To clip or not to clip? (wings)

[freedwithwings204]

Hi!

I wanted some advice from other IRN owners (others welcome, of course!) about whether they clip their birds wings, or why.

Still in a debate on whether to trim my IRN wings. But he hasn't been so bad since they grew back.

Advice (or opinion/experiences welcome!)

 

[mistywaterwoman]

I'm on the fence on this issue as well, being a new bird owner. I'll be keeping an eye on this thread. Thanks for asking the question!!

 

[LoveMyParrots]

It depends on you, whether you think your IRN would be safe if he is flighted. Do you have cats, dogs, children, lots of doors and window, etc.

Ozzie my alexandrine's wings are clipped, I brought him when he was already clipped. I'm planning when his feathers grows out, I'm only gonna trim a little bit, that he still can fly, but just need to flap a bit harder. Because watching him fly in a harness is the most amazing thing in the world! And now that he is used to my house, he know where he can go and where he can't. He also knows where the doors and windows is. So now it's pretty safe.

 

[cthulhus_minion]

How about an African Grey? I've heard mixed issues on trimming their wings.

Sent from my RM-820_nam_att_100 using Board Express

 

[freedwithwings204]

I don't have any dangers that are easy for him to reach. No cats, dogs, children, if he flies to the window he seems to know to grab the blinds to stop himself. He has bonked his head on the ceiling as he has been flying, but nothing that didn't stop him from what he was doing. I was just concerned for when he goes through his maturity phase at 2. Though he knows that if I have to come and get him because he won't step up for someone else, he's in trouble.

As far as clipping a greys' wings, I believe that it depends on the birds' personality as an individual. I won't do it with my current TAG, because he has a lots of confidence issues. But my last TAG, lost all of the flight feathers on one wing due to molting, and would still go about exploring the house on the floor.

 

[Olga_Afrotto]

Hello! Please can you help me with info? I'm a new owner of baby IRN which is 3 months old. He got trimmed wings. But seems to me like very bad((( they r too short he can't even fly poor thing when they will grow back and if I can help anyhow to make it faster?

 

[Katu]

His flight feathers will grow back as he molts, one feather at a time. It will be okay, it just takes time.

 

[SailBoat]

Hello! Please can you help me with info? I'm a new owner of baby IRN which is 3 months old. He got trimmed wings. But seems to me like very bad((( they r too short he can't even fly poor thing when they will grow back and if I can help anyhow to make it faster?

Very sorry that the prior owner of your IRN clipped your babies Wings! The sad part is that this period of time is when Parrots are naturally learning how to fly and that also is connected to the continued formation of their Fight Muscles, Heart and Air Sacks!

Since, your Parrots body believes that is has a full set of Wing Feathers it can be months before new Wing feathers begin to appear and as long as a couple of years before your IRN has a full set of Wing feathers. You will need to be very careful during this period of time, since unsupported new feathers can become broken and result in a blood feather (bleeding feather).

There a no 'safe' ways of speeding this process. Assure a healthy diet will help!