Questions on training a clipped fledgling Eclectus.

[Dois]

Hello,


I have recently acquired a ~3-4 month old female Eclectus. The breeder had her clipped and her nails trimmed - which results in her having a hard time balancing and moving around. I want to be able to have her develop well and be fully flighted in the future (I don't plan on clipping her when she molts nor trimming her nails to the extreme depth he did), however, I don't want to train her for free flight either (for fear of losing her).


Is it appropriate to bring her out to flap around in the open? She can fly for a few meters right now before falling to the ground. I'm not sure if she can actually go further or if it's just because my tiny apartment is stopping her.

Has anyone else had experience with birds clipped as fledglings? I'm really concerned about her not being able to fly properly in the future.

 

[chris-md]

Hello and welcome!

unfortantely clipping of fledgling ekkies is far more common than should be. Fledging is critical for proper psychological development, and ekkies are already one of the more sensitive parrots.

I believe your task now is to continue SAFELY encouraging flight. “Safely” because clearly she may be incapable of significant air time and may hurt herself with falling from the air.

If it were me I would continue to work with her on something resembling flight. If she can fly a few meters, or at minimum hopping a foot or two, teaching her ”flighted recall” (fly to you on command) will be a powerful tool for you, not just in supporting the fledging and encouraging the flying, but a wonderful bonding experience.

 

[Emeral]

Rescued a small parakeet from cat, last year. He was unharmed, undernourished and afraid of people at the beginning.

Our family have him in a cage to let him get used to us. After about 3 months, healthier Miky eat millet from our hands and hop around a foot at most. He can not fly, just glide. We suspect he had never flew before in his life. Probably, was clipped or confined in a cage, may be?

We thought he will just hop around, occasionally glide, and we expected nothing of him. Often find him on the ground, had to be really careful and had to put him back to his cage by hand.
But he got faster, jump longer distances, and get more acrobatic. Then, to our surprise, he flew like a normal bird. Out from his cage and even out to another room. Well, this self-taught flight process probably took longer than 6 months for him. He really surprised us in a nice way.

 

[Dois]

Rescued a small parakeet from cat, last year. He was unharmed, undernourished and afraid of people at the beginning.

Our family have him in a cage to let him get used to us. After about 3 months, healthier Miky eat millet from our hands and hop around a foot at most. He can not fly, just glide. We suspect he had never flew before in his life. Probably, was clipped or confined in a cage, may be?

We thought he will just hop around, occasionally glide, and we expected nothing of him. Often find him on the ground, had to be really careful and had to put him back to his cage by hand.
But he got faster, jump longer distances, and get more acrobatic. Then, to our surprise, he flew like a normal bird. Out from his cage and even out to another room. Well, this self-taught flight process probably took longer than 6 months for him. He really surprised us in a nice way.

That's really good to hear, thanks.