Clip or not to Clip?

[antoinette]

I clipped Mishka's wings
Accidents happen and I would never forgive myself is anything happened.

 

[Alisana]

I don't like clipping personally, however will if it's a requirement.

When I had my budgies initially, I left them flighted, but they had one too many accidents with mirrors, windows, and falling behind furniture. In my case, it was too risky, and I did not want to risk a broken neck, so I made the decision to lightly clip. They can flutter from perch to perch, but can't fly straight up. I feel guilty for it, but I do it for their safety.

My [future] macaws on the other hand will NOT be clipped. I am making a very firm decision in this regard. They are larger birds and can be educated about the safety of flying into objects, whilst being big enough to not be hurt as easily as smaller birds. (One macaw I know "bounced" off the fan when flying, and he was fine - granted it was on a low setting - PS. Do not recommend trying this; it was an unexpected accident with no negative results)

The decision to have the wings clipped or not clipped, is something not to be taken lightly.

If clipping, decide on the clip - the bird should have the ability to descend SAFELY - if they hit the ground too hard due to a bad clip, they can shatter their breast bone. And make sure to give them plenty of opportunity to exercise. Perches to jump from, room to stretch their wings. Toys to play and hang off. Keep them mentally stimulated - taking away their ability to fly means that YOU have to give them a mentally rich life. Otherwise, it can lead to mental issues such as feather plucking, screaming and other habits.

If you plan to not clip, then make every precaution you can to ensure the safety of your bird.
> Bathrooms/toilets should remain closed.
> Birds should not be out when cooking in the kitchen (fumes are one thing, but a boiling pot is also dangerous). On that note - if you do keep them out whilst cooking, make sure they understand that the stove area is dangerous. One strategy a member here recommended was 'showing' them how hot it was by bringing them near the oven (restrained), and repeating "hot, burn, dangerous" to them. The other thing they did was make a lot of loud banging near the stove area whilst the bird was on the other side of the room. From what I gather it was a successful strategy, but cannot comment on it from a training perspective. (Given it goes against the positive reinforcement) (If anyone has experience, please comment)
> Recall training. Make sure they know how to come when called. Start off with short distances and play hide-and-seek.
> If you have the space, enclose a portion of your backyard with cat mesh. This can give them a chance to experience the outdoors with a harness. In our case, our back door will walk straight out into the netted area, so an open door will be less of a stress case.
> Begin harness training early. If your bird is not trained to look out for predators in the sky, or has been trained to fly in different wind conditions, then taking a flighted bird out into the wind can be dangerous and they can be blown away. A harness can prevent this.
> If you plan to be completely free-flight; try Liberty Wings. Training is a long process and takes many steps.
-- Indoor recall training.
--- Short distance
--- Medium distance
--- Long distance
--- Out of site (e.g. hide and seek; in another room)
-- Outdoor recall training.
--- Short distance
--- Medium distance
--- Long distance
--- Out of site (e.g. hide and seek; behind a tree - but make sure the bird SEES you going to hide so they know where to find you)
-- Tag is another game that you can try outside.
-- Once confident with outdoor recall, try different flight areas.
-- Walk the area with them on your arm before releasing, so they can map the area.
-- Start in no-little wind
-- Slowly expose them to higher wind conditions.
>>>> REMEMBER THIS SHOULD ALL BE DONE WITH A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL!

Free-flight is an amazing experience for both the owner and the bird, so if you decide to try it, make sure you do it right. Check out Liberty Wings - they're a great resource for free flight. But remember there is always a risk, so it's something to take on with caution.

 

[Alisana]

I forgot to mention:

An unclipped bird doesn't have as much chance of exercise, so make sure they get it and keep them on a healthy diet.

If they got too fat, this can lead to liver and in some cases, heart issues. Make sure they get their exercise if you choose to clip!

 

[Alisana]

Free Flight Macaws and Sun Conures

[ame=http://youtu.be/cRuhuhENl20]Flocking Macaws & Free Flying Sun Conure Parrots - YouTube[/ame]

And a nice video following the story of a handraised macaw named Buckle

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze6AXtxe4Zk"]Buckle, A Baby Shamrock Macaw Learns To Fly Free - YouTube[/ame]

 

[Alisana]

And here are Sun Conures used in a pirate show; very cute crowd interaction.

[ame=http://youtu.be/2kT-bMbNjYU]The Dollar Bill Trick - YouTube[/ame]

 

[kc_y0]

I will always clip Audrey, only because I had two birds fly away from me when I was younger.

 

[RDH1]

If tying a cats legs together meant it wouldn't run out into the road nd get killed then yes I would do it. I do clip to keep my birds free from injury. If properly done it doesn't hurt them anymore then people getting a haircut and may save their lives.

 

[Sarahtheumbrella]

I clip my bird's feather's because she is an indoor bird, and I do not want her flying and perching on a fan or landing on a stove, but if you feel it is safe, then there is no reason to clip.

Plus, you can try out not clipping for a day or two and then clip if you feel it may injure itself.

 

[masterrez]

In the end I think That the choice to clip or not clip depends on the bird and the owner. Some owners and birds have a strong relationship and open house to were the bird can fly. Others are still bonding or have a house that just is not suited for flying. Personally I plan to never clip my conures wings even though the breaded did. I find that crippling a birds ability to fly is cruel and I know my conure like the back of my hand. She has bonded to me and will fly to me when called. However would I risk taking her outside right away? Probably not. Maybe build up to that through training sessions in a open room like a indoor ballroom or something.

The one thing that annoys me is when people tend to give advice about clipping vs non clipping to people without realizing that each bird is different and each home is different. If someone asks me whether they should clip there birds wings I would say that it depends on the bird, the owner and the whereabouts.

But overall a bird that is able to fly is a happier bird. After all it's a bird for god sake they are suppose to fly. But if it comes down to the fact that clipping vs non clipping may cause the bird to be at risk then by all means clip the wings but make sure you clip safely and the right way.

 

[Grenage]

Indeed, it does differ from home to home.

My wife and I are the only people in the house, we always know where Aizen is, and if windows in the house are open. He's window aware, and like to fly between us.

If we had children, or a busier household, or Aizen tried to fly through windows, or there was exposed wiring on the walls, or (et cetera, et cetera) - we'd clip him.