Ivy's Night of Horrible Freedom!

[ivysaur]

All year, we waited for our little girl to have her first molt and FINALLY grow in some flight feathers. Oh how we waited and talked about having a flying bird! Spring came around and slowly but surely the feathers came in, strong and beautiful and perfect.

Watching her learn to fly was the best part. At first she didn't believe she could do it. Then she started taking off only to crash-land, attempting to land on her wings instead of her feet. After a few weeks she figured out how to turn and soon she was Queen of the Skies, going wherever she pleased and performing incredible maneuvers!

We moved to our new place July 1st. She was worried about it at first but felt at home in a few days. Everything seemed perfect. But this past Thursday, the unthinkable happened: i stupidly left the sliding door open and my boyfriend turned on the new vacuum which scares her, unlike the old one. We both cried out in utter horror as we watched her tiny green butt disappear out into the backyard.

Ivy and I are thicker than thieves. We are totally bonded and joined at the hip. Obviously she immediately regretted her decision and started contact calling to me from a tree in the neighbor's yard. All I remember is crying and yelling and running and chasing her. Hours passed as we stood under that tree, calling back and forth and holding each other and hating ourselves. Our little girl seemed doomed.

We tried shaking her food container, dropping pellets into her dish, rattling her favorite foot toys. We set her travel cage under the tree to coax her down. We cried and cried. My boyfriend's mom came to give moral support, not that she could do much else. Ivy was happy to hear her voice and got all riled up and flew again--down the street into a different tree.

Luckily we live in a residential neighborhood with sparse traffic. We were able to stand out there for a long time, contact calling back and forth. But things got bleaker and bleaker. We hadn't eaten in who knows how long. Desolate, we pulled ourselves away and ordered a pizza. We couldn't even taste it. I cried and sobbed that my little girl was in that tree and I walked away, I abandoned her. We went back. We had to. She's our world.

But night was falling. We all know how our fids shut down in the dark--it's scary when you can't see anything. We knew we had to give up for the night. We knew we had to leave her for real this time. We held each other and cried until we couldn't anymore. We drank ourselves to sleep.

My eyes flew open at the crack of dawn, puffy and swollen from last night's tears. I threw on shoes and ran straight to that tree. "Ivy, are you still there? Are you still there honey???"

A frantic contact call erupted from the highest branches.

She waited all night for me.

Hysterical, I called my boyfriend and told him she was still here. We both had the day off. We swore we would not do another thing until our baby girl was safe and sound. We would do anything it took. Her joy at our voices sent her into a different tree. A visit from a tree service we called sent her into a third one. She made visual contact with me for the first time and swooped over my head repeatedly, trying to land but still so afraid. Always contact calling. Always wanting to get to me but woefully incapable.

Then, two hours after dawn, it happened.

After so many daunting trees--impossibly tall, completely branchless, she finally landed in a short one. One with tons of small, close-together branches. My boyfriend went for the ladder and up he climbed with a cloth bag.

Ivy's reaction is unforgettable. She made smoochy sounds, meaning she's happy, and from the furthest-out, tiniest little branch, began to calmly preen herself. For fifteen minutes. "Oh, nice of you to join me up here!"

Laughing at her, we called and reasoned with her. I showed her almonds. My boyfriend tapped the branch and told her to step up. He pretended to eat something. That almost worked. Then we decided to employ a fake abandonment tactic--her least favorite thing! Heaven forbid we ever leave her alone! So my boyfriend says "Bye Ivy!" and makes like he's climbing down when....

Ivy flies right to his shoulder!!!

"Do you have her?!" I called out, unable to see through the branches. He said yes. He said YES! She was in the bag!!!!

I have never been so hysterically happy. Those few moments watching them climb down to me were unbearable. I hopped around the base of the tree, laugh-crying ridiculously and yelling to my boyfriend that I'd marry him on the spot!

