Didn't expect that.....

[LoveMyConlan]

Rhage had his wings trimmed before coming home about 3 weeks ago. Last night he shocked the hell out of me by flying about 10 feet into the kitchen while I was making his formula, and landed on my arm

His wings are clipped but i think they didn't take enough off. He was about to get about a foot higher that the end of the couch where he was sitting and all the way to my arm. My Conures are all clipped and can only glide to the floor. No distance or height.

Thank God he never leaves the house without his harness on. And he'll be taken into my groomer for a better trim this weekend.

 

[OldmanDiscarded]

Rhage had his wings trimmed before coming home about 3 weeks ago. Last night he shocked the hell out of me by flying about 10 feet into the kitchen while I was making his formula, and landed on my arm

His wings are clipped but i think they didn't take enough off. He was about to get about a foot higher that the end of the couch where he was sitting and all the way to my arm. My Conures are all clipped and can only glide to the floor. No distance or height.

Thank God he never leaves the house without his harness on. And he'll be taken into my groomer for a better trim this weekend.

I've read many horror stories of people with Parrots who had their wings clipped and lost those birds to a sudden gust of wind while outside. The birds were pulled upwards and many never came home. I am glad you harness your birds even with clipped wings. Mine never leave the home without their harnesses on.

 

[LoveMyConlan]

I don't know what I would do without my fids. They are my heart and soul. Harness are a must when going anywhere. Plus I'm beyond paranoid about doors and windows. I make sure everything is locked. Everyone in the house knows of the door is closed a bird is out and the door is locked. They knock, bird goes into cage or crate, and I open the door.

My Conures won't wear a harness, but they never go anywhere unless it's inside, and they stay on their crate until we are in. My Gcc used to go to Petsmart with me all the time, but she never left my arm and we never went near the doors with her out.

 

[SailBoat]

MAC's have a huge flight surface area compared to their body weight. In addition, it would appear that your MAC has more strength than a Parrot that has never fully developed its flight muscles! This combination will allow a MAC to fly where an Amazons with the same number of feathers trimmed would not gain height, since Amazons have a smaller flight surface area compared to their body weight!

Open your MAC's Wings, one at a time and couple the number of Primary Wing Feathers on each Wing that has been trimmed. Your will want to add one or two additional to that number for the next trim!

WARNING: The strength of your MAC likely is a primary issue here. I would rather have a Wing Trim that needs an additional Primary Wing Feather or two removed from each Wing then to have a Parrot with the flight abilities of a Dropped Stone!

Owners Responseability: The individual who Trims your Parrots Wings is working on a judgement call based on the results of other Parrots. Since your MAC has greater overall flight strength, you need to communicate that information. Please see the warning above!!!

Count feathers and provide that number as part of your next visit.

Always expect that your MAC will fly, it is just a much safer foundation!

 

[LoveMyConlan]

@Sailboat - He was fully flighted before coming home. And his favorite pass time is beating those large wings. He's strong little guy.

My groomer trims my birds so that the have enough feather stability to glide and move at a downward diagonal, but won't have much ability to get any amount of upward lift if it can be done without damaging feathers. She's worked with all kinds of birds over the years and currently owns 3 MACS. All my birds are trimmed that way and I've worked with them on 'safe landings' by having them target to my lowered arm. This they can get a feel of how they need to wing it to get down safely. My GCC is a pro. My Sun Conure, who was never fledged properly before being clipped, still has little control over where she lands but had learned to angle herself safely. We're still working on it with her though.

I was always told to make sure I teach them to feel comfortable with coming DOWN. Just in case they get end up in a tree or on a high object and I need them down, they aren't to afraid of falling to move.

Target training had been a wonderful tool ask around

 

[GaleriaGila]

MAC's have a huge flight surface area compared to their body weight. In addition, it would appear that your MAC has more strength than a Parrot that has never fully developed its flight muscles! This combination will allow a MAC to fly where an Amazons with the same number of feathers trimmed would not gain height, since Amazons have a smaller flight surface area compared to their body weight!

The Rb has a very macaw-ish build. He flew just fine with clipped wings. I had such difficulty in finding an adequate clip... that's part of the reason I finally just gave up and let him grow wings and fly. And take all needed pecautions.