Should I clip wings or not...?

I have no idea what to do!!
Pros of clipping: easier to train, less likely to escape, wont fly into mirrors/windows, wont fly into fans, wont perch on doors then have the door closed and be crushed, being able to take a free flighted bird outside is cool....
Cons: There is only one con but it is a big one.... the cats and dogs getting him. The cage im using has a seed guard and playtop to make it hard to get to for the cats and i dont think the dogs will care much about the bird. Whenever the bird is out I will closely supervise him.... What should i do?
Thanks in advance

Most things I have read, and my vet say that fully flighted birds tend to be more emotionally healthy. I am working on getting Bob into a harness so that he can go out for walks. Personally I would keep him clipped when you first get him and then let him become fully flighted.

oh thats gotta be your choice.. but if you start him clipped, for the bonding an training when you get him, you can decide not to clip later or to continue with clippin??

I was thinking of doing that.... I did hear that parrots are happier fully flighted. I will have him clipped when I get him and once i bond with him maybe he will become flighted.

Imo you should not clip his wings. Birds fly from nature. They just know it by instinct, so taking that away from a bird is very wrong and evil... Many may disagree with me on this point of view, but again that is my opinion. I would never clip my birds wings unless it is because of his health .

Clipping is of course a controversial subject for some, and it's truly a matter of personal preference.

My experience is this:

My first cockatiel came to me quite by accident. He was outside in my father in law's tree and flew down to him. He put ads up and in the local classifieds to try and find his home, after a couple weeks, no one claimed him, so he called me and asked if I'd like a bird.

I named him Chaco and he was a dear sweet bird. He talked a little bit and taught me TONS about owning tiels. I LOVED HIM SOO MUCH! All day I'd leave his cage open, he could fly about the house as he pleased and it worked great! I never considered clipping him because he was just a good bird.

Then one day, I was leaving to pick up my kids from school and on this particular day Chaco was being quite clingy to me, he spent the better part of the day on my shoulder, preening me, kissing me, telling me how pretty he was and I had to put him away so I could leave. He flew to the top of his cage, I was only going to be gone 10 minutes and knew he'd be fine in the house, so I didn't lock him in his cage. I grabbed my keys, opened the front door (as I'd done thousands of times prior) and I stepped outside and just as the door was almost shut, Chaco flew and landed on my head. I panicked because I was outside, in my panicked voice I said "oh no, oh, no..and just as I'd turned to walk back inside, he flew off my head, around the house and yard 3 times and landed high up in a tree, no chance of me climbing to get him down.

I had no choice at this time, I left and got my kids, when we got home we took Chaco's cage and put it on our roof with millet and treats. I talked to him and he'd talk back but wouldn't come down to me...this went on for 3 days. Then one day, I went outside and called him and he didn't answer.

I was DEVISTATED! I mean, some of us REALLY get attached to our pets and Chaco and I were very much bonded....or so I thought

It took me 5 years before considering purchasing another bird. I mean, I've lost many animals, cat's, dogs, fish, goats, horses and never have I felt like I wasn't ready to fill the void with another almost immediately...but with Chaco, it was different.

Jump ahead 5 years...I decided on a whim, I wanted a bird again...I had an empty cage and when the urge hit I literally flew down to the petstore and bought our Lutino Tiel...Chiquita. She was clipped when we got her, and I was deciding...clip or not clip as her wings were growing out...I dunno...she's just so good...then one day out of the blue, she flew off my shoulder and I think she suprised herself as much as ME with her speed and distance and she hit our bedroom window nearly knocking herself out!

Scared me soo bad that I immediately clipped her on the spot! Chaco had never done anything so stupid! LOLOL

Even though I had those 2 events...believe it or not all my birds are almost fully flighted right now and I know it only takes ONE freak accident and they could be gone...so I've been struggling with...to clip or not to clip, even still. Our conure doesn't prefer to fly, maybe he doesn't think he can yet, I don't know, but he prefers to climb all over us and walk/run everywhere. Our tiels only fly when startled, so I think I'm going to clip them because that's when accidents happen. However, so far if Chicken Little get's startled he just flys straight up and hovers around back to me and Chiquita usually flys for her cage....so like I said, I'm also struggling. I also know this is the time of year when doors/windows get accidently left open...not only from my kids but our neighbor kids too and the risk of another tragic loss is quite high in our current environment.

