mother that they would spend the night under the tree. Sunday morning, curious to know the outcome, I returned to the park but saw neither the boy nor the bird. This left me in a stupor all day wondering if the ending was a happy one. It also left me with a nagging question of why the flight feathers were not clipped even though it was on a short chain which I only saw while it was in the tree. All it takes is an unforeseen mishap for your bird to take flight.
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Post by lidiam on May 4, 2005 8:33:26 GMT -7
Joshua isn't clipped, but he is an aeronaut, I have seen some birds who have hurt themselves when they haven't been able to turn curves to avoid obstacles. In these instances, it must be better to clip the feathers so the bird doesn't injure itself or break its neck.
It's not really just a question of being careful, Lise, it depends on the bird's own abilities, temperament and personality.
Easy on the Eurocentric fervour there, Lise.
Lidia
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Post by tam on May 5, 2005 10:24:44 GMT -7
our Bird as his wings clipped...he can still fly a little..having wings clipped doesnt mean the owners are lazy...just caring. people do things differently all over the world...in different parts of the world..some owners clipp dogs ears or tails..
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Post by mannie on May 5, 2005 12:46:44 GMT -7
I take offense to being called lazy for the reason behind my birds being clipped. They are still able to fly but only a little off the ground. The reason for this is like Preston said due to ceiling fans. I would much rather have them be able to only fly a little bit off the ground rather than let them get hurt. It was a personal choice that I made and will not feel bad for doing it since it is keeping my babies safe. They can all still get away from the dog or cat. So I don't see a problem.
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ranae
Weaned Todd
Okay, I'm ready for my close-up! I've always thought my right side was the most photogenic!
Joined: March 2005
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Post by ranae on May 5, 2005 19:00:19 GMT -7
I have to agree with Preston, Mannie, and Lidia. I have Pearl's wings clipped (only partially) sp that she will not crash land when she flies off her cage, but she also cannot get enough height to have the ceiling fan be a danger. It is a personal preference, and it is because I care about her. If I were lazy or negligent, I wouldn't bother to get her wings clipped at all, you know?
By the way, Jane's in Europe, and I think Monty and Mitzy are clipped (sorry if this is incorrect, Jane) but I think they are.
Food for thought anyway...
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Leigh
Weaned Todd
Kenny "Wallace"
Joined: April 2005
Posts: 40
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Post by Leigh on May 5, 2005 19:50:42 GMT -7
I am very new, but another positive to clipping could be in the story of the grey who stole my heart and is the reason I now own one. His owner had him out as usual in the evening and a series of events just a short time ago lead to this:
Graydon was out with his owner when a friend came in the door and at the same time a noise startled the bird, he wound up flying out the door, being a grey he was thrilled to be loose and flew by the house once or twice before he took off on a trip, NEVER to be seen or heard from since....
His owner has been to the media, vets, rescues, hung signs all over, and had this sad story on the radio etc. but to date no one has seen, or been able to capture Graydon.
This one story is enough to have me sold on keeping the flight ability somewhat limited, although I have heard that even clipped birds have flown away when the "wind" catches them just right, thats why Kenny will have to learn to like his harness or not get to go out at all. I have only had him out once, but the second I harnessed him I took him out so he hopefully will figure out the harness means getting to go out, kinda like a dog gets excited to see his leash... ( I Hope.. )
I guess its the lesser of evils to me, It breaks my heart to think of what Graydon may be going through or hard as it is, if he even has made it, and if he is out there still alive how sad, scared and lonely that poor intellegent creature must be!! To me clipping wings cannot possibly be worse than his fate..... His owner is the most loving bird owner I have ever met and is devestated, even their Cockatoo is sad!
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Raffi
Baby Bird
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 10
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Post by Raffi on May 5, 2005 22:49:22 GMT -7
I feel the need to apologize for my earlier comment ... as soon as I read your post Preston I understood exactly why you need to clip your birds wings, I used to live in Texas so I know that almost every room in every house has ceiling fans!!! Its not quite so hot here so we dont have ceiling fans therefore Raffi hasnt got that danger. I got him a harness when he was about 9 months old (before he had a leg chain) and after a very short time (lol the first time) he doesnt mind it at all because the second it is on we go out somewhere .. garden, sister, whereever! and he as soon as he sees it in my hand he actually flies over to the place he wants to be for me to put it on him!! I would recommend a harness and NO wing clipping unless there is a very good reason (like ceiling fans). Lise and Raffi
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Preston
Super Talker
NEED HELP? WE WILL ANSWER AS FAST AS WE CAN (Note: Preston passed away in 2012. We hold his memories dearly, he was a great person and super moderator.)
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Post by Preston on May 6, 2005 6:08:50 GMT -7
Hi Raffi, It's nice to see you posting again! We all have an understanding from our previous posts how divisive clipping can be. The latest saga here is: I have chosen the youngest Cockatiel to train. She is now fully flighted and takes tours of the house only to return to her cage. It is amazing how she misses those fans. I chose her because she is the only one that displayed the want to return after a scare. The rest just walk back and either climb up the cage or ask to be picked up and carried. I guess she located all of the dangers while clipped. She has mastered a difficult task. The top of her cage is at blade level with the fan, and is 3' away. She flies into the office, gets her body vertical, outstretches her wings; flairs her tail to sink below the fan. Soon after clearing the blades she reconfigures her whole body, flaps 2 or 3 times to land atop her cage; poetry in motion. I still tense up when she leaves though. I am sympathetic with your cause to not take a natural right away, but what can I say? The rest of them are hard headed males! Keep posting, I have already accepted your apology.
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Post by mannie on May 6, 2005 8:06:54 GMT -7
I will accept it as well. I guess being a bird owner from the age of 19 I learned a hard lesson with fully flighted birds. I had a sweet little cockatiel and left her fully flighted. After a slight scare she flew into a sliding glass door and well you know what happened. My new babies are too important to me to let that or the ceilling fans get them. All of my birds have learned how to deal without being able to fully fly. My lorikeet however gets more lift than the rest of them she is a hyper little thing and flaps her wings alot faster than any of the other birds.
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Post by Jane on May 7, 2005 8:50:29 GMT -7
Monty is a bit unusual in that he hasn't got any primary flight feathers and he can't fly but he isn't clipped. He just isn't able to grow them. When he was a baby his wings were clipped, I had no say in the matter. He then had a lot of problems with the clipped feathers and in the end an avian vet plucked them out under anaesthetic. He has been unable to grow any since, they start to grow but fall out while still developing. Despite this he can flutter around, (he thinks he is a Harrier Jump Jet!) and he spends a lot of time exercising his wings. Mitzi isn't clipped but she rarely flies. So, I have one Grey who can't fly but wants to and one who can fly but doesn't want to!
Jane
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