to fly, or not to fly....

[chris-md]

Oh jiiiiiim, I posted your videosssssssss!!!!!

I’m excited to see what you take from them. I think Amy will take to it really quickly!!

 

[coopedup]

so by now you read the other thread.....where do you stand?

Personally I believe its an individual decision, and I respect the choices others make since Im not in their shoes. As i originally posted, my preference is to leave him flighted, but I wont be deciding for a while yet. I want to see how he goes with his wings. Also, it's not like it cant be undone. His primaries WILL grow back. I clipped him in January because i didnt feel i was ready, nor was he. Now that' he's more settled here, we've bonded...and he is much more secure, it's a different set of factors to consider.

 

[LordTriggs]

so by now you read the other thread.....where do you stand?

Personally I believe its an individual decision, and I respect the choices others make since Im not in their shoes. As i originally posted, my preference is to leave him flighted, but I wont be deciding for a while yet. I want to see how he goes with his wings. Also, it's not like it cant be undone. His primaries WILL grow back. I clipped him in January because i didnt feel i was ready, nor was he. Now that' he's more settled here, we've bonded...and he is much more secure, it's a different set of factors to consider.

EXACTLY! This is what I've been preaching, every single person and every single bird is different, some it's necessary, some it's not, some can take it either way. One of my biggest loves of flighted parrots out of the benefits to them is the feeling of your bird flying over to you, there's no better way to know you have been chosen than them wanting to be with you and going out of their way to be on you other than any other perch in the area

But very true there's fun with birds being clipped, I'm sure Jim will attest to amy showing his love to Jim despite wandering around on the floor

 

[Anansi]

I know im opening a can of worms here but I want to hear what everyone has to say on both sides of the issue. Wrangler has finally grown in enough wing and tail primaries that he can physically fly (not sure where we are on actual ability and muscle strength). He's figuring this out right now and every day his skills get better. He can fly/coast horizontally 30+ feet and is beginning to hop/fly vertically up to about 2 feet. This has really increased his ability to get into things. The kitchen counter is now in range as are most of the tables in the living room. This weekend he was hell bent on trying to destroy just about everything he could find there and despite 5 attempts to redirect and engage him with his toys he persisted until he earned a timeout. I cant remember the last time he had one....

His personality is also undergoing a marked change at the moment...he's more destructive, and persisitant, and confident. Could be because he's more comfortable and secure, part of his evolution as a rescue. I can now touch feathers without too much protest but up until a month or so ago they were still firmly in the "no go" zone for him. 15 months to be able to handle him physically with ease. No flinching, no beak warnings (mostly), he's not thrilled about it but doesnt have the same reaction he did over the last year. He's more about wanting things his way, and wanting what he wants (to do) despite corrections, diversions, and treat training opportunities. Actively making the wrong choice. EG; he was on his low perch (appx 2-3 inches high) on the raised bar counter but decided that knocking over the oil bottles below was a good idea (this isnt the first time). I caught him doing it and put a finger between him and the bottles...waved it and told him no, not yours, not for birdies. Then i encouraged him to get back on his perch counter with a command and an almond. This worked once or twice but then he decided the bottle tipping was a better option than the almond. Willfullness is not something Im used to from him. Yeah, he's broken a few things, spilled some things...Ive had to move things out of range---but now that he can fly, it's only a matter of time until he figures out he can still get to them.

