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Post by Rich on Feb 18, 2005 2:17:15 GMT -7
Hi guys,
I saw a post on here about tail feathers which reminded me to put on this post. Merlin has fallen a few times in his cage, and has a few abortive flight attempts (his flight feathers were cut the day we got him on his left wing). He has broken almost all of his tail feathers and has only got 3 left! As he has had his flight feathers cut when we got him, he has never learned to fly correctly, and now that these flight feathers are slowly growing back he now has next to know tail feathers – will this cause any major problems? He tries to fly most days, so what difference will this make to him?
Out of interest, how long does it take for flight feathers to grow back? We were told 4 months, but we have had him longer than that now and they are still a lot shorter than the other side.
thanks
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Post by Jane on Feb 18, 2005 2:27:03 GMT -7
This is one of the reasons the wings shouldn't be clipped until the bird has learnt to fly. The tail feathers help in terms of balance.
The flight feathers once cut won't grow back, they will get replaced by new ones at the next molt.
Jane
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Post by Rich on Feb 18, 2005 3:09:36 GMT -7
Hi,
this is the sort of thing that does my head in! We relied on the pet shop owner and took his advise on clipping. We would never have had it done now that we know better. We feel we have let him down really with regard to this. He is very happy in hiself though, and seems to love the life he has...........we just wish we had got that bit right in the 1st place!
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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.)
Sisika and Pete
Joined: January 2005
Posts: 5,912
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Post by Preston on Feb 18, 2005 10:46:45 GMT -7
To add a bit. The feathers need to be the same length on both sides or he will be out of balance when attempting to fly
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Post by Jane on Feb 18, 2005 11:33:14 GMT -7
Yes, the fact that only one wing has been clipped won't be helping.
If the wings are going to be clipped, both should be done, just the primary flight feathers. They can be done just one or two at a time so that the grey can get used to it and also to determine how many need to be cut to prevent flying at height but still enable safe gliding and landing. With a grey this is usually only four or five.
Jane
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Post by madness the grey on Feb 18, 2005 14:41:00 GMT -7
when my new humans brought me home i kept crashing into windows and walls so they took me to have my wings clipped, they done both wings, mmmm ok so i cant fly high for a while but i can glide down to the floor and bite there toes now and run away. anyhow i had a cunning plan (you see one things for certain us greys arnt daft as you might think), so i decided to pull the clipped ones out , it took a while but i did it and humans seamed none the wiser, and now hehehe they have all been replaced and i can fly again im one feather missing but boy do i look good again. Just a birdie thought but mabee you should get your humans to take you to have the other wing evened up to match the clipped one, then you will have a bit more ballance and you will be able to glide to the floor instead of crashing which will give your tail feathers time to recover. You wont be able to get any height but you can glide and flapp closer to the ground.
best wishes love madness the cag. x
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tammy
Just Hatched
Joined: December 2010
Posts: 0
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Post by tammy on Feb 18, 2005 14:41:32 GMT -7
Hi! We always have our avian vet clip Zazzy's wings for us, he goes to see her every six months. Sometimes she clips them and sometimes she waits until our next visit. I really trust her judgement, have you taken Merlin to see an avian vet as yet?
By the way, at one point when Zazzy was young he too broke most of his red tail feathers and only had a couple left. I felt sooo bad for him!!!! But guess what? They grew back in no time, even redder and more beautiful!!!!
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