feeling so guilty

msdeb

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Dec 22, 2013
153
5
texas
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Charlie the birdie, yellow naped amazon and little bird, a monk parrot , and Polly -yellow crowned amazon
y'all I had to have Charlie's wings clipped today. It was the first time for us both. His beautiful feathers! He has gotten so aggressive this year and he has bitten both me and hubby on or near the eyes when he flies at us from the top of his cage. He got my eyelid and hubby about an inch below his eye. I know it needed to be done and I am glad we did it but when they carried him away he was so scared and I cried. He also bit my nose as I was helping him out of the travel cage. ouch. How on earth can I love somebirdy so much who is so bitey and mean? I do though. I don't think Charlie has ever been clipped before. I have never had him clipped and I have had him since 2012. I know that safety comes first and it didn't hurt him at all so I have no idea why I feel so guilty but I do. I really think it's because he was scared and I could tell from his posture and the look in his eyes. For those of you who clip, do your birds get use to having them done?
 
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msdeb

msdeb

Member
Dec 22, 2013
153
5
texas
Parrots
Charlie the birdie, yellow naped amazon and little bird, a monk parrot , and Polly -yellow crowned amazon
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riddick07

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Dec 22, 2011
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Blue & Gold Macaw (Titan) & Yellow Naped Amazon (Kelly)
Yes they do get used to it both being clipped and getting clipped. We had an amazon at the shelter who got so excited when she was getting groomed but she was a weirdo in all ways. She treated it like a weird game...yep she was very very strange! My big guys donā€™t even use their wings to fly around even though they are flighted. My only biggish one that uses his wings is my cockatoo Folger. I would work on the aggression while he is clipped right now to see if you can let him have them back in the future. Maybe move his cage to another room if he thinks itā€™s a launch pad to bite or he is getting too protective of it. That why he is never on top while out and only near it going in and out of the cage. Or see if you are going near something every time he launches. My amazon is insanely protective of the cabinet under the tv and will attack when around it. The only time he has ever flown is after my mother went to go in the cabinet and off he went...he isnā€™t even a good flier but he had good aim that day.
 

Sandy19

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Mar 22, 2017
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They're never going to be free like what they were intended to be anyway, so I wouldn't feel too bad about it. I don't think Peanut gets a tear in her eye every time she sees a wild bird fly by or anything. I do, but I don't think she does. Also she can still fly across the room if she really wants to. It takes about ten seconds to clip her and the bird would be just as scared if you were trimming her nails. I'm not a bird expert, but I think they forget about it rather quickly.
 

Sandy19

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Mar 22, 2017
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Also I did initially allow her to fly as a baby even though she flew into the walls a few times and it scared me, but she got it down rather quick. I got her wings clipped after she learned to fly and they grow back pretty quickly actually. So if you only clip him for training I don't think he'll be psychologically damaged or anything.
 

Scott

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Aug 21, 2010
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San Diego, California USA, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy
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Goffins: Gabby, Abby, Squeaky, Peanut, Popcorn / Citron: Alice / Eclectus: Angel /Timneh Grey: ET / Blue Fronted Amazon: Gonzo /

RIP Gandalf and Big Bird, you are missed.
A clipping can do wonders to adjust attitudes. I generally do not clip my flock; only if they push the envelope. Had to do this last year with my beloved Goffins, Gabby. Ordinarily sweet beyond description, hormones radically changed his personality. Took him to the vet for a well-check; all was normal, and the vet "prescribed" a clip. Did wonders, he reverted to his naturally perfect disposition and haven't clipped since.
 

SailBoat

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Jul 10, 2015
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DYH Amazon
Great advise provided and also a bit of darker humor. As stated by: riddick07 it is very important to spend this time attempting to define what launches the attack and what Body Language proceeds its. I hope the Wing Clip converts your sweetheart into a glider and not a dropped stone. That dropped stone clip can be deadly!!!
 

Flboy

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Dec 28, 2014
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Greater Orlando area, Florida
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JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
Yes, they do adjust to being crippled!
I came within inches of giving JoJo a clip, he was attacking anyone other than my daughter or me! Instead, we tried confining him anytime anyone came into the house! The ā€˜intruderā€™ had to give JoJo a treat! After two months of this, he learned they werenā€™t a threat!
 