For me, I WISH I could feel more comfortable leaving them flighted...but I have a much better peace of mind with them clipped....so I think I just talked myself into resorting to the sissors once again.

Don't know if this helped or not, but I think it helped me.

Toni

@Nakiska: Very helpful input you've written there. I'm so sorry about your loss. Chaco sounds like a sweetie pie, I'm sure he didn't fly away because he didn't wan't to be with you.

"For me, I WISH I could feel more comfortable leaving them flighted...but I have a much better peace of mind with them clipped....so I think I just talked myself into resorting to the sissors once again."

I just wanted to quote you on that because it is there I personally think that it is wrong. You mention that YOU have a better peace of mind with your birds clipped, but think about the birds. Let us imagine that birds can communicate with us, just like we communicate with each other... If you asked your birds if they want to get their wings clipped an not be able to fly, what do you think they will answer? It's like someone is taking your legs away so you won't be able to run/walk. The only difference is that they fly and that it does not hurt to clip their wings.

I can also see your point of view and I understand you by saying you will have a better peace of mind with your birds wings clipped, but I try to see it from the birds point of view .

Thanks for the input.

@CAGLulu - I completely see your side too and I am not entirely in disagreement, I completely respect your opinion...and I think that's why I struggle with this issue too...as I said, currently my birds are all almost fully flighted, but I'm on edge when I have them out. And Chaco bird is never far from my mind.

At least with wing clipping, it's just temporary and birds will become fully flighted within a few months time. So as situations change, housing environments become safer, birds become more trained, etc...letting wings grow out might not have such an emotional strain on the human side

I have many pets and have had lots and lots of pets through out my years and I suppose the issue of clipping or not clipping can cross over into all species of pets. Like I'm sure dog's would rather run free then be chained or kenneled if you live in an area with a leash law...horses would rather roam then be fenced in little paddocks or kept in stalls and I supposed birds would rather feel the wind beneath their wings then be caged or perched inside a house.

I guess also, not only am I emotionally invested in my pets, I'm financially invested too (as we all are) and it really sucks to loose a wonderful pet due to an accident that COULD have potentially been avoided.

It really can and does happen in the bink of an eye.

Toni

@Atwee921: You're welcome. Nice to see that you are listening to different suggestions with different opinions . Even though it can make it a bit harder to decide hehe .

@Nakiska: Let me start of by saying that I truly respect your opinion 100%
I'm glad to hear that your birds are almost fully flighted .
It is so good that wing clipping can only be temporary and not forever. I can see what you mean by giving the examples on other animal species, but I'm also the guy that does not agree with having a bird, dog, cat or what ever it might be, locked up in a cage or a house. Lulu is my first pet that I have the responsible on and she's almost ALWAYS out of her cage flying around in our living room and me watching her. When she's hungry she fly in her cage to eat and drink, and then it is out again. Sure there is times where she will have to be in her cage like when no one is home or it is bed time. We are working on the harness, my dream is to take her outside with me. Maybe I'm just the kind of a guy that hate the thought of putting a bird in a cage and leaving it for hours. I'm not saying that I'm the one who is right, I might be brainwashed or something .
I don't know..... wing clipping may become necessary in some situations..

It is hard to decide!!

Its an entirely personal decision........................can I just add my 2 cents worth
My 4 Y/O fully flighted CAG (whom i got when I was 16) was killed when she was startled and flew into a wall. Broke her neck.
So its not much good thinking about how your bird would feel if its dead.

Thats one of the things im worried about.... I was thinking maybe I could just cut like 2 or 3 feathers...

