Clip or not to Clip?

[angiemw]

So I hear clipping a birds wings are good for the bird so it don't get away from you. Yet I'm hearing other's say, "You wouldn't tie a cats legs together, would you?"
Is it me, or is tying a cats legs different than clipping a birds wings. It's not like declawing a cat. Its not permanent!

Now I'm confused, do I clip or not?

What's your thoughts?

 

[Parrotmamma]

I prefer mine clipped ...they can still fly 10 or 12 feet but they descend the whole way.
My moms GCC got outside awhile back and he was not clipped . He was up in a tree in the next lot in a flash. It was quite an ordeal but we were able to get him to come down and got him in his carrier. Needless to say his wings got clipped after that.
I am not willing to chance my birds getting out the door and flying away.

 

[Lesa1211]

I clip. I love both my birds and do not want them to get away from me. I have a 6yr old severely autistic son that doesnt understand not to open doors because the birds may get out. I live in a wooded area and I have a big backyard. My son is in and out to go in the yard constantly. If my birds werent clipped and got loose, the chances I'd get them back would be slim to none. And Im not willing to take that chance. I think it would be awesome to not clip though if the birds would be safe.

 

[wenz2712]

I have mine lightly clipped... After losing one many years ago through flying into a door, I wont run the risk of the same thing happening again plus I dont want to risk her flying off either!

 

[patch]

My house has a lot of windows and I don't want my bird flying into any. I also have a dog that has her own areas of hanging out, and for the health of both animals I keep them separated. I don't want Pepper to fly into where I keep my dog and then they run around, knock things over and get hurt.

 

[god61021]

I keep my red rump parakeet clipped because i dont want her to get out, but shes so light she can still fly anywhere in the room if she trys hard enough. including up to the top of the ceiling fan which after seeing her perched up there im thinking about disconecting to avoid any accidents.

 

[dishgal1]

I desperately did not want to clip. My little green cheek became a military pilot, diving and loop d loops and everything. I was so afraid he would fly into the rock wall. One day he zipped right thru the door. I was lucky and finally got him down out of the tree. He was clipped immediately. I don't clip him severely just enough to limit his abilities. He still flies quite well, just no acrobatics and a lot slower. He could still fly thru the door but at least we have more time before he makes it there. IN your case not being able to watch the doors, I would definitely clip.

 

[artemis]

Yet I'm hearing other's say, "You wouldn't tie a cats legs together, would you?"

But you may well put a harness and leash on your cat and/or dog. Really, very few pet animals are allowed to run free except in extremely rural areas, for obvious safety reasons. Even if you are 100% sure your bird will never slip out an open door or window, you might want to do a very light wig clipping just to prevent a panic flight that ends with the bird colliding hard into a wall or window and breaking its neck. Also, unclipped birds can land in bad places (pots of boiling water, toilets, behind the refrigerator, etc.), with lethal results. A light clip still allows the bird to fly for short distances, but they can't gain any real speed, so hard collisions are less of a problem.

 

[MikeyTN]

I prefer not to clip, it can cause feather destruction as I learned from many many birds I've clipped in the past. BUT I still do clip some today, all depends on the bird! IF too wild and dangerous, yes I will clip 100% IF it's a youngster during training after they master their flight skills, I clip. But if it behaves even during training, I don't clip. It just depends....

 

[greycloud]

None of mine are clipped. And if you think clipping will keep your bird from escaping while outside, you are very wrong. I can't tell you how many birds fly away that are clipped. I will say that I do not judge people for their decision to clip. What ever works in your home for that bird and how it relates to your family and pets. My birds are flighted because it is only me and my husband here. We know where each other is at all times. Doors are never opened with a bird out of it's cage. If you have an active home clipping may be better.

 

[CAGLulu]

I really HATE the idea of clipping parrots wings. There is a reason for why they are born with them; to use them! It is a birds instinct to fly just like it is our instinct to walk. It is so sad and cruel to take that away from them. Imagine if you could ask the bird wether it wants its wings clipped or not, what would the reply be? My CAG has never had her wings clipped and she is an excellent flighter(?)

*THIS IS MY PERSONAL OPINION*

 

[dishgal1]

I agree they were meant to fly, but by the same token they were meant to be free in the wild. We have taken that away from them and they have lost their ability to survive in the wild because of us. So I feel like I owe it to my baby to protect him by clipping his wings and not letting him escape. One escape is enough for me. It broke my heart to clip his wings but losing him would hurt a lot worse. I am very fortunate to get him back. Just my opinion and everyone should do what is best for them and their babies..

 

[CAGLulu]

Yes, we have taken them out of the wild and I can see your point but at least we can let them keep their flight ability. I try to let my AG be as wild as possible. I got her a harness recently and she has already been out flying 4 times. I know that a harness is an unnatural thing and she is not that excited wearing it either but I can tell on her how much she enjoy to fly and explore outside. We have to keep in mind that no matter how bonded you are with a parrot, they are still wild animals. That is also one of the reasons I'm getting her a male AG
I know it is hard having your parrot fly away and it is our responsibility to keep them safe, however, that is not by taking THEIR flight ability from them. WE have to look out for them and that is not by making them "suffer"(couldn't find the right word)

Please excuse my poor English

 

[dishgal1]

I did not do a severe clip. He still flies from room to room even upon the ceiling fan....I probably haven't limited him enough if he were to get outside. He just has to work a little harder to fly now and we can hear him coming easier. Before, he would be at the door and didn't even know he was coming.