After one bag escape attempt and a gentle re-stuffing, the bag was handed down to me. She was silent. I put my hand under it to feel her weight and tiny toes in my hand. Was it really happening??? I ran as fast as I could back to the house and pulled her out! There she was, all in one piece, acting like nothing even happened! Needless to say the flight feathers were IMMEDIATELY clipped! Privileges lost! We got her snacks and water ASAP and endless hugs and happy tears. We had achieved the impossible.

Long story short, love made it possible. The love Ivy had for us kept her always calling for us so we could find her. The love my boyfriend's mother got us through the first horrible hours. The love we have for each other got us through the night. And the love my boyfriend has for that little bird saved her life.

Don't put yourself through this or through something with a much worse ending. Clip your fids. If you're really against it, keep them contained. Because you WILL make a mistake and it only takes one.

Here's my boyfriend trying to coax Ivy down. She's that tiny green blob on the right!!!

 

[sodakat]

I am so glad you got her back.

I lost a clipped bird outside and never did recover her. Clipping does NOT guarantee they cannot fly unless you clip them so severely they cannot catch themselves when they fall, which IMO is dangerous.

I know it's normal to immediately clip a recovered lost bird, but maybe someday you can arrange your home so she can fly again. Lots of us have figured out ways to keep our flighted birds from going out the door.

 

[Pajarita]

Sodakat is 100% correct. Clipping does not guarantee you will no lose the bird. As a matter of fact, flighted birds have a better chance of surviving getting lost than clipped ones (sitting ducks for any predator or person who would grab them to keep them or even sell them).

What you should do is teach her recall.

 

[aliray]

I am so glad you got her back safe and sound. I have always clipped mine as well although I have let them all grow back in because last March we adopted a cat from the animal shelter. She has not paid any attention to them as of yet. Fortunatly we have a screened lani on the back door and the front door. Otherwise they would still be clipped

 

[Mare Miller]

I'm happy to hear you got your baby back, this is good! I remember the first night my bird didn't come home to me, when that sun goes down nothing can budge them from their roosting spot, it can be and was terrifying for me too. Recall is essential but even more so, a strong bond, which it sounds like you have

 

[JerseyWendy]

Oh my gosh, I was chewing my nails as I was reading about your nightmare of Ivy getting out.

I am SO so happy you have your sweet baby back!

Your BF sure sounds like a keeper.

HUGS!!! And take a DEEP breath....it's all over now.

 

[Superbird]

I am so glad you got her back.

I lost a clipped bird outside and never did recover her. Clipping does NOT guarantee they cannot fly unless you clip them so severely they cannot catch themselves when they fall, which IMO is cruel.

I know it's normal to immediately clip a recovered lost bird, but maybe someday you can arrange your home so she can fly again. Lots of us have figured out ways to keep our flighted birds from going out the door.

Voice of logic and reason. Well said!

 

[khaiqha]

I'm glad you got your bird back, but please don't be lulled into the false sense of security that a clipped bird cannot fly. Any type of wind is enough to give a bird lift, clipped or not. There are pictures on this forum of a heavily clipped alexandrine flying outside.

Also, as happy as I am that you got your bird back, it kinda bothers me to hear you say that clipping of the bird was "privileges lost." For me, owning the bird is the privilege. The bird didn't escape because it had its wings, it escaped because a door was left open.

 

[chippy]

I had the false sense (years ago when I was younger and much more foolish) that a clipped bird was not going to fly away. Sadly, my cockatiel flew out, landed on our neighbours fence and, just as I was approaching him, our neighbour came out and loudly yelled, "What's up with the bird?" Syl, now thoroughly frightened, flew away never to be seen again. His wings had ALWAYS been clipped and he had never even ever attempted small flights in the house.

I lost, for many many years, the privilege of having a FID...

 

[ruffledfeathers]

So scary. I have heard these stories from other friends through the years (one was a clipped bird who goes outside frequently too, but just happened to 'take off' one day and had a surprising amount of lift). I am so glad that your bird was safe and in the end it turned out ok.

 

[CaitlinBird]

That's great you got your bird back! Actually, like Wendy, I was biting my nails too!