AmyMyBlueFront

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Apr 14, 2015
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Amy a Blue Front 'Zon
Jonesy a Goffins 'Too who had to be rehomed :-(

And a Normal Grey Cockatiel named BB who came home with me on 5/20/2016.
Amy doesn't know how to fly but he gets clipped anyway..he doesn't seem to care.



Jim
 

itzjbean

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Jan 27, 2017
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I do think clipping was the best option here. I don't want to say flying is a privilege but it sort of is. When a bird is dive-bombing/attacking members of the family it's time to take measures to stop that behavior. Let us know how he adjusts to the clip!
 

EllenD

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Aug 20, 2016
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State College, PA
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Senegal Parrot named "Kane"; Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure named "Bowie"; Blue Quaker Parrot named "Lita Ford"; Cockatiel named "Duff"; 8 American/English Budgie Hybrids; Ringneck Dove named "Dylan"
You actually did the best thing you could have done for both you AND for Charlie if he was getting that aggressive. It's most-likely a hormonal thing, at least that started it, but once they get that way AND they realize that they can get up high, higher than you, and they have control of the situation, then the aggression from the hormones tends to just get worse and worse. And once it becomes a safety issue, then you must do something about it, and your options are limited at that point...

I've found that simply by clipping their wings they tend to lose a bit of the aggression and attitude right away. However, as already stated, right now is the time to start the training every single day from this point onward, until his wings grow back in, which usually only takes a couple of months (if the vet only clipped his primary flight feathers and didn't go crazy, an Avian vet should know to only take the primaries). If you commit to working with him every single day on interacting with you without biting, attacking, trying to take control of you, etc., by the time his wings grow back (and hopefully his hormones calm down), he'll be ready to go when he gets his pilot license back.

I did this with my Green Cheek Conure, Bowie, who is the love of my life. He really is, he's my little man...but he is just turning 2 years old, and when he hit puberty it hit him HARD. He wasn't dive-bombing me or anything, but he just would not stop constantly nipping me. And then one day he disappeared, I couldn't find him anywhere, and he wouldn't answer my calls. I was totally freaking out because I thought he must be dead somewhere if he wasn't answering me, something happened to him, and I was physically ill searching for him...I kept asking my Quaker parrot, Lita, who is Bowie's buddy, "where's Bowie?", and I swear she flew over to the top of the couch and started doing the "Quaker Pacing/Marching" up and down the top of the couch...So I got the flashlight, and there was Bowie, under the couch, all fluffed-up and talking to himself, like actually having a conversation with himself, in half English and half "Parrot". So I was relieved that he was alright, but it was bizarre that he didn't answer my calls...So I reached under the couch but he wouldn't come out, which was also odd, he always comes when I call him...well didn't that little brat run, and I mean he suddenly RAN towards me, out from under the couch, and literally attached himself to my forearm! It hurt so badly, it took everything I had not to just whip him against the wall, but I managed to grab him and pry his beak from my arm...This happened again a few days later, right under the couch, talking to himself, and this time I had a towel ready, though he managed to charge me again and this time attached to my foot! It was the weirdest thing, because once I got him detached he was his cuddly, loving little self again, but under the couch his hormones were going so wild that it was like he couldn't control himself at all...So a call to my Avian Vet and a pair of scissors later, Bowie lost his pilot's license so he couldn't get under that damn couch or anything else dark and small...And in about a month his hormones completely calmed down and the biting and constant nipping has completely stopped.

Just the fact that the bird now has to rely upon you more than he did when he could fly is a big deal, along with the fact that he can't get up higher than you anymore will help tremendously. So you did the right thing for everyone involved. Charlie will be all the better for it too, because it's going to improve your relationships with him as well...And it causes them no pain at all, so don't beat yourself up over it too much.
 

eagle18

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Jan 25, 2018
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I have one Umbrella, a Bare Eye, and two budgies.
One of you could have lost an eye, so I would not feel guilty about clipping Charlie.
 

