Ava is now clipped...thank goodness.

[kitt]

I usually keep my birds clipped but over the past months I have let their flight feathers grow in.....
My caique, still flies like a rock and Dusty (my hahns) doesn't really care to fly.....Ava, my little lovebird has become an excellent little flyer...
I was just discussing with my son the other day how it was time to clip the birds....well, I had no idea of how I was about to be reminded of why it is important for ME to clip my babies.
On Saturday, my dog scratched at the back door to be let in...when I opened the door and was letting her in....I heard feathers and saw Ava coming to the door...it all happened so fast....she got through and was flying outside...
As I kept saying the words "no, no, no" over and over again, I watched helplessly as she gained height and distance heading toward the back woods.
My heart sank and the tears started to fall.....

There must have been an angel watching over us because all of the sudden she made a sharp turn and came back and landed in the tree in our back yard......I went to her slowly as not to spook her and scooped her up in my hands. ......

That very afternoon, my babies all got clipped....just a light clip but a clip none the less.....I won't ever risk loosing any of them like that.

I guess the point to this whole story is that I am always on top of everything....I have a mind and eye for every detail.....I don't miss anything.....well if someone like me can mess up for just that second then I can only imagine what it would be like for someone that never pays attention........
For ME, clipping is the way to go and always will be.....I know it is a hot topic issue and I am not writing this to get anyone stirred up.....I am just giving one example of why clipping works for US......

 

[merlinsmom13]

Very scary, a similar thing happened to me. I've really debated clipping, but when it comes down to it, I don't have the heart to do it. Glad you got your girl back.

 

[suebee]

awww so glad ava came back to you!

i never agreed with the clippin of wings issue, i thought it was well cruel for lack of a better word for what i thought of it, i did not understand the whole issue, only my point of view
but now i understand and can see the benefits
and i would hate for that to happen to nut, she is fully flighted, i have asked vets near me, but they will not entertain the idea even! but nut does like flyin about the house, so that will be the down point, as i wanted her clipped over summer only so she can enjoy the outside with us
remember i'm in the UK and we have rather strong animal welfare beliefs

 

[xreinx]

Im againt clipping but I do it, for just that reason, every bird that I know can fly and is approved to go up for adoption, I sit there and clip them, trim their nails and tidy their beaks, just alittle emry board nail file along the edges, (I leave the tip alone most of the time) thats how my causin got his little budige, it flew into his head and landed on his shoulder, after pat had a spaz attack for a few seconds, they brought the poor bird inside and nursed him back health. (noone came looking for the little guy, even though they put up posters) I am glad you got her back, things like this break my heart when I hear of it happening.

 

[Garnet]

Even a clipped bird can get away from you. I lost one of my sun conures due to a very similiar situation. Was opening the door to let my husband in with groceries and my sun conure dropped off his cage onto my husbands shoulder and before we knew it, he was up a tree. It was very windy and he somehow got enough air under his wings to get from tree to tree. We posted posters, walked the woods over, but I have not seen that bird since. I am hoping someone found him and gave him a happy home, but I still miss my little sun conure. You have to be careful with them even when they are clipped, some things are out of our control like wind and the ability to climb a tree in a heartbeat.

 

[kitt]

Oh yes, I agree, they can still get away.....I clipped four feathers on both sides...this enables her to be able to glide to the ground when she tries to fly...

I have come a long way....from being terrified of birds, to owning three and to clipping their wings, trimming their toe nails and using a dremmel on their beaks....
My avian vet is two hours away so I have had to learn to do these things.

I love my birds very much and I want to keep them as safe as I possibly can....in a way it was sad to clip Ava because she had become such a good flyer in the house but I tell myself that this is better then her getting away and being killed....

 

[xreinx]

vary good, I think everyone should know how to do the basics of body care for their birds, sometimes if the birds are in pretty bad shape, just doing those little things make them look so much better, I remember hearing our boss saying something about a bird that came in, half panicked I did the nail trim, clipped the wings, did its beak, just a quick job that got the ragged edge on one side filed down. it saved the birds life, and it saved the next owners some money, taking the birds to the vet for such simple things isnt cheap.

 

[Nakiska]

Oh I wish my story had the happy ending. I lost my first Cockatiel the same way. I was leaving he flew to me, landing on my head as I was already 1/2 out the door, I panicked, instead of just calmly walking back inside, he flew and I too was calling him back, Chaco...come back! He flew into the trees and none of them were sturdy enough to climb, but they were tall.

I put his bird cage on our roof with millet, in hopes he'd fly back for his treat...but nope. He lived out there and each day I'd go out and say..Pretty Pretty..and Chaco would hear me and start talking Pretty Pretty, Pretty Pretty, Pretty Pretty birrrrrdieeee!
However, each day he was further away, until on the 4th day...he didn't answer me.
I put up signs and postings on the local online classifieds, but no luck. He came to me the same way, and I had him a year...I always said...someone must really miss this bird as he was amazing in all he knew..he taught ME what he knew...and I taught him a few new things too.

5 years later, I decided I wanted another bird...we now have 3 and I keep them lightly clipped...I know it's not a guarantee, but it's definitely a peace of mind for me.

I too, wish I didn't have to clip, but I'd hate to loose my birds more then I hate keeping them lightly clipped.

Toni

 

[xreinx]

Im so sorry Toni, yea we get people like that in the shelter. Im still againt clipping, but Id still do it cause it keeps your pets home, if it saves you from heartache and the loss of your bird it cant be too bad, right? (thats what I keep telling myself anyway, every time I clip a feather)

 

[kitt]

Oh Toni, I am so sorry to hear that. How terribly sad...
Yes, I am so very thankful that for some reason Ava turned and came back to the tree in our back yard and not only that tree but a low branch to boot....I still think there was some divine intervention there. LOL