Birds that are good fliers but have not had enough experience outdoors tend to do exactly what your Ivy did. They get stuck in a really tall tree and work their way down, hopping from tree to tree to get back down. And as Mare said, birds do not move willingly once the sun has set! Chances are the bird will be in the same spot if left there overnight. Just something to know if this happens to someone else!

When a bird actually knows how to fly and maneuver well, the greater chance of recovery than for a bird who has been clipped their entire life never learning how to fly.

 

[Mayden]

Yey, glad you got your baby back.

I've experienced similar with Merlin, I felt my stomach go in knots and stuff reading your story, just as I felt during my own horror. I'm so relieved you got your baby back.

Clipping is a hot topic, and I'm more often than not 'all for flight'. Your bird got free because you left the door open, not because she was flighted. Had the door been left open, clipped or not she would have made her way out if spooked. One gust of wind and she could have gotten just as far. Clipped birds have a better chance of coming back and usually, owners who have unclipped birds, tend to be more vigilant because they don't fall into the false security that their clipped bird "can't fly".

We lost Merlin because he was out - flighted or not, he would have gotten just as far, we got him back because we had a bond and he was flighted and kept trying to get back to us. It took a cherry picker and a thousand tears, but we got him back.

I'm sorry you saw her flight feathers as a privilege, flight is as natural to birds as walking is on two legs is for humans. Walking is a privilege we shouldn't take for granted - but it's also a right that noone should take away from us because other's think it makes their lives easier.

Again, happy you got your baby back. I'm sure you'll be more vigilant with doors in the future.

 

[ivysaur]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Our happy flock is all safe and sound.

On a different note, "Privelages lost" was supposed to be a joke guys, chill out. Yes she can still get away, it's not like we're just having the doors open all the time or something. We are fully aware that it is all our faults. Man we already feel bad enough. It's not like I'm one of the people on here who hits their bird for screaming. She's my whole life and this was the worst night I ever had. Is she clipped now? Yes. Does she still spend every minute with me and get completely spoiled to the max? Yes. Am i punishing her for being terrified and following her instincts? Never in a million years. Sheesh.

 

[sodakat]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Our happy flock is all safe and sound.

On a different note, "Privelages lost" was supposed to be a joke guys, chill out. Yes she can still get away, it's not like we're just having the doors open all the time or something. We are fully aware that it is all our faults. Man we already feel bad enough. It's not like I'm one of the people on here who hits their bird for screaming. She's my whole life and this was the worst night I ever had. Is she clipped now? Yes. Does she still spend every minute with me and get completely spoiled to the max? Yes. Am i punishing her for being terrified and following her instincts? Never in a million years. Sheesh.

Please don't consider our comments as criticism of your care for her.

This forum post will come up on searches forever. It is correct, IMO, to use your experience to discuss the realities of clipping and losing a bird outside.

Of course you love her. You are not the first person to clip immediately upon recovering a bird. I think that is a normal reaction. It took me losing a clipped bird to understand I had a false sense of security. I was not trying to make you feel bad.

 

[chippy]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Our happy flock is all safe and sound.

On a different note, "Privelages lost" was supposed to be a joke guys, chill out. Yes she can still get away, it's not like we're just having the doors open all the time or something. We are fully aware that it is all our faults. Man we already feel bad enough. It's not like I'm one of the people on here who hits their bird for screaming. She's my whole life and this was the worst night I ever had. Is she clipped now? Yes. Does she still spend every minute with me and get completely spoiled to the max? Yes. Am i punishing her for being terrified and following her instincts? Never in a million years. Sheesh.

WOW. People were trying to make sure that, firstly, you were aware that she COULD still fly away with clipped wings. There are MANY people (myself included once upon a time) who are NOT aware of that, and birds DO fly away because of that lack of awareness...and no one has any way of knowing whether or not you realize that they can fly with clipped wings. Consider it a PSA for the birds well-being, from people who care about birds, rather than a personal insult/attack.