 

[aliray]

can someone please explin the different types of clips. i have a quaker who will be one year old on july 18. he is moulting now and some of his wing feathersc are growing in a nd he is starting to take small fights from one room to another and lands on the floor. I would like him to bt able to fly but we have ceiling fans running in every room,we live in fla, Is their a clip we could use and can soeone exolain how. we are all adults in the house so open doors are not a problem. help opinions whatever please. Alison and sweetie pie

 

[JamesC]

I prefer not to clip but I will if necessary. Neither of my blue crowns are clipped. Rosa was when I got her but I have been letting her grow them out and she has not been any problem at all. My senegal Sidney is clipped and I have decided that I am going to have to keep him lightly clipped for his safety and that of the blue crowns. A little while ago, he was on my lap and suddenly he tried to take off and attack the other birds. If I would not have been quick on the reflexes and got my hand up to deflect him he would have made it and I would have had a fight. I took three feathers off of him just before responding to this thread. It bothers the heck out of me to do it because I'm in the birds are meant to fly category.

Of the 4 budgies and the other senegal I had in the past, I only had to keep one of the budgies clipped. She would have gotten herself maimed or killed by Tootsie who was my only blue crown at the time. Kiwi turned into a monster when she had the ability to fly. She would become very aggressive, attack and bite. Her one goal was to get to Tootsie and she was ready for battle. Clipping kept her calmer and limited her ability to go where it was dangerous for her to be. I didn't like it but it was for the best of all.

Sidney seems to of similar behavior to Kiwi in that he wants to fight. But I also have the consideration that he wants to investigate and chew on anything he can get to. He is especially interested in the kitchen and all of the things in there that can "cook his goose" so to speak.

So I think the question of clipping is part personal preference, partly based upon the environment the birds are in (security from escape or injury from hitting things) and partly on the bird's personality. There is no easy answer but as long as the bird remains safe, healthy and happy it is the right answer.

 

[JamesC]

can someone please explin the different types of clips.

There are really only two types of clip, both wings clipped and a single wing clipped. I'm sure that most if not all here think that a single wing clip is a bad thing. It is like an airplane with a whole wing on one side and half a wing on the other. Pretty much uncontrollable. I heard that it makes them fly in a circle. Dangerous I would think.

Clipping both wings an even amount of feathers on each is best. The question is how many and how much feather do you clip. There are several good diagrams on the net about the matter. And there are as many opinions about it as there are feathers on the bird. From what I have read in the past I would judge that a maximum clip would be one where the bird would descend in about a 45 degree angle and be able to land without hitting hard. A light clip might allow the bird to fly across the room. Adrenaline can certainly increase their flight ability and a scared bird with a light clip will probably be able to climb and fly a lot further than you would think.

My senegal Sidney had an excessively heavy clip when I adopted him. He dropped like a rock with an audible thud and peep when he hit the floor. He learned that it didn't hurt so much if he took off low to the ground so that even now when he is able to fly better he will climb to the seed catcher on the bottom of his cage before taking off. I wanted to let his feathers grow out but his behavior (see above post) has pushed me towards the decision to keep him clipped. All his primaries and some of the secondaries were hacked off quite short so I will be several more months and several shed feathers adjusting how many are clipped on each wing and how much cut is required.

 

[lene1949]

I had promised myself that I would never clip another bird, after Cory, my corella, escaped... Cory's wings were clipped, but the wind took her and she flew off.. She had never flown anywhere before, and had no idea, what was going on... I were so lucky to find her in a paddock only a few hundred metres from home after a week of pure torture...

When I got her back (thanks to the people who phoned the RSPCA) I promised her I would never clip her and any other birds wings again... My reasoning: If they're going to escape, they'll have to be able to fly, in order to avoid prey animals.

... and then I got Max - the alexandrine, who's severely independent and who refused to go into his cage, when I had to go to work etc... He started spending more time in his cage, because it was just too hard to get him back in there... He no longer came out in the mornings before work, and I often closed his door, when he went in on his own, even if it was 3 hours before I had to go to work...

So.... one day I clipped 3 flight feathers on each wing... Max was soooo angry (he never bit me, though I'm sure he wanted to).. For a couple of weeks he tried to fly, and eventually gave up...

I was so sorry that I'd clipped away his ????? (compare it to a man with his jewels cut off)... and this was only 3 feathers... I cried for days...

Max has forgiven me for the clip, but he has not forgiven his wings! He's trying to pull them out on a daily basis...

My answer: Don't clip....

 

[angiemw]

Thank you everybody! I'm going to take it all into consideration. I hate to say this, but because Eva isn't a people person, and she still shy's away from me, I might have to clip her. I keep saying not to do it. But I'm afraid if she gets out I will lose her. She don't come to people yet unless she wants seeds. I keep thinking to have them clipped until she like's us more and comes to us willingly. Friday we go to the vet. I hope to have it figured out by then.

 

[MikeyTN]

Thank you everybody! I'm going to take it all into consideration. I hate to say this, but because Eva isn't a people person, and she still shy's away from me, I might have to clip her. I keep saying not to do it. But I'm afraid if she gets out I will lose her. She don't come to people yet unless she wants seeds. I keep thinking to have them clipped until she like's us more and comes to us willingly. Friday we go to the vet. I hope to have it figured out by then.

If that's the case, I would clip her to ease the training. Since she's depending on you to carry her to places she will bond better.