He gets a LOT of out of cage time. He's almost never locked in, except for the recent time out, or when we are both gone for the day---6 hours or more. He sleeps upstairs at night...no cage. Usually he's content to hang on/in his cage until I get home but he's made a few wanders into the living room to hang out on the stair railing overlooking the front door--nothing destructive or dangerous. My husband makes a reallllllllly poor baby/bird/dog sitter so yesterday was the first time in ages that he was confined when I went to work and someone was home. This is going to be the new rule. Too much for him to get into now that he's more mobile and confident. Which brings about the issue----

If I clip him again (he came to me clipped and plucked to the point he couldnt fly) he will have more freedom around the house. I know what he can and cant get into and can make those adjustments. Flighted will mean nothing is safe/secure, including him. Not sure how the removal of flight capabilities would affect his newfound attitude/confidence--if it's flight based or simply comfort based. He hangs with us up in the umbrella spokes when we are on the patio relaxing or grilling--that cant happen any more, not without a harness...He goes on the dog walk..even if its just a quickie. I take him into the garage when Im working on a project or doing laundry. He has a perch in every room. He gets to run errands on a whim...he's so easyy to pick up and plop on my shoulder, but flighted requires a harness every time which means its not as easy, or quick....so he'll miss out on a lot of things he used to do simply because of the convenience factor.

Flighted is something I believe in, in general...but it would be a drastic change in lifestyle and freedom for him. Significantly more time in cage for his safety, less time hanging with me, less outside time. He's got a pretty good life right now---tons of freedom, lots of people time, lots of experiences with walks and errands...

Im not taking this lightly, and Im not yet ready to make the decision. Im going to give it a few more months to see how it goes and to see if he really can fly, if he uses that skill (i recall that Maya is not a secure flier, unlike Jolly), and how that affects his personality. Your thoughts are important to me..things i may not have considered, or may be emphasizing too much/little. Please respect others opinions, I dont want this to become controversial, just informative. Thanks in advance...

Janet and Wrangler

Hi, Janet! First, let me just say how thrilled I am that Wrangler has made so much progress in his plucking that this is even coming up as an issue! I don't doubt that it's due, in large part, to all of the love and care that you've given him.

At this point, Wrangler is uncovering a whole new world. It will likely take time for you and him both to adjust to what that means for him. But he's likely filled with excitement and curiosity about his newfound abilities.

In terms of the willfulness, just be consistent as you ride out the exuberant phase. Establish boundaries with his new behaviors and be persistent with enforcing them. And encourage his flight. Work with him while his abilities are still limited. 2 adjustable height training perches are perfect for this. Allowing him to work off any excess energy will indubitably cut down on the more mischievous aspects of his personality changes. (Though be mindful that this level of exercise is new for him, so don't push him too hard, too fast.)

I can understand your fears about how his being flighted will change the dynamics of your interactions with him. But give yourself time to adjust to this new normal as well. I think that you'll find that you'll learn to adapt and even come to appreciate and embrace the changes in his lifestyle. Trust me, after the transitional period, you'll likely come to love the pros of having a flighted parrot.

And one other thing to keep in mind. Due to the unique structuring of their feathers, clipping can sometimes be more physically irritating to ekkies than to other parrots. Some have been known to become pluckers in the wake of a clip. So given Wrangler's struggles in that vein, you might also want to consider the possibility of that actually adding to an already present inclination toward the behavior.

And yes, you're right about Maya. Despite my best efforts, she will rarely do any flying. Some birds just never make the psychological readjustment to regaining their flight feathers. This concerns me for health reasons especially, as she even resists any attempts to get her wing flapping like what April has done with Kiwi all these years, or what Jim has begun doing with Amy. Nope, she is very confident in the strength of her death grip, holding on stoically even as I move her up and down. It's not that she can't. She sometimes flaps on her own. She just refuses to do it at anyone's behest save her own. Stubborn girl. Sigh...

In my opinion a flighted bird is a healthier bird. Physically, but more importantly, mentally. I think it also gives a bird one more reason to keep those flight feathers attached where they belong.
There are always exceptions, but as bird owners, I think it is OUR job to adapt and modify as much as possible; the bird is already forced to adapt to so much for us. The only time they lose "out" time is if I'm cooking, for obvious reasons.
With all that being said, if you are not certain that you are creating a safe environment for a flighted bird, then you should not endanger your pet.

Excellent post. I love the part about it being our job to adapt and modify, given how much they have done so for us. Well stated!