Its an entirely personal decision........................can I just add my 2 cents worth
My 4 Y/O fully flighted CAG (whom i got when I was 16) was killed when she was startled and flew into a wall. Broke her neck.
So its not much good thinking about how your bird would feel if its dead.

Click to expand...

I had a keet clipped and she got spooked and couldn't fly, landed on the floor so hard she broke her neck.

Accidents happen, clipped or not clipped. Mine are all fully flighted, and I wouldn't have it any other way. It is 100% a personal choice. Do what you think is best.

I've been thinking about this thread some more, and I was thinking the alternative happy medium for me would be to leash train my bird, that way they can be fully flighted but never go further then the leash allows....hhmmmmmm....might have to consider this more seriously.

Also @Atwee, when I do clip my birds I do a light clip on them.

You can also just wait to see how your bird is...if he or she is anything like our Franklin, you may not have the need to clip after his or her wings grow in...at least so far, Franklin hasn't tried to fly he just sticks to us like glue! LOL

Take care,

Toni

Yep, its is entirely personal. if i had heaps of space i would leave my bigger birds unclipped - as it stands my eccie is clipped and my cockateil is flighted. I still worry about her though, shes a bit of a nutcase and tends to get a fright and fly around like a maniac. You can always let them grow back - its not permanent. I light clip is good too, just so they cant build up enough speed to hurt themselves. Also, its heartbreaking seeing your precious baby flying away out a mistakenly open door/window.....I have lost birds this way and through injury at flight so I tend to err on the side of clipping. But then again my house is very small.... not much room to fly anyway.
Entirely up to you.....you can alway clip and see how it affects your bird then chnge your mind. Personally if i clip i like to start young before they are fully flighted, so they dont know what they are missing.
Hope this helps!

oh and one more thing - most cockateils, even with a heavy clip, still do very well at flying. Just slows them down a little...

I am surprised that nobody has asked the age of the bird as a young bird needs to build up its chest muscles before any attempt at clipping.
I never clip my birds and never will but l can understand why some do for safety in some circumstances.

I was thinking about maybe clipping in the summer and having him free flighted in the winter... Because I'd like to go for walks with him in the summer, and because the door is open a lot in the summer.

These birds we have are not living in their natural environments, and it's our responsibility to make sure they're safe. If you have fans or large windows they might fly into, or you or your family is careless about leaving doors and windows open, then you either shouldn't have a bird, or you should clip its wings. If you feel strongly about letting your bird fly, then you should make sure your home is safe for a flighted bird. My bird has had clipped wings her whole life, but I've decided over the past year to let them grow back in because there aren't really any flight hazards in my apartment. No fan, windows have screens, no roommates who might leave doors open, etc. I'm excited about my bird starting to fly, but she doesn't really seem to care all that much. Flight is very beautiful and I know it can be rewarding and fun for birds, but it's not necessary for them to live happier lives. My bird is terrified of flying and yet is happy as can be and has a very full and enriching life. Really, I just want her to be able to fly because it will be fun for me to take her to the park with her flight harness on, and because it will give her good exercise. It doesn't have anything to do with what she's "naturally" made for, because she sure isn't "naturally" meant to live in a metal cage in a high rise building downtown with a human flock, eating out of a bowl and speaking English.

On another note, I just want to give a warning to people who maybe don't have much experience with birds with trimmed wings. Just because they can't fly upwards does NOT mean that they cannot fly away! Once my mom took her clipped parrot for a walk in our neighborhood. Something spooked her and she took off. Even though she could not get any lift, she still managed to flutter far enough away - just over the top of a low fence - that she was impossible to find amidst all the greenery. We searched and called for her all night. We were very lucky, and on the third day of searching we found her sitting in a neighbor's driveway, their cat sitting ready to pounce on her at any moment. This was a terribly frightening experience for us, and I hope other people can avoid it happening to them by being more careful with their birds, clipped or not. Clipped birds are also at risk of danger outdoors because if you walk them along a road, they can fly into oncoming traffic. So if you are going to be taking your bird outside, please put it in a harness!