Wing clipping gone wrong!

[MarciaLove]

I have had this Lorikeet (Fruit Loops) for almost 6 months now he will be 2 years in August he had his wings clipped when I got him and I noticed then they were clipped wrong they wing clipper clipped the secondary flight feathers instead of the primary ones. The clipping person also left 5 primary flight feathers on one side and only 3 on the other and clipped ALL of the secondaries on both wings. He flies down just fine but hasnt flown up at all he climbs around. I am wondering if he CAN fly up?? I never cared about it before cause I thought I would be able to harness train him like my other birds but its been 4 months of failed harness training and I really want to be able to take him outside!!! So I was wondering if it is possible for him to fly up up and away with this clip?? Ive attached some pics.

 

[SoCalWendy]

I can't help but I must say he is a very stunning bird to look at. I hope you get your question answered. I will say this though, a wing clip isn't a guarantee you won't lose them outside, so don't use it as a false sense of security. If possible always use a harness.

 

[MarciaLove]

thank you and I like to keep all my birds flighted and take them out with harnesses. He is only clipped cause thats how he came to me. I don't fully trust wing clips either usually except on lovebirds cause I've clipped many lovebirds flight feathers and I really trust they cant fly after a right clipping.

 

[weco]

I doubt very seriously that the bird can get any lift at all, with what's left of his wing feathers.....although he probably isn't going to do any flying, you can still put te harness on him & let him ride on your shoulder outside.....

It looks like whoever butchered his wings was trying to do a modified show clip.....you're just going to have to wait for his next molt to finish out.....

 

[chippy]

Oh...What a dreadful clipping!!! I can't answer your questions, but thank goodness the feathers will eventually drop and be replaced by new ones.

 

[MikeyTN]

Oh my....haven't seen that clip in awhile....there's actually no need to clip secondary. As they have the wings folded it won't look funny but with it clipped it looked awful. ...I'm sorry!!!!

 

[MarciaLove]

thank you guys I know I have never seen a clip this bad before! I wish I could get him in a harness!!

 

[BoomBoom]

What a beautiful bird! It's a shame to see them destroy his wings like that. Does he seem bothered by them?

Like Weco said, I'd put him in a harness anyway, so that by the time his wings grow out, he'd have accepted it. My biggest regret was not harness training my bird when he was new, now he is just stubborn about it.

 

[Kalidasa]

Gorgeous bird. Poor wings! But they'll grow out in time. .

 

[MarciaLove]

Boom Boom he doesnt seem bothered at all he gets around great and is a very happy mischievous bird

 

[BACON]

She's said she CAN'T get the bird in a harness, she said she would if she could... Keep trying tho.
I'm not going to stick my neck out here and say your bird can't fly, it's amazing what they can do with a little wind, but I'd be very surprised if it could!!!
Hope he moults out soon

 

[crazyforfeathers]

Isn't that what basically everyone else had said? Put him in a harness, maybe couple with clicker training and he will warn to it it in time. Not sure how quickly this bird mounts out their wings, but safe to assume in 1 year. Plenty of time to put him in the harness and gradually introduce him to the idea.

There are good YouTube videos you can try too.

 

[MonicaMc]

Looks like a clip that one place recommends... only not as severe... I always wondered how well birds fly with the clip. (not suppose to remove any of the primary flights)


Wing Clipping and Trimming by Steve Hartman    The Parrot University

 

[MeganMango]

I also cant get Mango to use a harness. He completely panics if he even sees it. He was training really well, just sticking his head in the hole for a treat, then out of no where for no apparent reason he became inconsolably terrified. If I walk into the room with the harness in my hands he stays nervous of me for several days afterward. Mango is fully flighted, but was clipped when I got him. Even in the house with no wind he got around surprisingly well. Now we have a big screened in gazibo on our back porch and we let him fly around out there with us to supervise. I can sympathize with your harness woes, but I would strongly discourage letting him outside without a harness or some sort of barrier. A clipped bird doesnt have the wing strength that a flighted bird has because he hasnt been exercising his wings. When Mango was first learning to fly, just one lap around the room winded him. If the wind blows your bird away he wont be able to control where he goes or even possibly get back.

 

[SilverSage]

Was he a pet store birds? The store in the town I grew up in only clipped one wing. I think a lot of animals, not just birds, fall prey to the cluelesness of pet shop owners and employees who think you just need to LIKE a certain kind of animal and that suddenly means you know what to do with them. I have never seen that clip before, and I don't understand why they would do it like that. I hope he takes to the harness soon!

 

[Birdman666]

Yes, if he has his primaries, he is still fully flighted.

The biggest downside is that you now cannot clip the primaries because the secondaries are gone. He can no longer glide to the floor.... it is unsafe. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE SECONDARIES TO GROW BACK OUT, AND KEEP HIM SOMEWHERE WHERE HE CAN'T GET LOST... Otherwise there is a good chance you will lose him.

I've seen that happen a few times now, once by a supposed VET! Who ever did this was a complete idiot that had no business working on a bird!

 

[Birdman666]

i doubt very seriously that the bird can get any lift at all, with what's left of his wing feathers.....although he probably isn't going to do any flying, you can still put te harness on him & let him ride on your shoulder outside.....

It looks like whoever butchered his wings was trying to do a modified show clip.....you're just going to have to wait for his next molt to finish out.....

wrong! I've seen them fly just fine with only primaries...