sun conure acting wierd

david55

New member
May 23, 2016
2
0
my conure was acting 100% normal today and yesterday. this morning he was acting normal too. eating his food and yelling etc. i am going on vacation for 2 months and im giving my friend my parrot to take care of him while im gone. so i decided to clip my birds wings incase anything goes wrong. my parrot has a strong bond with me but will still bite if im in his comfort zone, i got a towel and put it ontop of him and i clipped his wings. EXACTLY how this guy did [ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ccxv92QM-rw"]How To Clip Bird Wings - Sun Conure (Sunset) First Clipping - YouTube[/ame] in this video. the thing is it took me about an hour. i put a towel covering him then pull out his wing gently then tryed to clip and he would wiggle out. i didnt put pressure on him to the point where i would hurt him and i was gentle i had to try and do this about 20 times until i could clip both wings. he would pant after every time i put the towel on him so i gave him a minute or two so he can catch his breath and tried to be as gentle as i could. i clipped them and left 3 feathers at the end of the wing. he cant fly now but he can glide which is how i want it to be so that he doesent hurt himself. i put him in his cage and changed out his foods and water. the cage is clean etc also. he went to his normal place in the cage where he stays and he ate a few seeds and sat fluffed up with his eyes closed trying to sleep. he usaully is super loud and makes a 2 second screech every 30 seconds to every 3 minutes. now he is quite. since he is about 2 years old since i got him he thinks he is still being hand fed. i put my finger next to his beak and he tries to gulp like its a syringe bobbing his head. he did that and he cuddled with my hand then i left. he went to his food bowl and he leaned foward and almost fell. i cut his wings evenly and he i cut about 3/8 ths of an inch off his wings.

i heard peoples birds can be exausted after nail trims etc. but then i read online he could be sick since he isnt yelling . he was perfectly fine yelling as normal today and this morning so i doubt thats the problem. any help because im going for 2 months on vacation so if i need to do anything ive got to do it now. thanks im in shock right now
 

SailBoat

Supporting Member
Jul 10, 2015
17,666
10,057
Western, Michigan
Parrots
DYH Amazon
I can and will clip wings and nails if I have no other choice. Having said that, its been a long time.

I have always allowed others (Avian Vet or Avian Vet Tech) to do this work. The primary reason is that I can watch and judge the status of my Amazon; level of Stress and/or Over-Heating. When you are the sole individual doing the work and keeping tabs of your parrot (Multi-Tasking). Something is going to get missed.

The length that you remove is based in a 'percentage' of the overall length of the feather that you are cutting and the number of 'primary' feathers cut. Cut to great a percentage and too many feathers, your parrot turns into the status of a dropped rock. Cut too short and too few and you have little or not effect, other than a very Stressed and/or Over-Heated Parrot.

The damage to the trust bond between the Parrot and the Human. The longer and deeper the trust bond has been developed over and too does affect what you can screw-up and still keep it in place. The shorter and earlier in the process, the quicker you have to start all over.

Based on the above is why I let my Avian Vet or the Avian Vet Tech do this work. I would rather have my Parrot 'hating' them and seeking me out as the safe sane person in the room.

If you continue to do this yourself, you really need to have a second person there to keep taps on your parrot! Please remember that parrots can die from either or both Over Stressed and/or Over-Heated. Hence the Second Person Acting As a Safe Guard - Status Checker!
 
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BIRDIGIRL

New member
Jan 25, 2016
1,506
44
Mayo Ireland
Parrots
Rodney Blue Fronted Amazon
RIP Mr Biggles White Fronted Amazon , Elsa and Little Nellow the Lutino Budgies, Lady Primrose a Pied Budgie and English Budgies Houdini Popeye and Olive
I have always disagreed with wing clipping for many reasons but especially since some years back when I purchased a little Parrotlet and for safety reasons the breeder said it would be better to clip the wings so I agreed and allowed her to clip the wings(she was experienced) and I brought baby home so excited to have her after my long wait to purchase her but she only lived less than 24 hours due probably to the stress of the clip added to the stress of going to a new home all in one day ...I wasnt experienced enough to recognise that she was distressed and unwell back then (i never had the courage to get another parrotlet since) but I do hope your conure feels better soon at least you know and recognise the signs of stress and can do something to help. Some where dimly lit and warm is the best spot for your baby to get over the shock unless you think she could be ill in which case a trip to the vet is called for .
 
OP
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david55

New member
May 23, 2016
2
0
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my bird needed 2 hours or so to cool down from the stress. he is doing fine now and to be honest my conure is a strange bird. if i ever annoy him he falls back in love with me the next second. lol! thanks!u
 

lplummer52

Member
Apr 19, 2016
386
13
Indialantic, FL
Parrots
"Birdie". Sun Conure
My Sun took about a,week to get over going to the vet to get toenails clipped....whew! I can remember doing my YNA myself with Dremel tool and she was absolutely fine afterwards. Nails...never wings. I'd take her into the bathroom, cover her with a towel, and pull her little feet out from under the towel and Dremel away. No problem. When she got back to her cage, it was like nothing happened. I think I'll try doing Screech's nails myself next time.
 

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