 

[BACON]

My blue front can still fly when clipped. I first found this out when I took her out side. I was walking down the garden to the house and off she went. Flew down the garden, walked across the patio thro the door and climbed up her cage, what's strange is she NEVER usually try's to fly, even when flighted
I've also lost 2 cockatiels, actually 1 I lost twice when I was a kid. I got her back both times, flew down to me. The other I lost on an incredibly blowy day.

It's great to hear you have ivy back, the problem with parakeets is there so flipping fast lol. No ones judging you anyway.

Me personally. Well I'm now letting blue GROW her feathers back. Hate the fact clipping takes the spirit of the bird away, I only did it because she used to fly and attack my mum.... The only time she'd bother lol.

 

[Blancaej]

What a stressful few days! I am so glad you got Ivy back. Accidents do happen, so don't beat yourself up. If anything, you have learned from this experience I'm sure!

 

[Mayden]

Thanks for all the kind words everyone! Our happy flock is all safe and sound.

On a different note, "Privelages lost" was supposed to be a joke guys, chill out. Yes she can still get away, it's not like we're just having the doors open all the time or something. We are fully aware that it is all our faults. Man we already feel bad enough. It's not like I'm one of the people on here who hits their bird for screaming. She's my whole life and this was the worst night I ever had. Is she clipped now? Yes. Does she still spend every minute with me and get completely spoiled to the max? Yes. Am i punishing her for being terrified and following her instincts? Never in a million years. Sheesh.

Please don't our comments as criticism of your care for her.

This forum post will come up on searches forever. It is correct, IMO, to use your experience to discuss the realities of clipping and losing a bird outside.

Of course you love her. You are not the first person to clip immediately upon recovering a bird. I think that is a normal reaction. It took me losing a clipped bird to understand I had a false sense of security. I was not trying to make you feel bad.

Just as I was in a false sense of security knowing Merlin was an apt flier with a good bond to me. Turns out he is a great flier with a greater bond, but he cannot navigate the new terrain and wind that he was out in that day. Wanting to or not, my baby couldn't get home to me.

Clipping and non clipping both have their appeals and can make their owner relax a little too much whichever way you choose. (Such as in my case, or a clipped* bird getting lose because owners relax with windows/doors, or even take them outside). Which is why I think it's important to present all the facts when there is a discussion about clipping vs flighted.

We learn through mistakes - and other peoples mistakes that are shared. Most of us here are commenting on the idea that people feel safer with clipped birds, when they are no safer in regards to a 'lack of security' because their bird is clipped - and pointing out (as you already know and feel guilty about) that the issue was not with the clipping, or lack therof, but of the fact that a door was left open, rending clipping (or not) redundant.

What's done is done, we can't turn back time and make you unclip her because we feel she shouldn't be clipped, we're just all happy you've gotten her back. I think what we're uncomfortable with is your knee jerk reaction to clipping without fully appreciating that is wasn't through a lack of clip that she got out? That's how it plays through in my head anyway.

*Edited: Read flighted, but meant clipped. Sorry!

 

[faeryphoebe1]

I was holding my breath as I read your story. Whew! Your boyfriend is, indeed a keeper and I am so glad that you got your adorable Ivy back.

 

[MikeyTN]

I'm glad you have her back!!!!

To other posters,

With the proper clip, they will not fly, yes they will fall but they'll learn at the same time! You might as well not clip if that's all your doing! They don't keep on repeating the fall over and over cause they'll remember. I'm the in between type, I will clip if I must but I prefer not to. So we're rather careful around the house, but for a few birds that I've had in the past, I do clip a few during the whole duration cause they have the tendency of escaping. And all it take is one mistake like opening the door while they're out. And I don't feel it's cruel to clip them, if that's the case, keeping them in the house is cruel period. Clipping them is for their safety and our heart. It's not easy losing a bird and sometimes you don't even realize what you've done until it's too late. Like a friend I know, walking outside with her bird on her shoulder, she was so used to her bird that she forget that she can fly. Up in the air she goes and never to be found again. Clipping is a individual choice as it's been mentioned in countless post so let's please not say the word "Cruel"....