April

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Apr 17, 2018
106
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Female eclectus April,male eclectus Buddha(hulk)
I love the idea of free flight but for me it hinders spontaneous walks in the rain or a look at the trash truck that is causing all that noise , a quick drive around the block . Think of all the wonderful things you can do now. A spin on the electric bike only to be stopped by someone who has never seen a parrot and ends up helping you socialize your baby for a minute or two(after removing her from the backpack). Mayb the beginning of something awesome . She goes with me when I do my laps , sure canā€™t have a bird flying around in there
 
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msdeb

msdeb

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Dec 22, 2013
153
5
texas
Parrots
Charlie the birdie, yellow naped amazon and little bird, a monk parrot , and Polly -yellow crowned amazon
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Great advise provided and also a bit of darker humor. As stated by: riddick07 it is very important to spend this time attempting to define what launches the attack and what Body Language proceeds its. I hope the Wing Clip converts your sweetheart into a glider and not a dropped stone. That dropped stone clip can be deadly!!!

Yes Charlie is a glider now and boy didnā€™t he look surprised šŸ˜®. We changed his cage to the new one we just bought for a bird we are in the process of trying to adopt. We cleared out Charlieā€™s giddy hole in the (empty) fireplace behind the play stand and he is going to bed earlier. I am hoping that it all helps. Spring hormones are not a joke for a teenage parrot and his mommy. I love him so much and only other parronts can understand how I can love someone who bites me sometimes šŸ¤·*ā™€ļø. Thank yā€™all for understanding
 

jugoya

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Mar 7, 2013
519
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Shreveport, La USA
Parrots
Porter (Broto); Fuggles(Budgie)
I had to clip Maiboch a few months ago because she was constantly flying to Porter's cage because she missed Daffy so darned much. Problem is Porter likes to Murder her and I have no option of putting them in seperate rooms.

She doesn't fly to his cage anymore or rather... she doesn't get to come out unless Porter is out of the room. She's also fully flighted again though .... Porter was clipped by the vet last time I went without telling me... like nine months ago. His feathers still haven't molted back.

;-;
 
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msdeb

msdeb

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Dec 22, 2013
153
5
texas
Parrots
Charlie the birdie, yellow naped amazon and little bird, a monk parrot , and Polly -yellow crowned amazon
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My sweet birdie is returning to me! Yā€™all I didnā€™t think it would be this quick, but his whole demeanor has changed. The wild, aggressive posture and look is gone and the lovey playful look is in his eyes again. We changed everything, cage, bedtime, wings, hidey-hole, and itā€™s working!! I am so happy �� Yā€™all are wonderful advisors and I am so grateful for this forum! I know that I donā€™t always comment and I stay busy so Iā€™m not on here as much as some but yā€™all are my go-to source for loving parrot advice. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
 

EllenD

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Aug 20, 2016
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State College, PA
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Senegal Parrot named "Kane"; Yellow-Sided Green Cheek Conure named "Bowie"; Blue Quaker Parrot named "Lita Ford"; Cockatiel named "Duff"; 8 American/English Budgie Hybrids; Ringneck Dove named "Dylan"
My sweet birdie is returning to me! Yā€™all I didnā€™t think it would be this quick, but his whole demeanor has changed. The wild, aggressive posture and look is gone and the lovey playful look is in his eyes again. We changed everything, cage, bedtime, wings, hidey-hole, and itā€™s working!! I am so happy ļæ½ļæ½ Yā€™all are wonderful advisors and I am so grateful for this forum! I know that I donā€™t always comment and I stay busy so Iā€™m not on here as much as some but yā€™all are my go-to source for loving parrot advice. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!


Awe, I'm so glad!! Congrats! That is such a nice feeling when the hormones calm down and you have your little baby back!

It's amazing what a wing-clipping can do. I always recommend that the first thing that someone does when trying to hand-tame a bird that was not hand-raised and won't allow a person to even come near them is to clip their wings. I've hand-tamed tons of parent-raised baby Budgies, and if you clip their wings it usually means the difference between a month or two and 6 months to a year. I understand why people are against wing-clipping, I really do, but it doesn't hurt the bird at all, it's temporary and only lasts 2-3 months or less if done correctly, and it's just necessary sometimes.
 

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