About to Adopt a Sun

[shirino]

Hi, we're about to adopt a baby sun conure within the next two weeks and have a few more questions. Thanks for being so helpful. First, he's 4 months old today, but still being handfed and everytime we go for a time estimate and to visit they say 4 to 6 weeks. They've been saying 4 to 6 weeks since early December. They finally said they'd get him ready and he should be ready to go home in two weeks. After they first said 4 to 6 weeks. In the more recent weeks we've seen him change from being willing to come out of his cage to being completely unwilling and every time when he's out and we walk by that area he jumps off and flies to the glass to try to join his buddies. We're worried the longer it takes the less willing he'll be to be with us once we get him. All we can do is wait.

We have a question about wings. I've heard some people keep them flighted and some clip. Is there any particular recommendation regarding wings?

I'm sure I'll be back. Questions constantly arising. Thanks so much!

 

[Indy]

As for the getting skittish around you, I wouldn't worry too much once he gets home you'll have to be patient and work with him. If he's being handled a lot and hand fed you'll have no troubles bonding with him
People are going to tell you to leave him flighted or to clip them. However; this is your choice and yours alone. I clip my fosters wings for their safety, and to make it a little easier for perspective adoptee's to handle the birds. If your keeping your bird near a front door or a window without a screen or plan on taking it places I reccomend clip. For your birds safety and nothing else. If your keeping your bird in a bird proof house and are willing to take on full responsibilities for whatever happens then flighted is the way to go. Do your research and don't do anything because someone told you too.

 

[shirino]

Okay, that's what I had told my husband. That it could go either way and some people go flighted and some people go clipped and each have their own reasons. He felt like their should be a blanket recommendation. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't one. We'll decide. My dad keeps his cockatiel flighted. We'll look into it. Thanks.

 

[FutureDVM]

I agree that wing clipping should be a personal choice based on your individual situation. However, I do believe that it's a good idea to leave babies un-clipped. I think it's important to allow them to build and strengthen the muscles involved with flight. If you clip your bird at such a young age, you may end up with a clumsy and less confident bird. You can always clip the bird later if you decide to do so. This is of course just my opinion but it's something you may want to consider...

 

[roxynoodle]

I let both my baby conures learn to fly and land and develop those muscles and confidence. Rowdy I clipped eventually for training reasons. I was working with her on her dominance issues and nipping. I couldn't teach her if she could just keep flying back to me. After we were done with that though, I let them grow back and she has been flighted for the last 11 years. With my Blue Crown baby, there were never any of those issues and I never clipped her.

 

[Pedro]

Hi, we're about to adopt a baby sun conure within the next two weeks and have a few more questions. Thanks for being so helpful. First, he's 4 months old today, but still being handfed and everytime we go for a time estimate and to visit they say 4 to 6 weeks. They've been saying 4 to 6 weeks since early December. They finally said they'd get him ready and he should be ready to go home in two weeks. After they first said 4 to 6 weeks. In the more recent weeks we've seen him change from being willing to come out of his cage to being completely unwilling and every time when he's out and we walk by that area he jumps off and flies to the glass to try to join his buddies. We're worried the longer it takes the less willing he'll be to be with us once we get him. All we can do is wait.

We have a question about wings. I've heard some people keep them flighted and some clip. Is there any particular recommendation regarding wings?

I'm sure I'll be back. Questions constantly arising. Thanks so much!

4 months old IMO this bird should be weaned. Suns usually wean between 3 to 4 months. I would be asking how many feeds the baby is having & what other foods the have introduced it to. It should be eating a variety of foods & maybe only having 1 formula feeding in the evening to settle before bed. Although probably doesn't need it.

Wing clipping, now that always causes some debate. Personally i am with the others on this & it's really up to the owner & the circumstances the bird lives in. Either way it's a choice that will suit everyone. If clipping just do it correctly.

 

[roxynoodle]

Well, at least it sounds like the breeder isn't trying to pass you off a baby that isn't ready for a new home yet. But, it took my BC 3 months from hatching to be fully weaned. So I hope the breeder knows what he/she is doing that it's taking so long.

 

[Pedro]

Sometimes there could be a problem with the baby & the breeder isn't telling. Seems strange to me that the baby is changing from being friendly to a little cautious. My baby suns fly around the house like crazy & land on everyone. They really don't care.

 

[echoskybound]

There are certianly good arguments on either side of the clipping vs flighted decision. For people who have had a bird end up in emergency because of flying into windows, or people who have lost birds who escaped out an open door, it's easy to understand why a clipped bird is a safe bird. There are a lot of dangers for birds in our human environments.

Personally, I love keeping my conure flighted. When I got him as a baby, he was clipped, and had some aggression issues, even though he was just a baby. When it comes to "fight or flight", obviously a birds first reaction is to fly, but when they can't do that, they fight. Once his feathers grew in and he learned to fly, a lot of his aggression went away and he has an energy outlet. I also had a big problem with him breaking lots of blood feathers because he would try to fly, but would sink like a rock, hit the floor and break feathers. Flight is also great exercise, and I'm working on recall training him so that flight is a fun training activity for him. However, it's very important to teach them about windows and mirrors from a very young age, if you choose to keep him flighted. You need to make sure that, whenever the bird is out, fans are off, stovetops are off, toilet seats are closed, and there are no chemicals that he can get into.

I also agree with FutureDVM that it's important for baby birds to learn the skill and develop the muscles to fly. A flighted bird is a more confident bird, and a nervous bird is an aggressive bird.

Don't worry, he won't be less willing to be with you if the breeder is taking their time. It took me a while to get my conure as a baby, too. There will always be some adjustment time, as the bird needs to adjust to a lot of changes in their surroundings and their social structure. Congrats on your baby sunny! You'll do just fine :]

 

[Indy]

^On the above comment very true, wings should never be clipped so close that they can't flap around a bit. A bird should be able to get around a room fairly easily when clipped its not good for the bird if they are cut too close, this is generally associated with someone who doesn't know what they are doing or a pet store clipping said wings.
Best of luck making a choice!