Flight or no flight?

[Shellby5]

Take three things into consideration:

1. Clipping your bird's wings will strengthen the bond between you two. He will come to rely on you to get around your house.
2. Clipping Sheldon's doesn't mean he will be completely flightless. Clipped properly, he should still be able to glide, jump long distances using his wings, and use his wings to fly to you about five feet (an estimate). He will just not be able to say... fly high up to a tree.
3. Best of all, it's not permanent. Within a few months his flight feathers will grow back! At which you can decide whether or not you feel it's safe for him to fly around.

I'm so sorry to disagree, but I feel I must in all conscience!

1. Don't be too hasty to assume clipping will 'strengthen' any bonds. All it does is force the bird to be dependent on you and we all agree that forcing a bird isn't a Good Thing. We have had too many posts from members in the past saying 'I had a strong bond with my bird until I clipped him. Then, something went wrong and he's never been the same since'. Some birds take an enormous jolt to their confidence when clipped and it has to be taken into account when you make your decision.

2. Exactly. Clipping doesn't mean the bird will be flightless and again, we've had countless posts from members saying 'my bird was clipped but he flew away anyway!' The Lost Pets groups I belong to are full of lost-bird posts describing clipped birds that lifted on a gust of wind. NEVER rely on clipping to keep your bird safe with you outside. Disaster can and will happen.

3. It is indeed not permanent and can be a good solution in some circumstances for older birds. Yet again, though, we have members post often that young birds clipped before learning to fly properly never gain their full powers of flight. This is a philosophical topic, but birds were born to fly: who are we to take away that gift? (Sorry! Sorry! It's my own, private philosophy, but I'd be lying if I didn't include it here.)

Shellby5, I'm honestly not setting out to be argumentative or rude to you. I simply wanted to lay out the other point of view for the OP's consideration. Clipping works fabulously for many, but there is also another way of looking at it and a new member has the right to know both points of view before making a decision. I'm glad clipping has worked for you and your bird and congratulations on finding the best outcome in your circumstances.

Not at all. I love that we have different opinions on the matter. Thank you for being respectful.

 

[DoodlesMom]

That's the beauty of this forum. We all have opinions, the key is to remain open minded enough to see all points of view and discuss these topics together. After all we ALL have one common interest....our birds.

 

[miloslave]

My advice would also be to clip just for now. I think getting started on training and bonding will be hard if you need to chase your bird all over the house to begin with.

Definitely harnass train, the aviator harnass comes with an instructional video as well. But if your bird keeps flying off, I don't see that happening either.

I found with Charlie trying to tighten the harnass at the front created confusion as he did not understand that I did not want him to step up with my hand right there, got bit many a time out of frustration. So I moved the clasp to the back, between his wings and tighten it from there. Problem solved, biting a thing of the past and he wears his harnass like a pro!

The thing is, for a seasonal bird owner with a lot of experience it might be easier to get past the early stages without clipping, and in a perfect world we all would prefer not to, but until the bird understands how to behave with you, it might be necessary to start with.

Luckily it is not a permanent thing and should you choose to, you can always have her flighted after her next molt.

 

[Birdsfourever]

I think that a bird shoupd not have clipped wings. Appolo had her wings lipped and I am egerly waiting for her first molt so she cqn fly again! Honestly if you dont want a et that can fly then dont get a bird. Would you cut an angel or fairys wings? Birds were built for flight. Also I recomend getging a flight harness and bring her outside! I bring appolo outside sometimes and will bring her to petstores aswell.

 

[JerseyWendy]

I think that a bird shoupd not have clipped wings. Appolo had her wings lipped and I am egerly waiting for her first molt so she cqn fly again! Honestly if you dont want a et that can fly then dont get a bird. Would you cut an angel or fairys wings? Birds were built for flight. Also I recomend getging a flight harness and bring her outside! I bring appolo outside sometimes and will bring her to petstores aswell.

Unfortunately due to comments such as this we (the mods) often end up closing threads such as this one.

Clipping is ALWAYS a personal choice.

Hmm...next time I come across a fairy, I'll make sure and ask her whether she'd like to keep her wings. :54:

As for taking your bird to pet stores, Birdsfourever, please know that if those stores sell birds, you take a chance of exposing your cockatiel to 'unwanted' and possibly harmful diseases.